Hiroshima

Hiroshima
Yep, Laurence
Scholastic Inc. NY,NY (1995)
Realistic fiction, Multicultural
2-4

Sachi is a twelve year old girl that lived in Hiroshima Japan in 1945. Sachi and her older sister Riko are effected greatly by the war. They both had to work at such young ages to support the war. Sachi worked with a crew of children that that tried to clean up the wreckage from American bombings. and Riko answered phones at an army headquarter. Only very young children were allowed to simply play. While the two girls are at work a B-29 bomber plane named the Enola Gay flown by Colonel Tibbets is heading toward Hiroshima. The Enola Gay is carrying a 8900 pound nuclear bomb. The bomb is dropped on Hiroshima and life there changed forever. There was massive destruction. Riko is killed instantly and Sachi suffered terrible burns that scarred her and immobilized her arm. Sachi's mother found her lying among a pile of dead and alive children outside a hospital. Sachi did not come out of her house for three years because she was ashamed of her scars and she did not want to be made fun of. Sachi is chosen to become one of the Hiroshima Maidens which were a group of girls that were sent to the U.S. to receive free operations and re constructive surgeries. Sachi undergoes many painful surgeries but she regains the use of her arm and her scars are greatly reduced. Sachi was among the only group of girls sent to the U.S. because many Japaneses people believed that the us should give money to be split by all of the people in Hiroshima. Hospitals are built in Japan to help people injured from the bomb. The author tells us that people are continuing to suffer and die from the effects of radiation from the bomb. He also tells us that sachi is a composite of several children who traveled to theU.S. for treatment.

This book emphasizes terrible thing our country did to the people of Hiroshima. This book is so sad. I felt sick when I thought about the pain Sachi must have gone through along with so many others. I am glad that Yep continually emphasized the lasting effects of our decision to drop the bomb. He said many times that people are still dying from the bomb. I think that everyone, not only children, should read this book so they can understand why we should never ever set off another nuclear tiomes. It seems that we are constantly in political unrest. For this reason, I want to share this book to my students and have them reflect through poetry how this book made them feel. I think that poetry speaks strait from the heart.

The Keeping Quilt

The Keeping Quilt
Polacco, Patricia
Simon and Shuster Books For Young Readers
Nonfiction, multicultural
k-3

In the Keeping Quilt, Polacco tels of the quilt her family has passed down from generation to generation. Patricia's Great Grandmother and Grandmother were Jewish immigrants from Russia to the United States. Her grandmother Anna was a child when she moved to a new country with a new language. She treasured her dress and babushka because they were the only things she had left form her old home. When She began to out grow the dress, her mother began to make a quilt out of it. She invited all of the neighbors to help her make the quilt. Anna's Babushka became the border of the great quilt. Anna treasured this quilt. Anna used the quilt as a huppa in her wedding. A huppa is placed over the couple's head as they are being married. She wraped her children in the quilt and eventually passed the quilt on to Patricia. Patricia slept with the quilt and used it as a make-believe tent when she was a child. When she grew older she two used as a Huppa in her wedding. she also wrapped her daughter in the quilt that would someday be hers.

I wish that my family had a family tradition the way Patricia's did. That quilt represented so many memories and emotions for the family. Patricia's Great Grandmother was able to preserve their heritage in part by this quilt. I think the women who had this quilt were empowered by it. The quilt represented the hard work they have put into their family. When I have my own classroom, I would have my students make their own Keeping quilt or a class quilt out of construction paper. They would come up with ways to represent their families heritage and what is important to them through their quilt. This book is a great way to introduce students to a culture that they may know little or nothing about. The double page illustrations in this book were sketches. The only color in the illustrations were the quilt. The quilt was brightly colored to show the the life and love that was in that quilt.

Becoming Naomi Leon

Becoming Naomi Leon
Ryan, Pam Munoz
Realistic fiction, multicultural
Scholastic, Inc. 2004
4-5

Naomi Outlaw was a young girl who lived with her great grandmother and little brother Owen who is physically disabled. Naomi and Owen had spent most of their lives with gram ever since their mother abandoned them. Naomi's last name was not really Outlaw it was Leon. Gram wanted her use Outlaw so they would have the same name. Naomi did not fit in well at school.The kids at her school made fun of her name, and she never had new clothes. Naomi's mother was American and fer father was Mexican. Naomi took after her father's side. She had dark hair, skin, and eyes. This meant that she did not look at all like her brother and gram. Naomi often felt out of place.

One day Naomi and Owen's mother showed up at grams trailer. Her mother had changed her name to Skyla. Gram was very upset about her arrival because she was an alcoholic who had spent time in rehab and in a half way house. Gram was worried that Skyla would try to take her kids away from the only family they knew. Gram, Naomi, and Owen were very close to their neighbors Fabiola and Bernardo who were originally from Mexico. Skyla gave Naomi lots of presents but she ignored her crippled son Owen. Owen was often made fun of for his deformities and unusual voice. Other kids called him a retard even though he was very smart. Owen was very insecure and always had to have tape on his shirt or he would panic. Skyla seemed to be embarrassed of her son and was only interested in Naomi. It turned out that Skyla only wanted Naomi so her and her new Boyfriend would get government welfare. Naomi did not want to live with her mother because she was unkind to her brother and had even hit her. She did not show up to her parent teacher conference which really hurt her feelings. Gram took Owen and Naomi on a trip to Mexico in their trailer. There, Naomi finally reconnects with her father. She discovers that he truly loved her and regretted the time they had lost. Her father agreed that his children should stay with Gram. Gram had to go to court but the judge also agreed that they should live with Gram. Naomi found herself at peace. She was no longer Naomi Out law. She is now Naomi Leon.

This is a very heart warming book. I admire Gram for taking in her grat grandchildren in when their mother left them. I fell that many children would identify with Naomi's life. She is from a mixed family which caused her great confusion. I think that children in similar situations would be comforted with how her problems worked out. I would like to use this story in the classroom to start a discussion on tolerance. Many made fun of Naomi and Owen because they were different. Children need to understand that we are who we are no one should be made to feel bad about how they look, act, or live. I would also like to incorporate an art lesson. I would have the students try to make their own soap carvings!

Away Is A Strange Place To Be

Away Is A Strange Place To Be
Hoover, H.M.
Fitzhenry and Whiteside limited, Toronto
Science Fiction
4-6

This book is set in the year 2349. In the book, humans have managed to build Habitats in outer space. The main character Abby is an orphan who live with her uncle Mochi in his Luxurious Inn. Many rich people from the outer space habitats stayed in Uncle Mochi's Inn. One of these guests was a very arrogant and spoiled boy named Bryan. Abby's uncle wanted her to entertain their young guest. While doing so Bryan and Abby were kidnapped one night while at an amusement park. The two found themselves in a child slave labor camp owned by the powerful VitaCon corporation that forced children to do manual labor in an unfinished Habitat. This was a horrible place where faceless people named after colors that called them selves instructors, drugged and threatened the students. They told the students who were mostly orphaned that they must work to build the new habitat. They were also told that there parents had sent them there on purpose to teach them discipline. Abby knew this was a lie and she longed to be able to return to her home at the Inn. Abby and Bryan decide to escape. They make it out of the compound and a man on parole for murder helps them get on a space ship so they could go home. The captin discovers them stowing away and is very angry. She is afraid that she will lose her job if the powerful ViaCom corporation finds out that she had a hand in there escape. She quietly gets the children to a port where they will be safe. The children go to the authorities and are able to communicate with Uncle Mochi and Bryan's mother. Bryan becomes physically ill when he find out that his parents did send him to that awful place. Abby discovers that the only reason she was kidnapped was because she was in the wring place at the wrong time. Bryan's mother makes arrangements for both children to be brought to her home instead of letting Abby go home. His mother made Uncle Machi sign a paper that said he would not sue her for Abby's kidnapping in return for a large sum of money before letting her return home. Abby and Uncle Mochi use the money free the other kidnapped children and give them a safe home with a college fund. After seeing the poor condition of the children in the camp, Bryan's mother finally felt guilty for sending him to that aweful place.

