"The Misfits" -James Howe

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Title: 

The Misfits

Author:

James Howe

Type of Book:

Novel

Age Level:

11-14

My Star Rating:

****

How would you use “The Misfits” with kids?

• I think that “The Misfits” would be a great novel to bring into the classroom for multiple reasons. The most important, in my opinion, is that the book has a great message of bullying and how it affects students, while also bringing in awareness of the affects of name-calling. For the four main characters, all they want is acceptance, not to be thought of as too tall, too greasy, too gay or too fat. They want to fit in, but this is quite a challenge. This book could be brought into the classroom to bring awareness to your own students. Why not set up a lesson on the hurtful names each student has been called, and have the students think of conflict resolution skills that they can use for the next time they feel they are being bullied. Then, maybe have each student think of a nice thing to say about each of their peers, and create a “­­­­­­___[name]__is...” page. This would help the class to build in community and to build up individual self-esteem. -With the shocking statistics of bullying today, this book would be a great tool in creating an environment where bullying is openly not tolerated, and the consequences of bullying will not be taken lightly. We want to protect our students from harm, and this book could be a great resource into addressing the bullying act of name-calling.  –I would use this book in my classroom to bring attention to, and discourage name-calling. 

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More Resources:

• For the Scholastic Review, click here.
• For more information about James Howe, click here.

Multicultural Book -"Nikolai, The Only Bear"

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Book Title:

Nikolai, The Only Bear

Author:

Barbara Joosse

Illustrator:

Renata Liwska

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

***

Summary

• “Nikolai, The Only Bear” is a story about a young bear that lives in an orphanage in Russia. The bear is never understood, and never properly approached until a furry-faced man and a moon-haired woman come from America to take him home.

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My Thoughts

• This book is precious. I love the beautiful ending and the incredible illustrations. I am just so pleased with the touching story of the misunderstood, lonely bear being adopted and loved for who he is. I love these stories of hope, because I feel like so much of the time people are judged for their differences and not loved for them. Even in this book, Nikolai was judged while living in the orphanage, because people didn’t understand him, but finally, he finds love when the couple from America come and meet him at his level, not expecting to change him for them, just expecting to love him where he is at. It is a beautiful story that has a lot of parallels that could be brought into the classroom for further discussion. This book also leads to a lot of affective possibilities in classroom lessons.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• This book would be an awesome book to bring into the classroom, with the idea of addressing loving each other for our differences, this could be a great multicultural lesson. I imagine reading this book and explaining to my class how each one of us is different, and that it’s okay to be different, that everyone should be treated well and cared for, despite how they talk, or how they act. Then I would build on that, and have each child create a poster about themselves, with their favorite things, their heritage, and unique qualities. As a class we would go over each project and learn new things about each classmate, as well as, learn to appreciate all the differences that make our class whole, and wonderful.  

• This book could also be brought into the classroom, to talk about adoption, and what a great gift that is. Especially if you have adopted children in your classroom, or siblings of adopted children. I think it is important to help kids understand the complex ideas of adoption, and to answer any questions they may have. 

More Resources:

• For more information about Barbara Joosse, click here.
• For more information about Renata Liwska, click here.

Multicultural Book -"Swish"

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Book Title:

Swish!

Author:

Bill Martin Jr.

Illustrator:

Michael Chesworth

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

**

Summary

• “Swish” is about two girls’ basketball teams, battling for the win. With under a minute left in the game, and the scores tied, which team will have the chance to go to the hall of fame?

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My Thoughts

• This was a cute book, with a lot of action. The pace was super fast, and the rhyming was a great touch! I wouldn’t use this book it my own classroom as a read aloud option, but, I think it would be a great book for students who are interested in sports, especially basketball. The book uses a lot of basketball terms and captures the spirit of being on a basketball team. I chose this book to be my mirror book because I grew up playing basketball, I was on many teams, and I knew the excitement of a close game. This book was so fun to read and connect with on that level, and I imagine that students will be able to draw their own connections to the anticipation and suspense of this book. Especially, for reluctant readers, this book could serve as a great outlet, with the predictability and the constant rhythm.

