My Grandma Likes To Say by Denise Brennan-Nelson gives a real “word to the wise” with its many clichés, idioms, and maxims. These “words of wisdom” are presented in rhyme and colorfully illustrated from a child’s literal interpretation. The clichés, idioms, and maxims are offered to us from a child’s perspective and explained in a footnote.
The illustrations reinforce the child’s perspective in this book. The simple, colorful art will have nonreaders perusing this book. Double-page spreads are used throughout the book allowing the illustrations and text to flow across the pages. “You’re growing like a weed,” is visually depicted with realistic children’s heads on plant stems in a garden with bright flowers, white picket fence, birdbath, and bugs! Children will love it! Different type font, color, and size of text is used to direct readers to the clichés, idioms, and maxims. A small rose guides the readers to an explanation of the sayings on those pages.
I would recommend this book to grade levels 3-6.
Keywords: clichés, idioms, maxims, perspective, reality,
Monday, June 25, 2007
Talking with Artists
Talking with Artists compiled and edited by Pat Cummings is a group of conversations with known and loved artists that illustrate books. Conversations with Victoria Chess, Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, and Lois Ehlert and other artists are included in this book. Each artist had the opportunity to tell their own story about becoming an artist and then concluded their conversation by answering eight common questions presented to them. The conversations are highlighted with an example of childhood and adult art along with a childhood and adult photo.
The repetitive format of this book makes it an easy read. Each artist begins by sharing the defining moments in their lives and then every artist answers the same questions. Young readers are able to go through the book reading the answer to number eight if that is what interests them. All the questions are numbered and asked in the same sequence providing the reader with familiar pattern. This book’s focus is for young people that love to draw. This book supplies the answers about how to become an illustrator of children’s books. The art and photos that complement the conversations will delight and tempt the young reader through the entire book. The photos satisfy young curiosity and the art shows what is possible. Two unexpected bonuses are at the end of this book. The book has a glossary of terms used in the text. The surprise ending is a list of the five favorite books each artist has illustrated.
I would recommend this as an independent read for grades 3-8. It could be a read aloud for younger students focusing on one artist.
Keywords: artist, illustrator, editor, portfolio, publisher, practice
The repetitive format of this book makes it an easy read. Each artist begins by sharing the defining moments in their lives and then every artist answers the same questions. Young readers are able to go through the book reading the answer to number eight if that is what interests them. All the questions are numbered and asked in the same sequence providing the reader with familiar pattern. This book’s focus is for young people that love to draw. This book supplies the answers about how to become an illustrator of children’s books. The art and photos that complement the conversations will delight and tempt the young reader through the entire book. The photos satisfy young curiosity and the art shows what is possible. Two unexpected bonuses are at the end of this book. The book has a glossary of terms used in the text. The surprise ending is a list of the five favorite books each artist has illustrated.
I would recommend this as an independent read for grades 3-8. It could be a read aloud for younger students focusing on one artist.
Keywords: artist, illustrator, editor, portfolio, publisher, practice
Hooray for Harry
Hooray for Harry by Kim Lewis is an engaging story about a stuffed elephant, Harry, who discovers his favorite fluffy old blanket is missing at nap time. Along with his friends Ted and Lulu, Harry searches all the places the friends have played with the blanket in effort to retrieve this treasured item. The search has them remember the fun of making a tent, sailing a boat, swinging, picnicking, washing, and finally hanging his blanket up to dry.
The beauty of the story is visually presented in soft colored pencil and pastel illustrations. The text leads the search for the fluffy old blanket and the illustrations remember the fun the trio of friends had playing with the blanket. Various font sizes and capitalization are used to create emphasis in the text. Light breezy outdoor images reinforce the carefree fun the friends had playing. Details such as tall, lightly colored grass, big fluffy clouds, and gentle breezes convey a sense of comfort and safety. The innocence of youth is captured in the illustrations. Readers will want to snuggle up with all three of these cuddly friends and nap under a favorite blanket at the end of this endearing story.
I would recommend this story to preschoolers through first grade.
Keywords: friends, remembering, imagination, security, innocence
The beauty of the story is visually presented in soft colored pencil and pastel illustrations. The text leads the search for the fluffy old blanket and the illustrations remember the fun the trio of friends had playing with the blanket. Various font sizes and capitalization are used to create emphasis in the text. Light breezy outdoor images reinforce the carefree fun the friends had playing. Details such as tall, lightly colored grass, big fluffy clouds, and gentle breezes convey a sense of comfort and safety. The innocence of youth is captured in the illustrations. Readers will want to snuggle up with all three of these cuddly friends and nap under a favorite blanket at the end of this endearing story.
