Chrysanthemum - Picturebook

     Chrysanthemum by John Henkes is a picture book about a young female mouse with a strange name that gets her criticized in school. The theme of the book is all about loving who you are and not worrying about what others think of you. It's set in a small town, generally around the school with a few parts in Chrysanthemum's home. The illustrations are bright and beautiful with a more sketched look, and cover full page. The book falls under the picture book genre as it is paired with easy text for young readers and full page illustrations that compliment the book nicely. This book would work well for first day kindergartners to ease their nerves and get them excited about the rest of the year. As Chrysanthemum introduces and expresses herself in the book, students could use a piece of paper with a printed, black and white Chrysanthemum picture, glue a small picture of their face taken by their teacher in the middle, and on each peddle write something about themselves, or instruct their teacher with what to write. These could be hung on the door or just outside the classroom to introduce the class. A teacher could also use this to teach students a mini lesson on bullying, and could be read at the end of the day or as a reward.

Reader Response:

1. Why do you think the other girls would pick on Chrysanthemum for something she didn't choose, like her name?
2. If you were Chrysanthemum's teacher, what would you do about the bullying?    

 I have always loved this book and found it very intriguing. My mother read it to me when I was little and I plan to read it to my children and one day my students. Henkes illustrations are very colorful and humorous and compliment the book well.

References:

Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow, 1991. Print.

Galda, L., Liang, L. A., & Cullinan, B. E. (2010). Literature and the child. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs - Fractured Fairy Tale

     The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Sciezska is a twist on the traditional story of the trio of swine brothers. This book is from the perspective of the wolf and how he was framed for eating the pigs, and he's actually innocent. This book is considered a fractured fair tale because it's a traditional fairy tale that is modified in such a way that makes readers laugh at the characterization, plot development or, in this case especially, contrary point of view. 

     The illustrations in this book are very well done and compliment the book well. The full pages of illustrations have plenty of color, just not the traditional pinks, blues and lime greens. They really capture the events of the book in a fun and humorous way. The setting is in the little town the 3 pigs and wolf live in, and the theme is how the wolf was framed and how he was wrongfully given the name "Big Bad Wolf". 

     This book would be perfect to use in a lesson about points of view, and how things can be biased or skewed based on the source of information. Teachers could introduce the lesson by asking students to think of times information was given incorrectly to or about them. (Like when their little brother tells mom the story of why there's marker on the wall, in which he is the bad guy and the little brother is the hero). Then, the teacher could read the book with inflection and enthusiasm and go into the lesson on points of view.

     This book could also be used to model good reading and work on compare and contrast skills. Students could hear the story, and the story of the three little pigs, and then work on a compare and contrast worksheet to discover the similarities and differences between the two stories.

Reader Response:

1. Given what happen with the first little pig, why do you think Mr. Wolf continued to search for someone to give him sugar for her sweet, grandma's cake? 
2. If you were one of the little pigs, what would you have done to stop Mr. Wolf from blowing sneezing your house down? 
3. Analyze the two stories. Do you believe Mr. Wolf? Or do you think he's still guilty?

     I absolutely adore this book. It's a super fun, humorous and cute twist on the traditional story we all know and love. It gets students thinking and keeps them engaged. The illustrations are fun and compliment the story well, thus enhancing the quality of the book. I think this is a wonderful addition to any classroom!

References:

Galda, L., Liang, L. A., & Cullinan, B. E. (2010). Literature and the child. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Scieszka, Jon, and Lane Smith. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. NY, NY: Viking, an Imprint of Penguin Group (USA), 2014. Print.

Orcas - Nonfiction

      Orcas by Claire Thorp is a non-fictional book including maps, charts, photographs, definitions, statistics, facts and more information on other sea mammals. This books falls into the non-fiction category because it provides factual and informational text with the purpose of informing readers. There are whole page photographs in place of illustrations. This book is well organized and accurate with appropriate design to keep readers engaged. 

     This book could be used in the classroom on a lesson on sea mammals. One group could do sea lions, one orcas and one dolphins and create a presentation to be shared with the class. Due to the amount of factual information and detailed photographs provided, students can learn a lot of orcas behavior, pods and physical structure. This activity would provide students the opportunity to use their skills to learn from the text, work collaboratively and present in front of a group.