• I think this book has a multicultural level to it because even though it is showing an American value of sports, it was also showing teamwork and sportsmanship between everyone involved. This is especially seen through the illustrations, this book shows many different races, hair colors, skin tones, and expressions, all working together to win the game.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• If I were to use this in my classroom, it would be to offer up literature to specific interests. I think that so many times students think reading is boring because they are not able to connect with it. However, perhaps if they were introduced to books that aligned with their interests, their negative attitude about reading could change. I understand that this book is not the key to every reluctant reader, but it seems to be a great book to keep in mind for those sport fanatics!

• This book could also be used to show older elementary kids how to build suspense in their own stories.  With the clock running down, and the game heating up, this book is very suspenseful, and as a reader, you can feel the anxiety build. This book could easily be brought into the curriculum of teaching suspenseful tactics in writing. 

More Resources:

• For more information about the author, click here.
• For more information about the illustrator, click here.

Multicultural Book -"Mama, Do You Love Me?"

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Book Title:

Mama, Do You Love Me?

Author:

Barbara Joosse

Illustrator:

Barbara Lavalle

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• “Mama, Do You Love Me?” is a beautiful story about a young girl who questions her mother’s love. She tries to think up the worst of circumstances, but in the end, the mother’s love outlasts them all.

 

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My Thoughts

• This was such a darling book! I love that it brings in the cultural aspects of the Inuits, as well as, speaking to the strength of a mother’s love. I think often times kids fear that the love of their family’s love is temporary, or fragile, so I think this book would be great for young kids to read and connect with. I think they would be able to find comfort in the unfailing love of the mother. Even though she gets angry, she still loves her daughter. I also love how Joosse includes a couple informational pages at the end of the book, further explaining the context and the vocabulary introduced. It is nice to see the option for further exploration at the back of the book. I love it.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• I think this would be a great book to use when talking about Eskimos, or Inuits. I think the story it great, but it also offers a lot of new vocabulary. Perhaps this book could be introduced at the beginning of the week, even as a big book, read aloud. Then, after reading the book, the class could work on defining the unfamiliar words, and the vocabulary could also serve as that week's spelling list. This way, the information of this book could be utilized and the story, expanded upon. 

More Resources:

• For more information about Barbara Joosse, click here.
• For more information about Barbara Lavallee, click here.

"My Lucky Day" -Keiko Kasza

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Book Title:

My Lucky Day

Author/Illustrator:

Keiko Kasza

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• When a young pig knocks on a fox’s door, the fox thinks dinner has arrived, but the pig has other plans.

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My Thoughts

• What a fun book! This little tale was full of irony and surprises. I loved the ending the best however, when you learn the little piglet’s secret. Even though it seems to be a terrible fate that the poor piglet landed on the hungry fox’s doorstep, we learn later on that the little piglet had this whole day of bathing, eating and massages planned; it is even a routine for this smart little piggy.  I think the end twist is just wonderful, and that kids would love it! I also love the cartoon styled illustrations made up of gouache, on three-play Bristol illustration paper. Kasza created a keeper!

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How to Use in the Classroom

• I would love to use this book in the classroom to work on predictions. I think it is so important for kids to use their critical thinking skills to think beyond the story, inferring what will come next based on the strategies they had been using, such as using the context or pictures for additional clues in creating their predictions. This could also help to illustrate how different endings could work for the same story, which could be further expanded upon in the student's own writing. 

More Resources

• For more information about the author, click here.

"The Quilt Maker's Gift" -Jeff Brumbeau

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Book Title:

The Quilt Maker’s Gift

Author:

Jeff Brumbeau

Illustrator:

Gail de Marcken

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

*****

Summary

• When a generous quilt maker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart.

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My Thoughts

• I loved this book, every page, every illustration, and every word. This book was fantastic. What a warming story of an old lady who spends her life bringing joy to others. Not only does she find happiness in her giving, but also, she teaches others how to find happiness through giving as well, which should be a fundamental lesson learned by all, at the youngest of ages. If more people worked on finding happiness by giving, there would be more giving and receiving all around. The world would be a happier place, and the thoughts of peace and world change wouldn’t have to be distant dreams any longer. Brumbeau and Marchen did an outstanding job with the book, which is why it makes sense that it has won so many awards. With their amazing message, and their remarkable watercolor illustrations, this book is now one of my new favorites.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• This is the type of book that I would want to introduce to my class at the very beginning of the year, to set the tone for our building of a loving, happy community. I would bring it in for a read aloud session, where we would discuss the message, beautiful illustrations, characters and themes. I would ask for predictions along the way, and then ask the students how we as a class want to be treated, and what we can do to help everyone feel happy in our class each day. What a great lesson to teach right of the bat, and to model from the get go. 