This book seems to be very obscure. When I googled the title my own blog entry came up! None the less, I really liked this book. Science fiction was always my favorite genre when I was young because I love the suspense and being transformed into another world. This book was most appealing to me because the characters were impossible not to connect with. Abby was a sweet, smart, and responsible girl who was very unpretentious. I admire her morals that separated her from Bryan. Unlike Abby, Bryan was very selfish and manipulative. In the beginning of the book I did not like Bryan at all but as the book went along I realized that his parents had raised him to be the way he was. Bryan was a good kid at heart. I cannot imagine the pain and rejection he must have felt when he realizes that his parents wanted to send him away. I bet that there are a lot of students that could identify with this. I would like to assign this to students in my class that are not fond of reading. I think that they might find an interest in this genre as I did. I after they read the book I would like them to write how they picture the year 2349. I think their imaginative storeys would be fascinating.

The Man Who Was Poe

The Man Who Was Poe
Avi
Avon Books NY, NY (1989)
Historical fiction, mystery
4-6

This book centers around an eleven year old boy named Edmund during the mid eighteen hundreds. He is from England but he, his aunt, and his twin sister travel to Providence Rhode Island in search of his mother. One day Edmond left his sister looked in their apartment in search of food after his aunt vanished during her search for his mother. Edmond was detained by an old man who claimed to be lost. When Edmond returned home his sister whom he calls sis, was also missing. Edmond begins a frantic search for his sister. While searching her meets a mysterious man named Mr. Dupin. He agrees to help Edmond find his sister only because he is a writer and feels that the experience would make a good story. Mr. Dupin wanted to know everything about Edmond and his family but, Edmond neglected to tell that his mother had come to America in search of his stepfather who had stolen all of her money. The two go to the docks where Edmond and his twin sister often went in hopes that they would find her there. At the docks the two make a gruesome discovery. Edmond's aunt's dead body had been pulled out of the water. Mr. Dupin begins to believe that his sister is dead but Edmond refused to believe this

Mr. Dupin is an alcoholic who seems to care little about saving sis. He seems to only care about his story and his love interest a wealthy widow named Mrs. Whitman. Mrs. Whitman did not approve of their relationship and wanted her to instead marry a man named Mr. Ratchett. We later discover that Mr. Ratchett is in fact Edmond's step father and that Mr. Dupin is the famous writer Edgar Allen Poe. We also discover that Mr. Ratchett and his accomplice Mr. Peterson had kidnapped his aunt, mother, and sister. They wanted sis to aid them in a gold heist because she was small enough to crawl through a shaft and bring them the gold. The two me killed their aunt thinking she was her identical twin sister, and they kept sis as a hostage.Mr. Ratchett wanted his wife dead so he would be free to marry Mrs. Whitman without scandal. Edmonds mother managed to escape from the men and he finally found his mother in a church. The next morning Edmond set off to rescue his sister. Mr. Dupin and Mr. Throck, who was a private investigator that only wanted reward money, were passed out drunk so he had to leave without them. Edmond found Mr. Peterson at the docks and tried to get him to return his sister. Mr. Ratchett hit him in the head from behind which knocked him out. Mr. Dupin and Mr. Throck finally sobered up and and rushed to the docks. Mr. Throck helped Edmond save his sister but Duplin was very angry that sis lived because he thought his story would be better if she were dead.

This was a very sad book for many reasons. First of all, I was very saddened for Edmond who was all alone and could find no one who cared about him. Times must have definitely changed because today a boy in Edmond's position could have gone to the police for help. Instead, people shooed him away because he was poor. they did not care that he was terrified and hungry. Also sad and unnerving was the character Edgar Allen Poe. He was an alcoholic and had psychiatric problems. He was tortured by his childhood and was very depresses. All of this made him go mad. He was so was obsessed with writing a story about all of Edmond's family dying that he really wanted them to die. He seemed to lack human empathy. I found this a very interesting book but I don't see this book with a place in my classroom. I might recommend it to certain students who like mysteries if I was teaching a grade level where they would be reading the works of Edgar Allen Poe. The book does cause the reader to think about the man Edgar Allen Poe.

My Name is Maria Isabella

My Name is Maria Isabella
Ada, Alma Flor
Thompson, K. Dyble
Realistic fiction novel, Multicultural
Atheneum Macmillan Publishing Company NY, NY, (1993)
4-6

Maria Isabella Sanchez Lopez is a girl who was born in Puerto Rico and began school there. Her family move to the united states and she attended a new school where her and her teachers spoke Spanish. Maria Isabella liked that school and had dear friends there but she and her family had to move because her dad got a new job as a superintendent ant the apartment complex where they would be living. She was very nervous about starting in her new school. Her new school was taught only in English and her teacher did not understand her culture. Maria Isabella is named after her grandmothers, grandfather, and her father. It was her family's custom to be named after family members whom were very important to the child. Maria Isabella was very proud to be named after her family members. Her teacher called Maria Isabella Mary out of convenience because their were all ready other Maria's in the class. She did not know how to tell the teacher how she felt. The teacher became very annoyed with her when she did not answer questions when the teacher referred to her as Mary. Maria Isabella was not used to answering to her new name. Because of the two's miscommunication, Maria Isabella was left out of the class performance. The teacher thought that because she did not immediately answer she did not want to participate. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Maria became very sad that she was not in the Hanukkah performance. Maria Isabella was having a very difficult time at school and at home. Her family was full of love but they were struggling financially. Her mother had to find a job outside the home which was a hard adjustment for her. She became lonely when she was home alone. Maria Isabella finally found the courage to tell her teacher through a writing assignment how much she wanted to be called by her name and sing in the performance. The next day her teacher addressed her by her full name and asked her to lead their song. Maria Isabella was very happy that her teacher now understood her and that her parents could see her sing.

I found this book very touching. The author did a wonderful job making understand the characters in this book. For this reason I don't think that the sketched illustrations were necessary.I felt so bad for Maria Isabella when her teacher decided to ignore her name and gave her a new one. I don't think her teacher meant to hurt her feelings I think she was probably just trying to organize her class. When I was tutoring in after school I tutored a girl who was in a similar situation. Her name was Elizabeth but she wanted to be called Beth because that is what her family called her. Her teacher and all of the after school staff continued to call her beth. Every day she marked through the Eliza in her name that her teacher wrote on her papers. I don't think that Beth was as upset by being called something other that what she wanted, But it did have a clear impact on her.

The Hispanic population in our country is rapidly growing. For this reason teachers need to find ways to expose students to Hispanic cultures as well as being sensitive to Hispanic students who may feel out of place. Many people in our country bare a prejudice against Hispanic Americans. I feel that most prejudice is a result of a lack of understanding of the cultures around them. For this reason, teachers should try to incorporate as many different cultures within their curriculum as possible. I think this multicultural book would be an excellent way to introduce students to The Hispanic culture and to help them see that Maria Isabella's Hispanic family were good, hard working, and loving people. All students should be able to identify with Maria Isabella's struggle to fit in. I would like to read this book to my class within the first week of school and have a discussion about how people are different and how we are all the same. I would then have the class write a narrative about how their heritage and culture is important to them. I feel that this activity would make students more aware of the world around them as well as them selves.