     This book could also be used to teach students how to analyze maps and charts to understand what it's portraying. Orcas are a fun subject for students and they can keep students engaged when learning about how to analyze charts.

Reader Response:

1. How does the orca vary from other whales?

2. What characteristics do orcas and dolphins have in common?

     This book is provides a lot of well detailed information on orcas for students and I believe it would be a great addition to any classroom. Students can benefit greatly from learning about such intelligent, emotional and magnificent creatures.

References:

Throp, Claire. Orcas. London: Raintree, 2013. Print.

Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont, CA:Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. 

Do You Really Want To Meet An Orca? - Non-fiction

     Do You Really Want To Meet an Orca? by Bridget Heos is about a young girl who goes to the coast of Norway to view killer whales in their natural habitat and observe their behavior in their family units, or pods. This books falls under the informational text or non-fiction genre in that it is written for the purpose of informing and it is based on facts and information told in a narrative form. Their are no illustrations in the book but rather photographs of killer whales and their pods. These are full paged, colorful photographs. The style is at a very basic level, easy for young readers to grasp but still engaging.

     This book could be used prior to a Seaworld field trip. Students could read it prior to attending and for the sake of educational purposes, note anything they learned at Seaworld that was or wasn't in the book. Reminding students of this prior to reading will keep them focused and engage both during reading and at the theme park. The following day students can then use a worksheet to note the similarities and differences between the book and what they learned.

     An additional activity for this book could be used when students are learning about mammals. At a young age children learn about the difference between mammals, reptiles, etc and this book could help to aid in that learning. Students are generally familiar with orcas so this book could help to spark their curiosity and keep their attention. This could be used as a center activity in which students learn about different sea mammals at each station. Students could read this book, and then draw their own orca and identify five facts about it on their drawing. Kinesthetic and artistic students will be very engaged in this activity and all students will have the opportunity to learn.

Response Questions:

1. Why are orcas known as "killer whales?"

2. What classifies orcas as mammals?

3. Do you believe orcas should be in captivity, in places like Seaworld?

     This book is a great informational and exciting read for students. It remains factual and accurate while still being engaging and interesting as it follows the story of the young girl. I feel students could benefit greatly from this book.

References:

Heos, Bridget. Do You Really Want to Meet an Orca? Place of Publication Not Identified:           Amicus Ink, 2017. Print.

Number of Stars - Historical Fiction

     Number of Stars by Lois Lowry was originally published in 1989. It is centered around ten year old Annamarie Johansen and follows her and her family's escape from Copenhagen during World War II. This book is a historical fiction book because despite the story and characters being fiction, the events of World War II and the life an escaping Jewish family would like during that time has many factual elements. The book has no illustrations but for the cover, which depicts a sad, young girl and gives readers a picture of the main character. The setting is during World War II, with characters being Jewish. The theme sheds light on WWII and the horrific events a Jewish family would experience trying to escape the Nazis and concentration camps.
     A classroom activity using this book could take place during a history lesson on WWII. Students could write a journal entry from the perspective of Annamarie. This would allow students to think deeper into a perspective very different from there own.
     Students could also use Number of Stars to learn about culture. In escaping the family encounter cultures and students could be divided into groups to study each culture encountered throughout the story and come together to share their findings.

     Reader Response Questions:

1. . Why might Kirsti be comforted by the fairy tale Annemarie tells her? Do you think that this fairy tale is also comforting to Annemarie?
2.  Who does Ellen pretend to be when the soldiers come to the Johansen’s home? How did you feel when the Nazi solider ripped the picture of Lise?
3. Do you think of yourself as a brave person? Why or why not? What is your definition of bravery?

     This book would make a great addition to a 3rd-5th grade classroom. I've always found books that give insight to the lives of families during WWII intriguing. This book offers a lot of knowledge about WWII, Jewish culture and what is what like to live during such tragic times.