More Resources:

• For more information about the quilt maker, click here.
• For more information about the author, click here. 
• For more information about the illustrator, click here.

My Woodson Experience.

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My take on Jacqueline Woodson, & her many publications. 

I loved how much truth Woodson was able to bring out in her books, whether they be picture books or novels, I could hear her voice loud and clear, illustrating her views on the world, and the changes she would like to see happen. She is so young, but yet, she has published so many quality books. I love the way she brings her own life into her books and shares her raw experiences with us as the readers.

I read two of her books, first I read her novel “Dear One” which was a controversial book dealing with teenage pregnancy, divorce, race, abortion, alcoholism and SES differences. This book, which could easily be worrisome to parents, spoke the truth about the realties that some people have, and I say, why not? I think it is important to expose our kids to the realities they may have to deal with in life, whether it is their own, or the neighbor’s down the street. Why shelter them from such lifestyles, why create fear and shame in them? I loved her book "Dear One", end of story, it was great! The next book I read of hers was a picture book called “The Other Side”. This book was a beautiful story that ended in the acceptance of having friends of a different races. Although most of the story was sad and painful, the ending was bright, and the bringing together of children in unity was simply delightful.

Woodson speaks truth on every page, and through every word. It is because of her honesty that I like her so much. Whether the truth is happy or ugly, I want to know it, and Woodson understands that. I connected with a lot of the sorrows and struggles of her books, as well as, a lot of the joys and discoveries. There is nothing better than finding a great author who writes in ways you can connect with, and Woodson is one of those authors for me!  

More Resources:

For more information about Jacqueline Woodson, click here.

"The Giver"

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Book Title:

The Giver

Author:

Lois Lowry

Type of Book:

Novel

Age Level:

11-15

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• “The Giver” is a story about a perfect utopia, where everything is decided for you, for the best, and nothing goes beyond the life that is chosen for you. Thinking outside the box is discouraged and identity is taken away, for all, except one.

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My Thoughts

• I really enjoyed this book. I was quickly engulfed in an ocean of questions. From the first page of the book, Lowry had my attention. I loved the eerie tones and specific word choices, I thought the constant mystery was so exciting, and I never seemed to find myself bored, I was hooked. I was constantly surprised with how many misconceptions I was making, in my trying to figure out the book. Although, quite confused and always questioning, I just grew to love this book. One part in particular was in chapter 14, when Jonas asked the Giver how he had known to advise not to shoot down the plane, because the pilot was just lost. The Giver responded, “I didn’t. I used my wisdom, from the memories. I knew that there had been times in the past –terrible times –when people had destroyed others in haste, in fear, and had brought about their own destruction.” I thought this quote was extraordinary! Lowry got me hooked, and messed with my emotions throughout the entire book; I went from being outraged to understanding, disgusted to curious, light-hearted to heavy-hearted, and then, finally ending the book in irritation and confusion. I laughed, I cried, and I felt genuinely pissed off at the “decide for yourself” ending, but all in all, I loved this book!

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How to Use in the Classroom

• This book would be a great book to bring in to discuss topics such as, a utopia, communism, free will, memories, ancestry, the holocaust…etc. Huge topics for conversation, as well as, great leading discussions on a bigger overall unit. I would use this book to bring up the hard issues. I would love to see how kids interpret the releasing and the idea of no free will. I would love to see the illustrations inspired by a book like this. I think this book would be a great, quality piece of literature to bring into the classroom to discuss, use critical thinking skills and to dissect. I know it is controversial, but if my district allows it, I would love to incorporate "The Giver" into my classroom, and see what kinds of literary conversations bloom.  

More Resources 

• For more information about Lois Lowry, click here. 

• For more information about the book, click here.