Yeh- Shen

Yeh-Shen
Louie, Ai-ling
Young, Ed
Putnam and Grosset Group NY, NY (1982)
Fairy Tale, Traditional Literature, Multicultural
k-3

Yeh-Shen is the orphaned daughter of a chief. Her father and her mother's death meant that she must live with her mean and spiteful stepmother and stepsister. They did what ever they could to make Yeh-Shen's life miserable. She only had one friend in the whole world. This friend was a fish that swam in the pond near her home. The fish was very wise and comforted Yeh-Shen. She hid the fish from her stepmother out of fear of what she might do. Her stepmother found out about the fish and killed it out of spite. Yeh-Shen was devastated and kept the remains of the fish. The fish bones still held the fish's magical spirit and he was able to help Yeh-Shen with her wish to go to the festival where her stepsisters hoped to find a husband. Her stepmother forbid her to go to the festival because she did not want her to over shadow her daughters. The fish bones transformed her old ragged clothes into beautiful silk robes and golden slippers. The fish warned her not to lose the slippers and off she wen to the festival. All of the people were in awe of Yeh-Shens beauty but she was forced to flee when her stepsister became suspicious about her identity. Yeh-Shen ran so fast that she lost one of the Gold slippers. Yeh-Shen's beautiful clothing vanished and so did the fish's soul. She was once again devastated by the loss of her friend. The lost golden slipper was found and made it's way to the king. He was enchanted by the tiny shoe and he wanted to find the woman that the shoe belonged to. Many women came to try on the slipper including the stepsisters, but no one has feet tiny enough to fit into the slipper. Yeh-Shen snick out to get the shoe after the crowd of women left. The king discovered that the Yeh-Shen was the woman he had been searching for. She married the king and lived a very happy life but her step family were crushed by a rock slide.

This is a Chinese version of the Cinderella story. This version serves as a good tool to expose students to the Chinese culture but it is far from my favorite version. The author did not do a great job of tugging at my emotions. I did not feel the sympathy for Yeh-Shen as I did for Vasilisa and the Rough Faced Girl. To me, this tale was just a tale not a story of someone that could have really lived. She did not show the selflessness that the others showed. Despite this concern I thing I would use tis version as a part of a Cinderella unit. I think that this book, along with the others, would be a good way to get students to research the history of monarchs in each of the Cinderella tales. Each of the tales speak of the leader of that culture's nation. The students could research not only the monarchs themselves, but also those county's systems of government and how they might have changed trough time. This book could also be used to inform students of the Chinese culture, such as the importance of women having small feet. The kink was first stuck by how tiny Yeh-Shen's feet were.

The illustrations were painted in watercolor within a block design which was quite fitting for this Asian tale. I like block illustrations because they make the illustrations seem as though they are snapshots in time like a slide show. I liked the color combination that Young chose. He used a lot of pastels that were calming and gave the reader assurance that the story would end well. The Illustrations were very beautiful but I do feel that the story could have stood alone without them because they failed to capture the emotion in the story.

The Rough Faced Girl

The Rough Faced Girl
Martin, Rafe
Shannon, David
Putnam and Grosset Group, NY, NY (1992)
Fairy Tate, Traditional Literature, multicultural
k-3

The Rough Faced Girl lived in Lake Ontario Canada in an Algonquin village long ago. She had two sisters who treated her terribly. They made her set so close to the fire that she became burnt and scared only so that she could constantly feed the fire and keep them warm. The laughed at her and felt no pity or guilt for the way the rough faced girl was forced to live. Their father gave his oldest daughters whatever they wanted and allowed his youngest daughter to live such a miserable life. The oldest daughters were very beautiful and wore the best of clothes but there poor little sister bore terrible scars. The oldest sisters believed that because of their beauty they would be able to marry the rich and powerful invisible being who hid himself. In order to marry the invisible being the girls had to have seen him. They lied to the Invisible Being's brother telling them that they had seen him. He knew the girls were liars when they were unable to tell him what the Invisible Being's bow and sled was made of. He turned the girls away despite their beauty. The Rough Faced Girl became convinced that she was supposed to marry the Invisible Being. She made herself the best outfit she could out of the scraps her father had given fer and set off to see the Invisible Being. The Invisible Being saw her inner beauty and allowed her to see him. She wen to the Invisible being's wise sister and told her she had seen him. She was able two answer the wise woman's questions about her brother. The Rough Faced girl bathed in the lake and all of her scars disappeared. The two were married and and live a happy life together.

This adaptation of the Cinderella story is much different from Perrault's version. The Rough Faced girl did not have and evil stepmother. Instead, she had a weak father who did nothing to protect his daughter. I think that this is even worse than the evil stepmother because his daughter was his flesh and blood whom he was supposed to protest. I wish the story gave more insight on why her father behaved this way. Why were the two older sisters so evil when the youngest sister was so kind? I think that this book is an excellent book to use to get students thinking about the characters beyond what the author writes. I would like to have the students rewrite the story and have them fill in the blanks and answer all of the questions the class comes up with during class discussion. One third grade class in Terryville wrote and illustrated their own endings for the story. I think kids would like this discussion because they have endless creativity. I would also use this book to help students understand the traits of traditional fiction and their similarities to one another. This is an excellent book to make a creative vinn-diagram with that compares this version to another.

The single page illustration's by Shannon are very moving. His illustration of The Rough faced girl being burned by the sparks made by hart sink. Her pain and helplessness was so evident. It is not until the very end of the story when she washes away her burns that he allows us to see her whole face. This leads the reader to believe that he is not showing us her face in order to protect us from the horrible agony that is shown on her face. With out his illustrations I dont think I could have never fully understood her pain. The author and illustrator do a wonderful job showing us her soul. She is beautiful, kind and pure even when her body is scared and burned. My favorite part about this book is that it gives the message that beauty is truly more than skin deep.

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave
Mayer, Marianna
Craft, K.Y.
William Morrow and Company, NY, NY (1994)
k-3
Fairy Tale, Traditional Literature, Multicultural

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave is about a girl named Vasilisa. She was orphaned after the death of her father and was left in the care of her step mother. Vasilisa's step mother was an evil witch who treated Vasilisa horribly and forced her to cater to her and her two daughters every need. Vasilisa's stepsisters were equally repulsive and cared nothing about Vasilisa. Her only friend was a magic doll that her deceased mother had made her shortly before she had died. The doll could talk and move like a person and gave Vasilisa hope and encouragement. As her and her stepsisters grew older, Vasilisa's stepmother became worried that because of Vailisa's great kindness and beauty, her unattractive daughters would not beable to fid husbands. For this reason she decided to get rid of Vasilisa. She sent her into the forest to borrow a light from the evil cannibal Baba Yaga. Everone was afraid of Baba Yaga and Vasilisa feared theat she would never return but she did as she was told and went into the forest. Vasilisa saw a magical pale horseman at dawn and a red horseman at sun rise. Vasilis finaly arived at her horrid destination. Baba Yagas house was surrounded by skulls and Baba Yaga herself was quite terrifying. Baba Yaga gave Vasilisa near impossible cooking and cleaning tasks to complete the next day before she returned home. The magic doll helped Baba Yaga complete the tasks on time. The next day baba Yaga gave her even more tasks and Vasilisa and the doll managed to finish them all. After completing her tasks Vasilisa was allowed to return home with a skull lantern. When Vasilisa reterned home the lantern incinerated the evil stepmother and step sisters. Vasilisa then went to live with a kind old woman. She was very happy there and began to wave beautiful cloth. The Tzar saw her beautiful fabric and married her for her inner and outer beauty. Vasilisa lived a happy life from then on.

This book is a version of a Cinderella story that is set in Russia. Previous to reading this book I had never heard of the Russian Cinderella but after a little research I found other versions of this tale which differ a bit. I found this version of Cinderella fairly similar to Perrault's version of Cinderella that was adapted by Walt Disney which is most common in our country. In this story Vasilisa has an evil stepmother and two evil step sisters as did Cinderella. Yet, Vasilisa the Brave is a much darker story. The character of Baba Yaga is quite terrifying and the step mother and step sisters die a gruesome death. This story almost seems fit for Halloween! I like that this book has a darker side because I think boys would get more interested in this version that that of the Disney version. Most fairy tails are more geared to girls which leaves boy out in the cold to get bored and restless. I think this book would be welcomed by boys because of the skulls and bones and all of the other features that boys think are the coolest thing in the world. I f I were doing a unit on Cinderella story's, I would want to defiantly incorporate this book for the guys in the class and also because it is a great way to start a discussion on the Russian culture.