I would recommend this story to preschoolers through first grade.
Keywords: friends, remembering, imagination, security, innocence
Monday, June 18, 2007
BUD, NOT BUDDY
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis is the story of a motherless young boy “on the lam” from an orphanage and undesirable foster home searching for the man he believes to be his father. After being placed in a bad foster home Bud decides to go “on the lam” in search of his father during the Depression.
The story includes sleeping alone under a tree at the library, a stay in Hooverville, hitchhiking, and talking his way into meeting the man he believes to be his father. He must repeatedly explain his name is Bud, not Buddy and is determined to keep his battered suitcase with him at all cost. The suitcase contains his mementoes of his mother and the clues to finding his father.
The story contains ageless boy humor while depicting the grim reality of his life. “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself” are used repeatedly through the book when Bud needs to stop and take stock of his situation. Bud’s continued optimism in the face of obstacles leads the reader from one incident to the next
For me, this book was a page-turner. I could not wait to find out what happened next and how Bud was going to handle it. I liked Bud and his humor and the kindness he found in unexpected moments.
This book is a 2000 Newbery Award Winner. I would recommend this book to students in grades 4-6.
Keywords: Depression, orphanage, Hooverville, persistence,
The story includes sleeping alone under a tree at the library, a stay in Hooverville, hitchhiking, and talking his way into meeting the man he believes to be his father. He must repeatedly explain his name is Bud, not Buddy and is determined to keep his battered suitcase with him at all cost. The suitcase contains his mementoes of his mother and the clues to finding his father.
The story contains ageless boy humor while depicting the grim reality of his life. “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself” are used repeatedly through the book when Bud needs to stop and take stock of his situation. Bud’s continued optimism in the face of obstacles leads the reader from one incident to the next
For me, this book was a page-turner. I could not wait to find out what happened next and how Bud was going to handle it. I liked Bud and his humor and the kindness he found in unexpected moments.
This book is a 2000 Newbery Award Winner. I would recommend this book to students in grades 4-6.
Keywords: Depression, orphanage, Hooverville, persistence,
KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes is captivating from the beginning. A young kitten has mistaken the moon for a bowl of milk and encounters many mishaps as he persistently tries to reach what he thinks is a bowl of milk. The kitten stretches to reach the milk and only gets a bug on his tongue for his effort. He then runs, climbs, and leaps in an effort to reach the milk. Finally, the kitten returns home to find a bowl of milk waiting!
The art complements and completes the text in this story. The bold, yet simple drawings lead the reader or listener through the book. Each emotion the kitten feels is vividly expressed. When the kitten chases the moon, the art is linear on the opposing page bringing the text alive visually. The text lines are short and stacked next to a vertical picture depicting the kitten climbing the tree. I think this is a wonderful book to read aloud. Young listeners will be anticipating the next page!
I would recommend this book for children through second grade.
Keywords: kitten, moon, persistence
The art complements and completes the text in this story. The bold, yet simple drawings lead the reader or listener through the book. Each emotion the kitten feels is vividly expressed. When the kitten chases the moon, the art is linear on the opposing page bringing the text alive visually. The text lines are short and stacked next to a vertical picture depicting the kitten climbing the tree. I think this is a wonderful book to read aloud. Young listeners will be anticipating the next page!
I would recommend this book for children through second grade.
Keywords: kitten, moon, persistence
Sunday, June 10, 2007
The SOS File
The SOS File by Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers, illustrated by Arthur Howard
Mr. Magro invites students to earn extra credit by writing a story for the SOS File. The SOS file contains stories about the students’ emergencies. The day has arrived for reading the stories and students want to know if everyone received extra credit. Each chapter is a different story.
Every chapter contains a different type of emergency. Everyone’s perception of an emergency being different the book was entertaining, covering a range of topics from runaway go carts, baseball fears, and diving with sharks.
Not knowing who was not going to receive extra credit is the hook that kept me reading. Each chapter being a short story will make an easy read for independent readers. This is a simple straightforward book that will delight students.
Suggested Reading Level: 2-5
Keywords: participate, extra credit, SOS, humiliating, dyslexia
Other books by Betsy Byars:
The Pinballs
The Summer of the Swans
Tornado
Mr. Magro invites students to earn extra credit by writing a story for the SOS File. The SOS file contains stories about the students’ emergencies. The day has arrived for reading the stories and students want to know if everyone received extra credit. Each chapter is a different story.