"The Dear One"

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Book Title:

The Dear One

Author:

Jacqueline Woodson

Type of Book:

Novel

Age Level:

8-12

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• “The Dear One” is a story about Afeni, a young girl who struggles with feeling unloved since her grandmother passed away, four years prior. Afeni tries to make sense of her world, but at the young age of 12, she can’t seem to do so, that is, until 15-year-old, pregnant Rebecca comes into her life; a time when her paradigms change.

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My Thoughts

• I thought this book was good, very controversial, but then again, I love controversy. I thought the raw emotion Woodson exposes in this book was phenomenal. She has such an incredible fluency in childish thought and reasoning, I felt as if I was actually there, observing all the interactions between Afeni and Rebecca. I felt just as present as the characters were, as if I was a fly on the wall. I also loved how I could relate myself to this book through my own childhood thoughts and encounters. There is a beautiful moment between Afeni and her mother, where Afeni declares she wants to go live with her dad because she thinks that her mom doesn’t lover her. Afeni’s mom, Catherine, responds by saying that although she doesn’t say, “I love you” everyday to Afeni, that it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her everyday.  It just means that she expresses love in a different way, such as providing for Afeni, and taking care of her. This type of love is so familiar to me, and once, as a child, I went through the same fears of being unloved by my mother, and just like in this book, my mother explained that she loves best through her actions. After hearing that, I was able to see incredible amounts of love, more love than I had ever imagined, my mom loves me best through helping me through life. I connected very well with Afeni in that moment.

• I also loved the truth and fears that Afeni and Caesar shared. My favorite example of this was seen in chapter 15, when the two friends were discussing their fears of lying in bed naked with a boy. I remember growing up, with these same fears, and the same thoughts about intimacy. I loved how special that moment in the book was for me. Again, Woodson has an outstanding way of bringing my life out, through her characters, a feat not easily accomplished. I am so happy with this book and the sentimental moments it offered me, while reading.

How to Use in the Classroom

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• For more mature grades, this novel could be used to discuss the very controversial subjects it includes, such as, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, homosexuality, divorce, abortion, rich VS poor, and the racial divide of whites and blacks. All of these topics are seen throughout this book, and although some are more controversial than others, all of them are seen in our culture today. These issues are real, kids will come across them and kids will have questions. As teachers, we have to decide if we want to bring them up for discussion in our classrooms, and how we wish to handle them. Although controversial subjects are often discouraged from school districts, I believe it is very important to prepare students for reality, and this would be a great book to do start with!

• I also think that posing the question, “How can we show love” is a great way to bring awareness to the varied appearances of love. For kids like Afeni, and myself, sometimes love is not so apparent, but, as a class, making a list or chart on the different ways love can be shown, will help to build community, as well as, explain how, as a class, we can show love to each other. Perhaps this could include an activity or a service project appropriate for Valentines Day (Assigning a Valentine to each student, so that each student spends time showing a friend love, and feeling loved by a friend, through an encouraging note, or helping hand. This will also work towards building community).

 More Resources

• For more information about Jacqueline Woodson, click here.
• For more information about "The Dear One", click here.

"Love You Forever"

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Book Title:

Love You Forever

Author:

Robert Munsch

Illustrator:

Sheila McGraw

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• This book shows the truest love, the love of a mother, and how it remains over the years. The mother spends every night singing a lullaby to her son, regardless of his age, until one day when she is too old to do so.

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My Thoughts

• I love this book. I love using this book in the classroom, because I made up a melody to the lullaby the mother sings to her son, and I invite the class to sing it with me, while rocking back and forth. Singing and reading together really helps to start the day off in community and in trust. I also love, inviting the kids into the story, so they feel personally apart of the group reading process.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• I would bring this book into the classroom to show how song and performance can be incorporated into reading and how using your creativity can bring excitement into everyday tasks. We as a class, could make up our own songs, or, find a new book to create our own tune for as we read. This could also help ignite the imaginations and creative patterns of the students in my classroom, while also helping those who struggle with reading, to find alternate ways of connecting with literature.

More Resources

• For more information about Robert Munsch, click here.
• For more information about Sheila McGraw, click here.

"The Giving Tree"

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Book Title:

The Giving Tree

Author/Illustrator:

Shel Silverstein

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

*****

Summary

• Everyday the boy came to visit the tree, swing on her branches and slide down her trunk, but as the boy grew older; he began to want different things. He would visit less often, and would take more and more from the giving tree, until one day, the tree had nothing left to give.