The illustrations in this book were rendered in oil, gouache, and watercolor. The left side of the page has a mini scene that features the first letter of the first word of the page. Below the text is boarder like scene. The right page has a boarder that surrounds an illustration that depicts the text on the opposite page. Craft's illustrations are quite detailed. The illustrations of Baba Yaga are so scary and eerie that I almost cringe when I see he horridness. For the most part I think that the story can stand on its own without the illustrations, But you have to see Baba Yaga to believe how terrifying she must have been.

Yellow Elephant

Yellow Elephant

Larios, Julie
Paschikis, Julie
Harcourt Inc. , Orlando Florida (2006)
Poetry

Red Donkey

Red clay road.
Red donkey braying.
He has a red temper.
He's probably saying,
This load is too heavy.
I'm hungry
My feet hurt!
I'm tiered!
I'm hot!
It's
not
fair!
Red donkey sits down.
Someone shouts, "Come!"
But he won't come.
Red donkey tantrum.

-Julie Larios

Red Donkey is a poem in an anthology of poetry called Yellow Elephant. All of the poems thirty in the anthology are about thirty different animals that are an unusual color. The poems are written in the lyrical form. Some of the poems rhyme in some way but some do not rhyme at all. None of the poems have a clear rhythmic pattern. The author uses colors as metaphors of the the personality's of the animal. For example, the red donkey is not a happy donkey he is actually quite contrary. He is RED with anger. The donkey is fed up with having to haul stuff around in the hot weather and he has finally had enough! There is also a pink kitty who is cool and lazy.

I really like this particular poem because I think everyone can identify with being sick and tiered of having too do things they don't want to do. This is especially true for children who are prone to tantrums. This poem is an excellent tool to use to introduce children to metaphors. Children can be asked to explain why they think the author chose that color to represent that particular animal. You could even ask the students to pick a color to represent themselves and explain why it would be a metaphor for them. This anthology is also a great way to expose children to forms of poetry other than the "Mother Goose" poems that they are probably most familiar with. Children who do not like writing structured, rhythmic poems might really enjoy reading an writing Lyric poems. I think that there are endless teaching opportunities with this book.

The illustrations in this book are quite spectacular. Paschkis painted the illustrations with gouache on arches paper. The first animal we see is the front of a yellow elephant on the title page. The following pages of poems follow the same format. The left page has a rectangular block illustration at the far left of the page that spans the length of the page. This illustration is like a preview of the main course. The main course is the illustration that is locates on the right page. this page has no text. All of the illustrations are beaming with bright and brilliant colors like all of Paschkis' work. I think that these vibrant illustrations are a great visual compliment too the the poetry in this book.

The mirror of Erised

A person's inter most desires are what rules our actions and lives. Rowling's book was all about finding inner peace with your life and living life in a virtuous way. The mirror of Erised is a symbol of this idea. The mirror showed whom ever looked into it what that person desired the most. Harry wanted to know his family more than anything in the world so when he gazed into the mirror he saw his entire family. Harry loved seeing his family but Dumbledore warned him that the mirror did not show reality and that many people had become consumed with the mirror be cause it showed them what the wanted most.

I can understand why a mirror with that power could have such a hold on someone. Trying to obtain an inner most desire can drive a person mad if you want it bad enough or if you can never have it. I believe that every one has a strong inner desire even though Dumbledore claimed to only desire a very trivial thing. I am sure that he wanted something a little more profound than socks. He may have wanted world peace or no evil in the world but he had to have wanted more than socks! I understand why Dumbledorf may have wanted to keep his desire to himself. What is in one's sole is very sacred and private. He may have not thought Harry should know about his desire of maybe he just didn't want to share it but I am sure he passionately wanted something.

I would love to be able to look into the mirror of Erised. I want many things but I am not sure what my most desired thing in life is. I think that I want health, happiness and security most but I don't know exactly what that would look like. I think that I might be very surprised by what I saw.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling
High Fantasy, Fiction
Sixth grade reading level
Scholastic Press New York 1998

Harry Potter became an orphan when his parents were murdered by the evil wizard Voldemort. After his parent’s death, Harry was left on his aunt and uncles doorstep by good wizards. Harry's aunt and uncle Petunia and Vernon Dursley were ashamed to have been related to Harry's parents who were a wizard and a witch. For that reason they also disliked Harry and resented having to care for him. The Dursley's never told Harry what really happened to his parents there for Harry was completely unaware that he was a wizard. The Dursley's treated Harry horribly. They forced him to live in the cupboard while their spoiled son Dudley used the spare room to store his toys. The Dursley's gave Dudley everything under the sun but deprived Harry of almost everything. Harry was treated worse than an animal and Dudley was allowed to make Harry's life miserable.

Harry lived this miserable life until one day a mysterious letter came addressed to Harry. The Dursley's took the letter from Harry before he could read it and destroyed it. Each day more and more letters came and Vernon and Petunia became very upset. Vernon nailed the mail slot shut but even more letters came. Vernon was very worried about the letters and ordered that all of them get in the car and leave. They went to a hotel where the Dursley's felt they would never be found but a letter still came. Horrified, the Dursley's and Harry set off again. This time they went to a small house on a remote island. That night an abnormally large man named Hagrid came bursting in. He informed Harry of about his family. He was irate when he found out that the Dursely's had not told Harry about his parents or that he was a wizard. Harry did not even know that Wizards and magic existed. Hagrid informed Harry that he had been accepted into the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hagrid forced the Dursleys to allow Harry to attend and gave Dudley a pig's tail.
Hagrid showed Harry his vault full of gold that his parents had left him and told Harry about what a legend he was because the evil dreaded Voldemort was unable to kill him. Hagrid helped Harry buy all he needed to begin school at Hogwarts.

Harry met new friends Ron, Hermione, and Neville who were also first year students while on the train to Hogwarts. Ron was one of the infamous Weasley brothers who had quite the reputation for being mischievous. Hermione was a very brainy girl who came from a family of Muggles which is what wizards called mortals. Neville was a very shy and easily bullied boy. Harry was also formally introduced to his new enemy Malfoy whom he had briefly met before when he was being fitted for his wizard robe. Malfoy was a snotty boy who seemed to believe that he was much better that the rest. Once at Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville were all placed in the Gryffindor dormitory house and began classes. Harry and his friends found their classes either very hard or very boring. Harry began to feel that his professor Snape disliked him and he believed that he had tried to kill Harry by putting a spell on him while he was playing the wizard game of Quidditch for which he was very good at. For Christmas Harry received a magic cape that made him invisible along with a note telling him that it had belonged to his father and to use it wisely. Harry began exploring the school at night while invisible. During this time he found a magic mirror which showed him his family. Harry later learned from headmaster Dumbledore, that the mirror showed who ever looked in it what the desired most. Harry had earlier discovered that there was a giant three headed dog owned by Hagrid guarding something very secret in Hogwarts. He later discovered that the sorcerer's stone was being hidden. The sorcerer’s stone was created by Dumbledore and his partner Nicolas Flamel and gave strength and eternal life to who ever possessed it. Harry also discovered the Voldemort wanted the stone and he believed that Snape was evil and trying to help Voldemort.

Harry and Hermione set off to protect the stone after Dumbledore was tricked into leaving Hogwarts. After they slipped past the dog, Hermione used logic to get Harry through a barrier of fire. Their Harry discovered that Voldemort's accomplice was not Snape. Instead, the innocent acting and stuttering Professor Quirrell was truly the evil one. They had been hiding the very ill and feeble Voldemort in his turban the whole time. Harry was able to kill Quirrill and save the stone. Harry was injured badly but he recovered and was once again a legend and now a hero. Dumbledore awarded Harry's house enough points to win the coveted cup for that year’s competition between the houses.