References:

Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Lowry, Lois. "Number the Stars: Lois Lowry's Journey to the Newbery Award." The Reading Teacher 44.2 (1990): 98-101. Number the Stars. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Bud, Not Buddy - Historical Fiction

     Bud, Not Buddy is a book by Christopher Paul Curtis about a 10 year old orphan from Flint, MI. It takes place in 1936 when Bud is placed with the Amoses, his third foster family. Unfortunately his new brother bullies him and Bud runs away to find a perfect family. This book is in the historical fiction genre. Historical fiction consists of imaginative narratives grounded in the facts if our past. This book fits that genre because though a fictional story there are real events and the story sticks through to the same atmosphere one would experiences in the early 1900s. This book is without illustrations, however the front cover shows a picture of Bud Caldwell with a neutral background and enhances the books quality. The setting is in an old city, and eventually many cities as Bud makes his journey to find a perfect home. Over the course of the story Bud learns more about himself and his history, a characteristic of historical fiction characters. The theme is about pursuing what's important and finding yourself along the journey. 

     A classroom could use Bud, Not Buddy to do a minilesson on bullying. Bud is bullied when he is adopted into the Amoses family, by his new brother. A teacher could address the effects of bullying and have students change the course of events to find a solution. Students could write out a new ending that would  help Bud to overcome the bullying he experiences.

     Another activity for the classroom could be used during Black History Month to teach children about the experiences African American children faced in the early 1900s. Children could create a book of what their life would be like if they lived in that time. 

     Reader Response:

1. Why is Buddy so self-conscious and protective of his name? What is special about his name?
2. What was your impression of the Amoses family, through Bud's description? What did they think of Bud?

     Personally I think Bud, Not Buddy is a great book for children. It's structure and word choice is a great example of quality literature. I would suggest this book to be a part of a typical classroom's library.

References:

"Bud, Not Buddy Summary."GradeSaver. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Villafana, David. "Bud, Not Buddy Reading Responses." Prezi.com. N.p., 10 May 2012. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

The Face - Folklore

     The Face retold by S.E Schlosser is about a young medical student, insecure about his father's asylum confinement, falls in mutual love with another med student. He is consumed with jealousy and rage even when his girlfriend simply asks another male student for a pencil. Finally, his jealousy consumes him wholly and he kills his girlfriend and cuts off her face. He goes to live in the padded room next to his father when his roommate finds the ex girlfriend face in his desk drawer. To defend my sanity, I was not thinking that's how this story would go after randomly selected it.
     This story falls under the genre of folklore. Folklore, generally with an unknown author, is passed down from generation to generation with the intention of educating or entertain it's listeners/readers. All known cultures have folklore with common themes. Though stories may be revised each time their told, their theme or message remains the same. This story is no exception. With the intent to entertain and provide a good ghost story and teach about the negative effects of jealousy and rage, it fits perfectly into this genre. There are no illustrations for this story.
     The style of the story is told in third person, with a narrator tone. The setting is in a modern day university. The theme is a spooky ghost story, including elements of rage and jealousy. It is highly emotional, same as the characters within it.
     I would not recommend using this book in an elementary school setting, simply because it is quite spooky and gory. However, for middle school, high school or a very mature set of fifth graders, this story could be told during a unit on emotions in literature. Accompanied by other highly emotional pieces of literature, like Romeo and Juliet, a teacher could use this to talk about rage and jealousy. The teacher could have students share a time they were jealous or angry about something prior to telling the story. After the story, a teacher could have students change the ending to something lighter. Like the medical student learning to overcome his jealousy and fits of rage and the two live happily ever after, or even the girlfriend getting away in time and committing the medical student to helpful treatment. The ending should be left up to the discretion of the student. This will allow students to use their imagination while still following the conventions of the story. It can also be used to measure how well students picked up on different aspects and elements of the story.
     Another activity for The Face in the classroom could be when doing a unit on folklore. There are many versions of folklore, from tall tales, to myths and rhymes. Ghost stories around the camp fire are a common folklore not many of us think of as such. This could be a great way to introduce the subject. Without telling students what you're reading or why, the teacher could simply begin reading the story, maybe shutting off the lights and lighting up a single flashlight for effect. This would keep students curious and interested, and perhaps give everyone a good chuckle when they realize the purpose of the ghost story. Lessons should start out lighthearted a fun, yet spooky and intriguing works all the same.