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My Thoughts

• I absolutely love this book, and the unconditional love it shows. “The Giving Tree” just melts me heart every time I read it, and it is impossible for me to read this story and feel emotionless. Silverstein captures my heart in his simple illustrations, and in his meaningful text. As a reader, I look for books that will shift my understanding, and leave me feeling impacted, and that is exactly what Silverstein does in “The Giving Tree”. With his cartoon-style illustrations, and black and white story, I feel myself personally going on the journey of the remarkable friendship seen between the boy and his tree.

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How to Use in the Classroom

• I imagine bringing this book into my classroom during story time. I would have all my students gather around, and I would introduce this book with a mysterious tone in my voice. I would set up the book first, as one of my favorite books, a book that is so special to me, and one that makes my heart feel warm inside. I would ask the kids if they have ever read a book like that, and I would let them share a few of their own favorite books. Then, I would bring out my copy of “The Giving Tree”, and ask if any of them have read this story before, for those who have, I would ask them to see if they learn anything new, and for those who haven’t, I would tell them to see if they can figure out why I love this book so much. Then we would read it together, I would prompt for predictions, and I would comment on the themes/illustrations. At the end of the book, we would discuss who liked it, and why they liked it, and then, we would talk about what makes us like a certain book, and what makes us dislike a certain book, and this conversation could turn into a mini lesson on writing, as well as, a mini lesson on figuring out which types of books we should look for personally, based on what we like/dislike.

More Resources 

• For more information about Shel Silverstein, click here.
• For more information about "The Giving Tree", click here.

"Spork"

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Book Title:

Spork

Author:

Kyo Maclear

Illustrator:

Isabelle Arsenault

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

**

Summary

• A spork is a combination of a spoon and a fork, but this spork never gets picked for eating. The spork begins to feel that no one will ever want him, because he is not a spoon, and he is not a fork, but this all changes when he finds his perfect match.

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My Thoughts

• This book has a pretty good message, and it is a cute story, but I was not much of a fan. I didn’t like the rendered mixed-media assembled-digital art; I found it to be a bit boring and plain. I also thought that the overall story line was just bizarre. Using a “Spork” to reinforce the message that eventually everyone will find his or her place in the world was just not a good fit for me. Although a cute story, this is not one of my favorites.

How to Use in the Classroom

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• Even though I was not much of a fan, this book could be a great tool in helping bring awareness to the class for those who feel as if they don’t fit in, since this book is all about finding your place of peace in the world, it could help teach a mini lesson about inclusion and working together. It could be a great way to have the classroom brainstorm ideas on how to make everyone feel included and special. This book has a great message, and this message should be introduced into classrooms, to help build community and set the right tone for how you want your students to interact.

More Resources

• For more information about the author, click here.
• For more information about the illustrator, click here.

"Giraffes Can’t Dance"

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Book Title:

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Author:

Giles Andreae

Illustrator:

Guy Parker-Rees

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• Gerald, the Giraffe, cannot dance, and his feelings get hurt as all the other animals that dance beautifully, make fun of him. He leaves the jungle dance party, and discovers a different type of music that is perfect, just for him.

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My Thoughts

• What a fantastic book! I love this because it brings the arts back into the classroom, while teaching a valuable lesson. For some people, things may come harder than for others, but that doesn’t mean that someone is doomed, and that we should just accept their failure. It just means another approach may be needed, and isn’t that what we, as future teachers, are learning everyday…differentiation. In this book, Gerald could not dance as well as the other animals, but all he really needed was someone to take the time to help him find his own music, and then he soared. He out-danced all of his friends, and he finally thought of himself as a dancer. This book just proves that we as teachers need to pay attention to the different struggles of our students, and try to find individualized our instruction for them, so that we can help them learn to soar.

How to Use in the Classroom

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• I would love to use this in my classroom to teach the different styles of music, and the different styles of dance that are mentioned. I would love to get the kids up and moving, especially when they need to get all their jitters out. –I love to bring performance into the classroom, whenever possible, and this book mixes literacy and performance, which I absolutely adore. I could also see myself using this book to show the kids that if they are struggling with something, that maybe they just need to try a different way, that giving up is not the answer. 