J.K. Rowling is an amazing author. I never felt lost or confused while reading her book because of her vivid descriptions of the characters and scenery. Her creativity amazes me. I never could have come up with this amazing book. I often get board with novels but that was impossible with this book because there was always something to keep you guessing. Rowling also did a wonderful job enthralling her readers into the lives of the characters. My heart bled for Harry while he was being forced to live such a miserable life with the Dursleys. I could just see the sad, miserable little boy setting alone locked up in that cupboard. She was able make the reader identify with the characters who were dealing with trying to fit in a new environment or being bullied like Harry and his friends were. Who has not dealt with these issues? Harry was small and awkward, but he was the most capable of them all to save humanity. He and his friend’s strength, intelligence, and bravery, helped them fight evil and end up on top. Harry and his friend’s bravery and intelligence helped the Gryffindor finally beat Slytheren who rarely used virtue to win. Their story is an inspiration to children who don’t fit in or feel unconfident because Rowling writes in a way that the reader can find a way to relate Harry’s trials and tribulations to every day life without the magic.

Rowling defiantly conveyed the message that being a good person can lead to success. Rowling managed to pull herself out of poverty by her boot straps and I think that she wants all children to know that it is possible to change your life for the better and that nothing is impossible as long as you work hard and keep your morals intact. I think this is an excellent book for students. This book is a great way to expose students to fantasy at a higher level. This book which is set in Great Britain could also be used to teach students about locations in Britain that are mentioned in the book and also could lead to a great discussion on similarities and differences in American and British customs and speech. I have also found many other teaching ideas from searching the internet. There are so many animals to explore such as owls, toads, rats, and many others that a classroom teacher could use to integrate reading with science and social studies. There are also endless possibilities for students to explore the characteristics of a novel and character traits through Rowling’s extremely high quality literature. I hope that I can convince my students to read this book in the future. I did not read this book when I was a child because I didn't think I would like it. Boy was I wrong!! This book was exciting and imaginative. I am very glad that I finally read this book and I plan to read all of the Harry Potter books.

The Story of Ruby Bridges

The Story of Ruby Bridges
Coles, Robert
Ford, Robert
Scholastic Inc. NY, NY. 1995
Picture book Biography

Ruby Bridges came from a very poor African American family who lived in New Orleans. Ruby's father worked as a janitor and Ruby's mother worked the night shift cleaning a bank. Ruby was chosen to be the first African American to be sent to a newly integrated elementary school in New Orleans. The parents of the white children who attended the school did not want black children to go to the same school as their students so they picketed the school and refused to let their children go to school with Ruby.


Ruby had to be escorted to school by an armed U.S Marshal so that none of the angry protesters would hurt her. The mobs said horrible things to her and a women even flaunted a black doll in a casket. Despite all of this, Ruby went to school day after day eager to learn. She was all alone in the school accept for her teacher Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Henry watched every day as Ruby made her way through the angry mob, But one day Mrs. Henry observed something different. She saw Ruby stop and say something to the mob that made them even more angry. Mrs. Henry asked Ruby what she had said and Ruby replied that she said a prayer for the people who were saying such horrible things about her. Ruby told Mrs. Henry that she prayed for God to forgive them for what they were doing and saying and she had forgotten to say the prayer until she got to school. Parents of the other students in that school finally gave in and sent their children to school.

George Ford Used Watercolor, acrylic inks, and drawing inks to create the beautiful double page illustrations in the book. Ford used lots of light colors that gave me a sense of hope throughout the book. There is something about these illustrations that put them among my favorite illustrations in any children's book. They were all absolutely exquisite and very detailed. The illustrations helped me visualize the precious little Ruby and how strong she really was.

This is a wonderful book. Previous to reading this book I had not heard or read much about Ruby. I am glad that I know know about his book because I defiantly want to share her story with my students so they will know about the struggles many children in our country faced so they could go to school and get a good education just because of their race. I think it is so sad that Ruby had to be subjected to such cruelty at her young age. I think all children can relate to Ruby's story in some way because they have most all felt alone and scared by bullies. I think this book would be a great tool to use to lead into a lesson about the Civil Rights Movement and tollerence.

Rosa

Rosa
Giovanni, Nikki
Collier, Bryan
Scholastic Inc. NY., NY 2007
Picture book Biography


Rosa is a snapshot in history of Rosa Park's life. The book takes place during the Civil Rights Movement when African American's were being discriminated against. Rosa was a wife and a mother who worked as a seamstress. She was very dedicated and skilled at her job. Rosa often spent long hours at her job, but on December 1 1955, Rosa's boss let her leave early because her mother was ill. Rosa paid her bus fare and entered the bus from the rear as usual. She took a seat in the neutral section on the bus where she was allowed to set only if there were no white people that needed a seat. Rosa was not seated long before a white man wanted her seat. Rosa refused to get up so the bus driver had her arrested. Many people were very angry that Rosa was arrested for sitting in a seat that should have been rightfully hers. Because of this injustice, many African Americans refused to take the bus until the unjust law was changed. The boycott lasted almost a year until the supreme court ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitutional. Rosa became a very famous member of the Civil Rights Movement and is to this day admired by many.

The illustrations in this book by Bryan Collier were made from Watercolor and collage. Th Illustrator wrote that he used lots of yellows an dark hues to emphasize the hot temperatures in Alabama as well as to emphasize the fear and tension that was everywhere during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. The double page illustrations were outstanding and really did help me to understand the setting of this extremely moving book. I think that these illustrations are very important for readers to be able to understand how hard life was for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement because our society is so different now. Collier's illustrations do a wonderful job showing Rosa's grit and determination as well as the injustice she endured.

I think that this is an outstanding children's book. I feel that children need to know about the injustices of the past so that they will not be repeated in the future. Rosa Parks was strong and courageous woman and she is a great role model for young girls and all Americans. I think the author did a great job of explaining the significance of Rosa's actions so that children could understand. I would definitely read this book to my students to make them more aware of the struggles African Americans have faced in our countries history.

Koko's Story

Koko's Story
Patterson, Francine Dr.
Cohn, Ronald Dr.
Scholastic Inc. N.Y, N.Y 1987
Informational

Koko's Story is about a gorilla named Koko who is taught sign language from the age of one. Chimpanzees were previously known to be able to communicate with humans, but Koko is the first gorilla to be taught sigh language. Dr. Patterson began working with Koko in 1972 at the San Fransisco Zoo. By the age of two, Koko was able to use sign language. At the age of three Koko left the Zoo and moved to the Grounds of Stanford University. At the age of five, Koko had a sign language vocabulary of over 2oo words. Koko was a very affectionate gorilla. In ways Koko was much like a child; she played, had temper tantrums and wanted lots of hugs. Koko had many human traits such as eating with utensils, and operating vending machines. Also at the age of five, Koko got a companion gorilla named King Kong. Dr. Patterson renamed King Kong Michael because she felt that his original name went against his gentle nature and reinforce a negative stereo type often associated with gorillas. Koko was very jealous of Michael but she eventually warmed up to Michael. Michael and Koko played together and Michael also learned sign language.

This is an adorable book. I knew that chimpanzees are able to communicate with humans but I did not know that gorillas are so intelligent and gentle. Koko was very much like a human. She became lonely, scared, happy, playful, and even jealous. I would very much like to meet Koko and play with her. I thought the it was so sweet that such a big animal was playing with a tiny little kitten. I couldn't believe that she became so attached to her first kitten All Ball. I was even more amazed that she remembered and missed the little kitten for so long after it died. The Photos in this book by Dr. Cohn were adorable. I loved the ones with Koko and Michael. The photos really captured the innocence of gorillas. I really enjoyed this book. It was very informative and Students could do research into ther animals and see how they are similar and different from us.

Watch Koko communicating with Mr. Rogers
Just for fun

Ruby Bio-poem

Ruby
Strong, Smart, faithful, Forgiving
Wife and mother of four children
Lover of her family, school, and New Orleans
Who feels love, compassion, and empathy
Who finds happiness in going too school and learning
Who needs to fight to do what is right
Who gives forgiveness to those who say mean things to her
Who fears injustice, hatred, and evil
Who would like to see all children have an equal education
Who enjoys working with her charity The Ruby Bridges Foundation and helping others
Who likes to wear clean and pretty dresses when she goes to school
Resident of New Orleans Louisiana
Bridges- Hall

Wiki's !!!!