Every chapter contains a different type of emergency. Everyone’s perception of an emergency being different the book was entertaining, covering a range of topics from runaway go carts, baseball fears, and diving with sharks.
Not knowing who was not going to receive extra credit is the hook that kept me reading. Each chapter being a short story will make an easy read for independent readers. This is a simple straightforward book that will delight students.
Suggested Reading Level: 2-5
Keywords: participate, extra credit, SOS, humiliating, dyslexia
Other books by Betsy Byars:
The Pinballs
The Summer of the Swans
Tornado
The Toughest Cowboy
The Toughest Cowboy or How The Wild West Was Tamed by John Frank and illustrated by Zachary Pullen
The Toughest Cowboy is an entertaining tale about Grizz Brickbottom, a rough and tough cowboy that decides he and his pardners, Chuck Wagon, Lariat, and Bald Mountain, need a dog. Foofy the miniature poodle, a most unlikely choice for a bunch of rowdy cowpokes, changes their lives and bad habits. This group of uncouth cowpokes turn into respectable town dwellers at the end of the book due to the affect of Foofy on their lives.
The descriptive language (flossed his teeth with barbed wire) and exaggerated and outlandish pictures will draw kids of all ages in and keep them to the end of the book.
As a read-a-loud young children will love the language and nose picking on each page!
Town kids will love this book, so will ranch kids, they’ll just roll their eyes more.
Suggested Reading Level: 1-4
Keywords: cowboy, lonesome, ornery. upbringin’, poodle, business
Other books by John Frank
The Tomb of the Boy King: A True Story in Verse
A Chill in the Air: Nature Poems for Fall and Winter
The Toughest Cowboy is an entertaining tale about Grizz Brickbottom, a rough and tough cowboy that decides he and his pardners, Chuck Wagon, Lariat, and Bald Mountain, need a dog. Foofy the miniature poodle, a most unlikely choice for a bunch of rowdy cowpokes, changes their lives and bad habits. This group of uncouth cowpokes turn into respectable town dwellers at the end of the book due to the affect of Foofy on their lives.
The descriptive language (flossed his teeth with barbed wire) and exaggerated and outlandish pictures will draw kids of all ages in and keep them to the end of the book.
As a read-a-loud young children will love the language and nose picking on each page!
Town kids will love this book, so will ranch kids, they’ll just roll their eyes more.
Suggested Reading Level: 1-4
Keywords: cowboy, lonesome, ornery. upbringin’, poodle, business
Other books by John Frank
The Tomb of the Boy King: A True Story in Verse
A Chill in the Air: Nature Poems for Fall and Winter
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Dom Lee
This book outlines the life of Sammy Lee, a Korean American with aspirations to be a champion Olympic diver in a time when people of color were discriminated against. The book tells of the conflict between Sammy and his father and how Sammy eventually honors his father’s wish and achieves his own dream of being a champion diver.
The artwork is engaging and reminiscent of another time helping in conveying the struggles facing this young man. Written in a straightforward manner the book involves the reader immediately without being overly sentimental.
I liked this book. It grabbed my attention from the first page. Sammy is a real life good guy winning in the end. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds is a page-turner of the non-fiction kind!
Suggested Reading Level: 2-5
Keywords: Olympic, discrimination, immigrants, springboard, gymnastics, competition, determination
Another book about Sammy Lee:
Not Without Honor: The Story of Sammy Lee by Molly Frick Wampler
This book outlines the life of Sammy Lee, a Korean American with aspirations to be a champion Olympic diver in a time when people of color were discriminated against. The book tells of the conflict between Sammy and his father and how Sammy eventually honors his father’s wish and achieves his own dream of being a champion diver.
The artwork is engaging and reminiscent of another time helping in conveying the struggles facing this young man. Written in a straightforward manner the book involves the reader immediately without being overly sentimental.
I liked this book. It grabbed my attention from the first page. Sammy is a real life good guy winning in the end. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds is a page-turner of the non-fiction kind!
Suggested Reading Level: 2-5
Keywords: Olympic, discrimination, immigrants, springboard, gymnastics, competition, determination
Another book about Sammy Lee:
Not Without Honor: The Story of Sammy Lee by Molly Frick Wampler
Welcome!
Hello!
Welcome to my brand new blog about books! This blog is created as a requirement for my graduate class: Literature for Children and Young Adults. The blog is new to me, reading and enjoying good literature is not.
Bridget Reed
Welcome to my brand new blog about books! This blog is created as a requirement for my graduate class: Literature for Children and Young Adults. The blog is new to me, reading and enjoying good literature is not.
Bridget Reed
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)