Reader Response Questions:

1. Why do you think the medical student became so enraged when Sheila would call him "crazy" or "mad?"
2. Based on your personal judgement, do you feel the medical student could change his spurts of anger if given the chance?
3. If you were Sheila, and you noticed a repeat pattern of the medical students jealousy and age each time you spoke to a member of the opposite sex, would you continue to forgive him? Why or why not? Be specific in detail in your answer.

     This story really surprised me. I was not expecting such a gruesome ending. Had I known, I would have chosen another story since making activities for elementary students with this type of ghost story can be difficult. Rather than finding a new story I stuck with it, knowing it would bring a challenge. However, I do feel this story could be a good way top introduce folklore to middle schoolers, that's generally an age where weird and gruesome things are a topic of interest anyways. Though it was strange, it definitely had the elements of a quality ghost story folklore.

References:

 Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont: CA.

  "The Black Cat's Message." The Black Cat's Message: From Halloween Stories at Americanfolklore.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017. 

   

The Black Cat's Message - Folklore

     We've all heard of the black Halloween cat, and their undeniable correlated to witches and magic. We've even heard that one crossing your path means 7 years of bad luck. The Black Cat's Message sticks true to that tale, as an older couple accept a new cat inside their home, despite neighbor's warnings, and soon come to realize that the suspicions reign true, they're new family member is a witch. Actually, she's the queen of all witches.
     A Black Cat's Message falls in the Folklore genre because it has an unknown author, originated by word of mouth, includes elements of fantasy and entertains its readers. Most folklore is intended to teach readers or guide behavior. It varies culture by culture and often expresses beliefs, values and customs. There are many categories in folklore, from animal tales, tall tales, fables, myths, rhymes and fairy tails. This story falls under animal fantasy, because it includes talking animals. There can be illustrations in Folklore, however in the original stories there obviously are not, and this book is not an exclusion.
     The style of this story is easy to follow and very imaginative, as the author gives great detail to the characters and their actions. For instance, "I bent down and scratched the yellow cat under the chin.  She purred and stretched." (Americanfolklore.net) The setting is in older times, the wife stays home to care for the house and the husband, despite being retired, goes out and works at the mill and still attends to the farm and other homely duties. I believe the point of the story is to entertain and continue to the beliefs that cats are magical, mystery and witch-like. 
     One activity using this folklore in the classroom could be done during centers the week of Halloween. Generally students are a little hyped up this week so educators work to make it more relaxed and fun. There could be a center in which the students sit with the teacher and read through this story together. Prior to reading, the teacher could ask students what they've heard about black cats, and if they find them spooky or not. This could lead to the discussion on myths and folklore. After reading, students could rewrite the story from the perspective of the cat. It can be a fun and exciting way to get students thinking and including literary elements in their story. It could also demonstrate their level of reading comprehension.
     Teachers could also use A Black Cat's Message to teach about cultures. For instance, in American culture we believe in "luck." Broken mirrors are bad luck, four leaf clovers and lady bugs brings about good luck! Now, that may not have originated in our country but "luck" is discussed often in our culture. Teachers could begin with a discussion about culture and ask students to share what background knowledge they have on culture. From here, the story could be read with enthusiasm, and then the class could break into small group to tackle a worksheet on the similarities and differences in our culture and others. Group 1 could have Mexican culture, 2 could have Indian, 3 could have European, and 4 could have Asian culture. From here, students would use resources to answer questions like "What's the biggest difference between our culture and _______?" or "List and explain the similarities," etc. Then, students could share their findings to the class so that everyone gains insight on the various cultures.

Reader Response Questions:

1. Did you ever find out who Aunt Kan was?
2. Explain why Donald had a fainting spell.
3. Determine why the orange cat chose to be with Donald and Ethel.

     I loved this cute little story. It really got you thinking and kept you hooked throughout. It's a classic tale on witches and cats, but with a light hearted tone. My favorite part was the ending:

"The bad news is that our cat has just left us to become the Queen of the Witches.  We’ll have to get another cat.”

      “Oh no,” I said immediately.  “I’ve had enough of cats.”

     We got a dog."

Resources:

 Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont: CA.

  "The Black Cat's Message." The Black Cat's Message: From Halloween Stories at Americanfolklore.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.