Wow! wiki's are different. I think that if I can learn more about using wiki's I will really like them. I don't really understand how to make post on a wiki without attaching a word document. I hope I can figure out hoe to make my posts colorfull the way some of the other posts are. I am glad that I now know what all the wiki hype is all about!

Venn Diagram for Little Red Riding Hood and Lon Po Po

The house on the left is Red Riding Hood's Grandmother's house. On the house are red riding hoods that have facts about the book on them that are only true for that book.. Th center is a grassy field that has wolves on it with facts that are true for both books. The house on the right is the three sisters house from Lon Po Po. The house has gingko nut with facts that are only true of that book.

Swamp Angel

Swamp Angel
Isaacs, Anne
Zelinsky, Paul O
Fiction, folklore
9-10 years old
Penguin Books for Young Readers New York 2000

Swamp angel is a folktale set in the Tennessee Mountains. In the tale a girl named Angelica is born but she is no ordinary baby. She was born taller than her mother and from a young age did amazing things. She built a cabin when she was only two years old. Angelica grew to be a giant. One day Angelica rescued settlers by pulling their covered wagon out of the swamp. from then on she was knows as the Swamp Angel. One summer in Tennessee the people int he wilderness were terrorized by a giant bear they called Thundering Tarnation. Thundering Tarnation broke into people's homes and cellars and stole all their food. Townsmen lined up to to sign up to hunt for the bear. Swamp angel joined the line as well. The men laughed at her and told her she should go make a quilt or bake a pie. She told them she planned on baking a bear pie. All of the men who signed up to hunt the bear were unsuccessful. One day Swamp Angel encountered Tarnation and they began to fight. They fought for three days strait. The two stirred up so much dust they still call those mountains the Great Smoky Mountains. Angel was so thirsty she drank the lake dry. The two finally fell asleep due to exhaustion. they snored so laud that a tree fell next to them then another fell on top of the bear killing it. the town feasted on the bear an Angel made a rug out of it's pelt that was too large for Tennessee. She moved the rug to Montana and now the rug is called the Shortgrass Prairie.

This book is adorable. This is a very clever folktale that tells the tale of this independent girl. I loved the part where Angel told the men that were laughing at her that they should go make a quilt because that is men's work. I loved the author's tall tale explanations for how the Great smoky Mountains and the Shortgrass Prairie were created. These explanations would be a good way to lead into a lesson on hoe theses landmarks were really created. This book is an excellent tool to use to teach children about folklore as well as rural cultures and dialect.

The illustrations by Zelinsky were breathtaking. they were done in oil paint on cherry, maple, and birch veneers. I have never seen Illustrations presented in this way. Each one seemed like a snapshot in time that posted on a wooden background. The colors he used gave the book an antique feel which is quite appropriate for a folktale. I feel that this folk tale could have stood on its own but that would be a shame because the paintings are magnificent.

Lon Po Po

Lon Po Po
Ed Young
Fiction, Folklore
K-3
Philomel Books New York 1989

Lon Po Po is an ancient Chinese folktale about three sisters who are home alone while their Mother is visiting their grandmother or their Po Po. That night there was a knock at the door. on the other side of the door their is a wolf who was pretending to be their grandmother. At first the girls were confused but soon the oldest sister Shang noticed that Po Po has claws and a tail she then realizes that it is a wolf not their Grandmother. The Shang devise a very clever plan to trick the wolf. they tell it that it should eat some of the gingko nuts that were growing on the tree outside. The girls tell the wolf that the nuts will make it live forever. The girls agree to climb up the tree to pick some nuts. Then they tell the wolf that it must climb the tree and pick the nut itself to reap their benefits. The girls devise a contraption to pull the wolf up the tree. the girls pulled the wolf partially up the tree and pretended to accidentally lose their grip and sent the wolf tumbling down to the ground. The girls did this three times the third being fatal. The girls were then able to go to sleep and their mother returned home safely the next day.

I was previously unaware that this version of Little Red Riding Hood existed. This book put a new spin on the version of the story I grew up with. I think I like this book better than the American version because of how clever the sisters were. The sisters led by Shang were smart and clever and able to take care of themselves. They were not out smarted by the wolf the way Little Red Riding Hood was. Nor were they weak and defenseless. This book could be used to start a discussion on the differences between the two versions so the become more aware of details. Also children can be taught about folklore through this book.

The Illustrations in this book were double page spreads with a boarder. They were done with watercolor by Young. The illustrations were done is dark hues to emphasized the danger and suspense that was in the story.The Illustrations were outstanding but like mot folklore this tale could have been effectively told without illustrations.

Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Who's that Knocking on Christmas Eve?
Jan Brent
Traditional literature
Penguin Young Publishers (2002)
k-3

This book begins when a boy from Finnmark smelled smoke in the distance while on a journey with a polar bear to Oslo. The boy is very cold and hungry so he heads toward the house for warmth. He knocks softly on the door. Inside the house there is a girl named Kyri baking. she is nervous about opening the door because in the past a pack of trolls have broken in and eaten all their Christmas food. She is pleasantly surprised to see the boy and his polar bear. She tells the boy about the trolls and that her father has gone out to try to stop the trolls. The boy does not fear the trolls. Soon after, the trolls came banging on the door. The two barricaded the door and lock the window but the trolls manage to get in through the cellar. they stuffed themselves with the food until one of the trolls unwisely burnt the nose of the polar bear which he thought was a cat. the polar bear angrily ran the trolls off. The girl's father returned and the three made the best of the food that was left. A year later One of the Trolls asked Kyri if she still had that kitty. She informed them that the kitty had grown into a cat and had more kittens. the troll said that they would not be visiting this year if that was the case.

This story was based on a Norwegian folk tale from long ago. I thing that this book could be used to teach students about folklore as well as life so far north. The book could also be used to tell the students about the Northern Lights that were mentioned in the book. I really liked this book. it was entertaining and funny. Those trolls had a hack of a time with that BIG kitty. I also liked how the trolls were portrayed as pesky not evil. This is important to note because things that look different from us are often portrayed as evil.

The background of these double page illustrations were airbrushed by Joseph Hearne and the rest of the illustrations were done in watercolor. These Illustrations were very pretty. the detail was amazing and the trolls were even kind of cute despite their behavior. I feel that the illustrations added to the story but I defiantly feel that this book could have been quite effective without the help of illustrations.

The Paper Crane

The Paper Crane
Bang, Molly
Folklore
Harper Collins Publishers (1987)
k-3
The paper crane is a fantastic story about restaurant owner who loved working in his restaurant and was very happy until a new road was built and customers stopped coming to his restaurant. Soon he became sad and poor. One day and old many with a gentle manner came into the restaurant and the owner fed him a feast even though he could not afford to pay for his meal. Instead of giving him money he made a paper crane and told the owner to clap his hands and the crane would come to life. The owner clapped his hands and the crane came to life as the man said. Soon his restaurant was busy again with people who came to see the dancing crane. One day the old man returned and flew away with the crane but the owners business remained.

Bang did a wonderful job creating this mystical story thats part fantasy and part reality. I think that children would absolutely eat this book up. this would be an excellent book to use to introduce children to the Japanese art form of origami which was used to create the crane. A teacher could even teach students how to make origami. This book teaches compassion for others though the owners willingness to feed the old man when he new he could not pay him. This is a good point to bring across to students.

The double page illustrations in this book are photographs taken by Ned Manter of full-color art cutouts by Molly Bang. this unique technique is amazing. The illustrations are so spectacular that I could barely take my eyes off of them. I think this art form would be a cool activity to teach children. Molly Bang is the full package in my opinion. She writes amazing stories and does incredible art work.