More Resources

• For more information about Giles Andreae, click here.
• For more information about Guy Parker-Rees, click here.

"Chrysanthemum"

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Book Title:

Chrysanthemum

Author/Illustrator:

Kevin Henkes

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

• Chrysanthemum grew up with the notion that she was absolutely perfect, until she entered school that is. At school the kids picked on her and poked fun of her name, a name that she once loved and adored, had become the target of her pain.

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My Thoughts

• When I first heard this book, it was being read aloud to me in my 5^th semester of college. I know it sounds funny to have someone read aloud to you at the age of 20, but I am so glad it happened. I had never heard of this book before, but I instantly fell in love with it. I love the great message that trickles through the story, the message of loving who you are, regardless of what others think about you. I think this is such an important message to start introducing to children at a young age. School can be hard, and peers can be ruthless, so I think introducing this book and message at an early age is vitally important.

• I also love the use of watercolor paints and black pen, as they are used for full-color art. Henkes does a great job with the changing layouts of each page, I think the book is so inviting and visually fun to look at. Not to mention, how incredible the text is, he perfects the way of making a children’s book into a great learning tool, with large vocabulary words, and great themes of acceptance. I LOVE this book.

How to Use in the Classroom

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• “Chrysanthemum” is a great book to use when teaching new vocabulary; in fact, I think this book could provide a hefty list of vocabulary terms just by itself. With words such as, Chrysanthemum, scarcely, wilted, dreadful, fascinating, winsome, Parcheesi, envious, begrudging, discontented, jaundiced, scrawny, humorous, Delphinium, beamed, Marigold, Carnation and Lily of the Valley, this book offers a lot of possibilities. For one thing, a spelling list could be developed from this book, while also cross-curricularly; this book could be helpful in science, and the planting of flowers.  Again, this book could be used in teaching the message of loving yourself for who you are, and not for what others think about you, and it could also be a useful tool to bring out when you feel like your class is having trouble respecting their peers. This book has many possibilities, and that is why I love it so much! 

More Resources  

• For more information about Kevin Henkes, click here.
• For more information about how to use Chrysanthemum in the classroom, click here.

"The Higher Power of Lucky"

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Book Title:

The Higher Power of Lucky

Author:

Susan Patron

Illustrator:

Matt Phelan

Type of Book:

Novel

Age Level:

9-12

My Star Rating:

****

Summary

·      Lucky, a young girl, tries to take on life with her pal HMS Beagle, and her friend Lincoln, but she is convinced her guardian, Brigitte, will leave her, just as her parents did. She sets out to find her higher power, so that she may find the peace she feels is missing in her life.

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My Thoughts

·        I thought this book was pretty good! I was mostly impressed with Patron, and her incredible ability to get into the young child’s mind. Her portrayal of Lucky as, childish and sporadic, curious and wild, imaginative and trained was so clear to me. I remember thinking in those same ways when I was young, I remember being curious about new things/concepts, but feeling too embarrassed to bring them up. I remember using my imagination to create alternate realities and to convince myself of false truths. I remember having to stick in the mindset I was trained to use, the mindset of appropriate behavior and acceptable lifestyle choices, when really, all I wanted to do was be myself, silly, wild and carefree. I connected so well with Lucky in her quest for answers. Patron really brought me back to my childhood memories, and I am sure any students who read this, will be able to connect with Lucky on some level, and in some way, if not, many.

How to Use in the Classroom

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·      This novel could easily be used to bring up different lifestyles, places, people or concepts, in the classroom. For instance, living in the Midwest shelters us from the dry, hot weather of the desert. We don’t have to worry about sandstorms… And if you teach in an upper/middle class neighborhood, the schemas of living in a trailer park would be slim to none. The community felt in the book, by the neighbors looking after each other, would seem unreal to those who live miles away from their closest neighbor. I can see so many opportunities to expand schemas with this book. It could lead into so many different discussions about life, experiences and realities. I think it would be a great book to bring into the classroom.

More Resources:

• To visit Susan Patron's Website, click here.
• To learn more about the book and the controversy involved, click here.