The Shaman's Apprentice

The Shaman's Apprentice
Cherry, Lynne
Plotkin, Mark
Realistic Fiction, multicultural
Hardcourt Children's Books (2001)
k-3
The Shaman's Apprentice is about a young boy named Kamanya who lived in the Trio Native Village of Kwamala in the Amazon rain forest. When Kamanya was a boy his life was saved by Natahlah tha medicine man also known as the shaman. Shaman were highly regarded in their society because of there vast knowledge of herbs and medicines that were used to heal people. One day a man with a mysterious illness came to the village from another village and told them that white men had come to their village in search of gold and had given them all the dreadful illness. The man soon died but not before spreading the illness to others in the village. the Shaman could not figure out hoe to cure the disease. One day white missionaries came to the village and gave them pills that cured their illness which they called malaria. The village did not respect the shaman as much any more because he could not cure the malaria. One day a woman named Gabriela came to the village and told them that the pills that the missionaries gave them were derived from a plant in the amazon. this information caused the tribe to respect the Shaman again. Gabriela wrote a book about Natahlahs healing medicines and skills. The village elders chose Kamanya to be the shamans apprentice.

I found this book a little cheesy. It had too many predictable out comes for my tastes. I also did not like how the author referred to the tribe as Indians. I think she should have referred to them as Natives to the Amazon because they were not Indians from India. I think the name Indian is a derogatory term for Natives of the Americas and should not be used in literature meant to inform children. Despite this, the book does shed light on how instrumental medicines in the rain forest have been on modern medicine. This fact could help break down stereotypes that suggest that natives are privative and inferior. I am glad that she made the ethnobotanist character a woman because I agree with Cherry in that children should know that women to can be scientific role models.

In my opinion the illustrations were the best part of the whole book. The double page illustrations had bursts of color that filled the whole page. The Illustrations painted with watercolor using great detail. the illustrations saved the book because they were the only thing that really held my interest throughout the whole book. This book would be much less interesting without the illustrations.

Baseball Saved Us

Baseball Saved Us
Mochizuki, Ken
Lee Dom
Lee & Low Books, Inc. (1995)
Realistic fiction, Multicultural
K-3
Baseball Saved Us began with the author's note which gave the reader background information on how Japanese Americans were unfairly forced into internment camps During world war two because their fellow citizens did not trust them. the story begins with a young Japanese American boy who is living in an internment camp. his father tells him that it is wrong that they are forced to live there. The boy thinks back to when Pearl Harbor was attacked and how he was called names and how sad his mother was when they had to leave there home and trow away many of their belongings. then he tells the reader about their cramped and unpleasant living conditions and how he had trouble sleeping. One day his brother Teddy talked back to his father in a very disrespectful way and this made his father decide that the camp needed to play baseball. the men dug out a baseball field while the women made uniforms out of mattress covers. Their friends from back home sent bats, balls, and gloves for them to use. Once the field was complete they formed teams and began playing. He remarked that playing baseball in the camps was easier that at home because most of the boys in the camp were his size. None the less, he still struggled until one day he decided that he was not going to let the guard who was always watching him see him defeated and he made a home run. After the war, he and his family were finally able to go home. But they still were not accepted and he was called names and had to eat lunch by himself. He played baseball when he returned home but it was once again harder because he was still smaller and he faced pregidous because he was Japanese. he was finally able to succeed at baseball when he imagined that the pitcher was that same guard.

Sadly, many children do not know the great injustice that was done to Japanese Americans during world war two by our country. I believe that children should be taught about the past so the same mistakes will not be made twice. Reading this book to students or having them read it themselves would be a wonderful way to inform them about this stain on our country's history. I think that children could easily identify with this boy's struggles because some of his struggles such as his difficulty playing a sport is not uncommon at all. This book also teaches students about tolerance and that you cannot judge someone simply by how they look or what descent they are.

The illustrations are absolutely amazing. they are made by firs etching the images into beeswax then by adding oil paint. the copy right page tells that some of the images were inspired by real photos from an internment camp. the time and detail Lee put into these single an double page illustrations show how important it must have been to him to illustrate this story in a way that would capture the readers attention. Lee defiantly succeeded in capturing my attention and they make the book much better.

Madam President

Madam President
Thimmesh, Catherine
Jones, Douglas
Collective Biographies
Houghton Mifflin Company(2008)
4-5
Madam President is a clever and informative book about a young girl's desire to become the President of the United States and the history of women in politics. The book begins with a young girl proclaiming that she will be the President of the United States when she grows up. She is laughed at and told that she cannot be the President because she is a girl. Then the reader learns about the contributions women have made throughout the world in politics. From Abigail Adams to Benazir Bhutto, we learn about first ladies, senators, congresswomen, Secretaries of state, Supreme Court Justices Vice Presidential candidates, and world leaders all of whom were women. Throughout the book there are tid bits about how few women in America are leaders and facts like America is ranked 52nd in the world when it comes to women in politics. The girl is able to convince her friends that it doesn't matter if she is a girl because she can be the President and that there are no laws to stop her from fulfilling her dreams. At the end of the book there is a time line of women in politics.

The minny Biographies about women in politics are very informative and taught me allot about these women I was previously unaware of many of these women's contributions and accomplishments. The Biographies are a lesson with in them selves because so many of the women in this book are rarely mentioned in history books and they are definitely not portrayed with such importance. this book teaches students that women are very capable of being leaders and that many women have been and are current leaders. This book mixes facts from history with the ambitions of a young girl which I feel would help young readers identify with the book. The only criticism I have for the book is that the book would be more informative if the biographies were longer and more detailed.

The single and double page illustrations were drawn with pencil and the color was applied using photo shop. The digital coloring of the photos gave them a very unique look which captured my attention right away. Jones did an excellent job illustrating the girls disappointment and frustration with our society's stereotypes for women. He also captured her determination. There is also a collage of the white house that is made up entirely of tiny photos of women and young girls which was like nothing I had ever seen.

responce to Goose

Goose
Molly Bang
animal fantasy
Book Wholesalers, Incorporated (2008)
K-3
Goose is a children's picture book about a goose who while still unhatched in an egg, rolled out of it's nest and into a woodchuck den. The woodchuck family welcomes the goose and raises it as if it were a woodchuck. The woodchucks teach the goose all of the skills a woodchuck would need to know to survive such as, burrowing, swimming, and building a damn. Even though the woodchucks loved the goose and treated her like the same as an of the other young woodchucks, she felt different. She was very sad and none of the woodchucks or her friends could make her happy. One day the goose set off on her own to discover the world on her own. After leaving her home, the goose became very sad and lonely. One night during her journey, she fell of the side of a cliff. While she was struggling to survive, she discovered something about herself. She discovered that she could fly. Then she flew home happily.

This book would be an excellent tool to use to teach young students about tolerance and self acceptance. Even though the goose looked very different from the woodchucks they accepted the goose into their family. this could be used to help children understand that appearances and skin color should not be considered when evaluating someone. Children need to learn early not to discriminate when choosing their friends. this book also teaches the positive message that we should love who we are even if we look or act different. In the beginning of the book the goose let his appearance make him feel out of place with his family even though they loved him very much. The goose had to leave everything she loved in order to realize that it made no difference if she looked very different from his family.

Molly Bang's illustrations appear to be done in water color. The single and double page illustrations do an excellent job of complimenting the story. The dark, somber colors that are used for the portions of the book that the goose is sad and lonely help the reader to understand the goose's plight. Also, the cute and cuddly drawings of the goose help the reader to sympathize with the character. I also liked hot there were several illustrations on a few pages. This gave the book a movie effect where you were seeing the story move in time. This is an adorable and inspiring book the has many beneficial qualities for the classroom.

The Princess Night

The Princess Night
Funk, Cornelia
Meyer, Kristin
fantasy
Scholastic Inc. (2005)
K-3

The Princess Night is an enchanting book about a princess named Violetta that was raised by her father the king after her mother died. Violetta that three brothers who were taught how to ride, joust, and give orders like all good princes should. Violetta’s father decided to teach Violetta all of the tasks and lessons he taught his sons because those were the lessons he was taught. Violetta’s brothers made fun of her riding and jousting abilities because she was small and a girl. They called her “Itsy-Bitsy Little Vi.” Violetta quickly tiered of being teased and decided to take the matter into her own hands. She snuck out at night and practiced tirelessly until she had mastered the skills. All was well until the King informed Violetta that he was holding a jousting competition and the prize would be Violetta’s hand in marriage. Violetta was only sixteen and she did not want to be forced to marry someone not of her choice. Once again Violetta took the matter into her own hands and dressed up as a man and one the competition herself. Violetta proclaimed that she would not marry until she found a man that could beat her in jousting. From that moment on she had her father and brother’s respect.

This is a very high quality book that I enjoyed. You can always count on Funk to portray young girls positively. The character Violetta was able to do what ever men do and she was in control of her own destiny. This is a great message for young girls. Another teaching point that this book could help with is that of past traditions such as pre-determined marriages. Our society for the most part does not continue this practice so many students might not understand why such a young girl would be forced to marry.

Meyer’s illustrations were quite pleasing as always. The single and double spread illustrations appear to be done in water color. The colors are vibrant and ad to the mystical fairytale vibe of the book. The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the text layout at the beginning could be confusing to a beginning reader confusing. The first paragraph is located on the second page and the second paragraph is on the first page and the third paragraph jumps back to the third page. Despite this, I feel that this is a good book to incorporate into the classroom.

Responce to the Pirate Girl

The Pirate Girl
Funk, Cornelia
Meyer, Kristin
fantasy
Scholastic Inc. (2005)
K-5
The Pirate Girl is a humorous book about a feisty girl named Molly who is kidnapped by a gang of pirates on a ship named the Horrible Haddock while she was on her way to see her grandmother. Molly refused to give her captures her parent's names and address so they can collect a ransom. All she will tell them is that her mother's name would scare them. The pirates make her do chore after chore in order to get her to talk. Molly refuses to give in. Instead, she throws bottles in the ocean that have messages inside them. One day the pirates caught her throwing a bottle in the ocean. At the same time, a pirate ship appears full of female pirates. The pirates aboard the Horrible Haddok immediately recognize the leader of the female pirates as Barbarous Bertha. Molly informs the pirates that Bertha is her mother an that they are in big trouble. In the end Molly was able to continue her trip to her grandmother's and Barbarous Bertha forces the crew of the Horrible Haddock to do the same grueling chores Molly had done.

This is really cool book. I like that Cornelia Funk's books show young girls and women as smart and powerful. Molly was not portrayed as the damsel in distress as she waited helplessly for someone to save her. Instead she kept her wit and saved herself by sending her mother messages. Furthermore, Molly did not have to be saved by a man. Instead, she was saved by strong and powerful women. I think this book would be an excellent book to use to teach children about gender roles and to help break down stereotypes about how women act and what they are capable of. I think that children need to be taught early that women can be as strong and capable as men.

This book was a joy to read largely because of the illustrations by Meyer. There is no information about the illustration in the book or on the Chicken House web site but they appear to have been drawn in pen then colored with water color. The double page Illustrations use a mixture of vibrant colors that really capture the reader’s interest and set the humorous mood of the book. I defiantly enjoyed this book and will incorporate it into my classroom.

Free verse poem

How can you understand the plight of others?

Through their words, emotions, actions.

It is so very hard to understand a life so different and so far away.

But in the end we are not so different just with very different struggles.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Weatherford, Carole Boston
Nelson, Kadir
Hyperion Books For Children 2006
Realistic Fiction
Moses Tells the story of the life of Harriet Tubman. Before the story begins, the author defines slavery and details it's brutality. The book begins with Harriet Tubman desperately wants to flee slavery because her cruel master wants to sell her south which would be far away from her family. She is afraid but God gives her the strength to carry out her escape and promises to protect her. Harriet escapes at dusk and sings a cryptic message to her family so they will no where she went. Harriet goes to a woman who had been kind to her for help. The woman told her places where she could hide and be safe. While at one of the safe havens, the broom Harriet is using turns into a staff then a riffle. then god tells her that he will arm her against her enemies and that she will not harm any one and no one will harm her. A farmer hides her in his wagon and a boat man carries her up river. Harriet endured many hardships through her journey. she had to wade through the river to avoid hounds that were looking for her and walk barefoot. her feet were cut and bleeding and she was very hungry but she kept on with God's encouragement. She said that she would rather die that return to slavery. Next, Harriet had to hide in a potato hole for seven long days to avoid those patrolling for runaway slaves. After leaving the potato hole, Harriet walks until she is exhausted. At that time, a wagon pulls up and the couple inside tell her that they believe that slavery is a sin and they take her to freedom in Philadelphia. Once in Philadelphia, Harriet deeply misses her family who are still in the bonds of slavery. God tells her to go to church and prepare to go on a journey to free her family. At church she finds a station in the underground railroad. there she helps feed and cloth runaway slaves while learning the routes four the underground railroad. Harriet becomes a conductor and God tells her she is ready to free her family. Harriet is able to free her family and many other slaves and lead them to Canada. The Author's note gives a more detailed account of Harriet's life. The author tells that Harriet Tubman was born a slave around the 1820's on a Bucktown Maryland plantation. Her birth name was Araminta and she was nick named Minty. She was a nanny to a baby but was beat when the baby cried for any reason. Harriet despised slaver and rebelled. she even hid in a pigpen to avoid being whipped but she was found. she tried to help a slave escape but struck in the heat with a two pound weight and was almost killed. She suffered Blackouts, headaches, and bouts of speechlessness for the rest of her life as a result. Harriet was forced to marry John Tubman in 1844. She decided to flee in 1849 when when her master died which meant she would be sold. Harriet fled using the underground rail road. After she escaped she helped her brothers to freedom in 1851 and carried her parents to Canada. She made nineteen trips to the south by 1860 and freed at least three hundred slaves

Harriet's story is very inspirational. This book would be a very good tool to use to teach young readers about the plight of slaves and about the Underground Railroad. Although, I am not sure if I would be able to read this book in the classroom because of its heavy religious content. Furthermore, I think that the layout of the book could be confusing for children. The book leaves many unanswered questions until the author's note is read. I think the book would be stronger if more detail about Harriet's life were given in the book as apposed to being given in the authors note which would be read last.

The illustrations are quite impressive. There is no information about how the double page illustrations were made but they appear to have been drawn with colored pencils. the illustrations are very detailed and the expressions on Harriet's face really help the reader understand her situation. Also, the dark tents and shading on the pages where Harriet is scared, confused, or in danger help the reader understand the gravity of her situation. Likewise, the illustrations during times of hope and freedom are light and bright. The illustrations really aided the author in explaining the story because the text leaves so many holes. The book would have a hard time telling it's story without the illustrations.

What Do You With a Tail Like This?

Jenkins, Steve
Page, Robin
Houghton Mifflin Company 2003
Picture Book
K-3
"What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?" tells the reader about thirty different animals. The book details how these animals use their Noses, Ears, Tails, eyes, feet, and mouths to survive in the wild. I learned several new facts about animals from this book. I did not know that Lizard's tails can easily break off to escape harm. I also did not know that horned lizards can squirt blood out of their eyes to scare away unwanted guests, or that hippopotamus' can close their ears while under water.

I was surprised by how much I learned from this book. I can only imagine how much a child would learn about animals from this book. I also think that children would enjoy this book. I can see young children cringe when the lizard's tail breaks off, and I can hear the ewe's when the horned lizard squirts blood out it's eyes. Children will most definitely enjoy the amazing illustrations. I wonder if they could guess that they were made from cut paper collages? I was absolutely enthralled the collages. I have never seen such intricately detailed collages. the double page illustrations make the book. This informational book is a great way to introduce exotic animals in class. Each student could choose an animal from the book and write about the animal in their own words.This book is defiantly deserving of the Caldecott medal. The book simply would not be as entertaining and informative without them. the collages are amazingly detailed and really help the reader visualize the animals. You have to see a horned lizard squirt blood out of its eye's to believe it! I liked how the text about each animal was located right next to that animals picture. this makes the story much easier to follow. I especially liked how the text about the skunk comes out of the skunks tail like spray. I will most defiantly read this book to my class if a am teaching at this level.