Controversial Book: "Fly Away Home"

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Book Title:

Fly Away Home

Author:

Eve Bunting

Illustrator:

Ronald Himler

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

***

Summary

·      This is a tale about a dad and his son who live in an airport with only one rule to follow: “Do not get caught".

My Thoughts

·      I really enjoyed this book. Yes, I do understand how it is controversial, I mean it is all about sneaking around and being dishonest. It tells about the life of a boy who should be in school rather than spending his days trying to stay unnoticed. But, regardless of the controversies, this book has wonderful themes of family, community, dreams, aspirations and hope. It also deals with the themes of financial issues, and finding a means of “getting by”, which are issues so commonly seen in public schools. I was very happy with this book and the messages it had to offer. I also loved the watercolor illustrations that caught the raw emotions of the child and his father. I think kids would appreciate it for the honesty and truth it speaks about life, and about struggles.

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How to Use in the Classroom

·      This book would be a great book to use in a variety of lessons. Perhaps you work in a poor neighborhood, or an inner city. This book would be great for opening up a class discussion about how love and family are always present even though money maybe hard to come by. This could also be used to teach about how dreams and hope don’t cost a thing, that regardless of where we come from, or what experiences/opportunities we have, that dreaming and hoping can help us get through the tough times. This book has so many possibilities, it could even be read to a wealthy class, in hopes of building schemas and bringing awareness. 

 

More Resources:

• For more information about Eve Bunting, click here.
• For classroom ideas with this book, click here.

Controversial Book: "And The Tango Makes Three"

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Book Title:

And The Tango Makes Three

Author:

Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Illustrator:

Henry Cole

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

***

Summary

·      This book focuses on the idea of family, and how to create one. But when two male penguins fall in live at the zoo, they learn that they cannot naturally start a family on their own.

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My Thoughts

·      This book is a great warming story with a lot of good lessons to teach about life. It is obviously controversial because of the homosexuality involved, but it shows that the love of a family is not restricted, and that gay parents can love and succeed in the same ways of that of heterosexual parents. Now, I, being pretty conservative myself, often find myself in communities who would find this book threatening to young minds. But I disagree. I think it is very important that kids be exposed to these topics. Mainly because these controversial topics exist in real life, and kids will have to deal with them eventually. I think the biggest issue with teaching this type of book is going to be the conservative parents causing a fuss. But I encourage teachers to be courageous.

How to Use in the Classroom

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·      This book could help start off a discussion about how babies are made, it could open up the topic of “what is homosexuality?” and it could help open up the idea of adoption. All of these topics would be very beneficial to teach in class, if age appropriate (in my opinion). Some kids may even come from a family of two gay parents, and this could be a book to help the rest of the class understand and better accept the idea. If nothing else, this book also could help in showing the deep love of a family… and how everyone is capable of being part of one. 

 More Resources:

• For more information about this book, click here.

"There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly"

Book Title:

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There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

Author/Illustrator:

Simms Taback

Type of Book:

Picture Book

Age Level:

4-8

My Star Rating:

***

Summary

·      This is a silly book about an old lady who swallows a fly, and then tries to catch the fly by swallowing a spider… she continues to swallow more and more, to catch what she swallowed before.

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My Thoughts

·      This book is so cute. I love that it is a songbook too! How fun is it to get lost in the world of a book, but also to be able to sing along with a book! The illustrations in this book are just outstanding. Taback masters the use of using mixed media and collage on kraft paper. The illustration style seems to be cartoon, and it interacts with the reader in that, as the woman continues to swallow, the viewing of her stomach seems to get bigger and bigger. This is done through the cutting of a hole in each page. The holes get bigger as the story goes on, allowing for the audience to keep up with all that she has swallowed. I think this is brilliant. What a fun book to bring into the classroom.

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How to Use in the Classroom

·      This book could be used as a fun songbook to bring into the classroom. I know that many teachers love incorporating songs throughout the day, and I think this would be a great book to bring out and teach to the kids. It repeats which is nice, because kids are better able to follow along and learn the song when it repeats. Also, this could be an example book, in which the whole class makes a new version to the same tune that they can sing together. This book could also be used as a classroom management technique, when the kiddos have just a bit too much energy. 

More Resources

• To sing along with the songbook, click here.
• To learn more about Simms Taback, click cite.