Reflection

Although I was skeptical at first, this blog has been a great way for me to keep track of all of the children's books I have read this semester, and what I thought of them. Reflecting on different things, whether it be books or my own performances, has always been difficult. This has been a great way for me to do this, in less of a high stress situation. The blog for me, at times, did seem to get a little repetitive. I felt like I kept commenting on similar characteristics of the books I was reading.
Reading has always been something that I have enjoyed doing, so I am so happy that I got the opportunity to begin to explore many different types of great literature. It is difficult to find time to read children's books, without a valid reason, due to all of the other required readings I have to do. The choice and availability of so many books has been wonderful and really eye opening. I think there is a perfect, high quality book out there for every student, it just may take some time and effort to locate it.

I'm Gonna Tell Mama I Want An Iguana by Tony Johnston

This book of poems is a different from the other ones I have read also. This one does not just contain poems that rhyme. It has different styles, and shows how spacing can play into the way a poem is read and interpreted. This book has a lot of short poems, that do not necessarily have anything that "make" them poems. I think this book has the ability to inspire children to believe that they can write poetry, because they can turn anything into a poem. Because of this factor, it reminds me of Love That Dog. Poetry is a great way that a lot of people express themselves, so I think a book like this can be very beneficial, because it does a great job of showing this, unlike many other children's poetry books. Although it is not on serious matters, it does show that there are different ways to write poetry and that poetry can be about your thoughts and feelings.

I Brought My Rat for Show-and-Tell and Other Funny School Poems By Joan Horton

The first poem in this book is great, but I really enjoyed all of the other ones as well. One of the poems is on cafeteria food, and how every Wednesday they get spaghetti that looks alive. I think all kids now the days that they need to bring sack lunches, because the food is questionable. I love the illustration for this poem. The girl is looking at the spaghetti in disbelieve, as it is smiling at her. Off in the corner is her lunchbox that she has vowed to bring every Wednesday so she doesn't have to eat the spaghetti that is alive, but she does not know that that is staring at her too! I think that this book of poems is great for all beginning and struggling readers because it uses very simple text, unlike the other books I read.

I Brought My Rat for Show-and-Tell and Other Funny School Poems By Joan Horton

This poem reminded me of the book Rotten Teeth that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. In both books they are discussing what they are going to bring or brought to show-and-tell. I think that this poem has the ability to relate to a lot of kids, because show-and-tell is something we have all experienced, for better or for worse. I do not think that many kids would be able to talk about their rat getting lose in the school, but they can talk about how their hamster got out of it's cage at their house, or what they did bring for show-and-tell. I think this topic is so fun to talk about with kids, and this poem is a great way to start that conversation!

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails by Betsy Franco

I think this book of poems about animals and nature is great for young children. Not only is there wonderful rhyming throughout, but within them they include patterns and shapes. The poems all flow very nicely to each other, even though they are separate, distinct poems. This book is a Caldecott honor medalist, so the pictures are obviously great as well. This book is filled with great, fun information that would add to any lessons on poetry, shapes and patterns, and animals.

Hippopotamus Stew and Other Silly Animal Poems by Joan Horton

This book of poems has a poem about a different animal on each page. All of these poems are very fun and they rhyme. They each have a beautifully animated picture with them. The one negative about this book is that all of the poems rhyme, which may leave the impression on students that that is the only way to write poems. My favorite poem is about the elephant. It talks about how many tissues an elephant would use if it had a sniffly nose. I think children would find this concept very funny. I think that this book would definitely be a great addition to any classroom.

Love That Dog by: Sharon Creech

I think that Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is a good book. It is written as a boy is writing these poems everyday in class, and it turns into this really great story about a boy not wanting to do a "girl" activity, but turns out to love it in the end. I think this story resonates with a lot of people, especially with boys who love to cook or write poetry.

This book really reminded me of my eating habits, and lack of variety. When my fiance and I started dating I would only eat meat and potatoes. I had never tried any other "more cultured" food, nor did I want to. Slowly but surely I had acquired numerous new types of food into my normal diet. At first I thought it was OK, then it was pretty good once in a while, now I wish I could eat new foods everyday! Jack felt the same way about poetry, but after a while he learned how good he was at it, and how much he like it. I think this book has the ability to give kids the option, and courage to try new things

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by: Sook Nyul Choi

I was very interested in reading this book and read it very quickly, as So Far From the Bamboo Grove had spiked my interest in the World War II conflict. Going into this book I was feeling like everyone were losers in this war, because it seemed like everyone was getting tormented and killed by some other group. After reading this book, I felt like I had made more of a connection to the first book, but I am not sure why. I think it may have been because this book the mom is not as strong. She broke down for weeks when her father died and when they tried to escape she was taken away. The kids, who were very young, then had to fend for themselves and survive in madness with no money, no food, and no passports. This seemed so hopeless compared to the other story.

Also, the ending in this one happens pretty suddenly and it is not as in depth as So Far... Once they crossed the lines they were helped, but the Japanese kids still had to keep fighting and working to survive.

I think they are both great books to bring the realities of war and the dynamics of World War II into the classroom. There are so many different emotions and feelings that come up, that I am sure kids will formulate an opinion and their own responses to the books. They may be difficult things to talk about, but they are necessary.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by: Yoko Kawashima Watkins

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had so many emotions going through my head as I read this book. I felt scared, hopeful, sad, disgusted, among many others. The biggest thing that stood out to me in this story of courage and determination in light of horrible conditions and treatment, was the value of family and school. Although so many horrible things were happening in this book, they looked after each other, and even new moms, babies, and the elderly, before thinking about themselves. In those hard times I am sure it would have been easier for them to drink all of the water themselves and use all of their blankets to keep warm, but they were giving. To show these amazing characteristics in such horrible times really says a lot about their values and personality. Sharing is something kids tend to have a problem with, and after reading this book, I think it is something that not many do enough.

I read this book about a Japanese family who lived in Korea during the Japanese occupancy of Korea before I read the differing viewpoint of a Korean family who lived in North Korea during the same time. I think that if I had read the book about the Korean family first, I would have went into this book with more hatred towards the Japanese family. Instead, I felt like everyone was at-risk and being tormented by the war. It was very scary to read how close Countries and towns were to each other, yet they all had such different circumstances and treatment of people.

In Our Mothers' House by Patrica Polacco

I enjoyed reading this book, although I am not sure how much kids would like it. This book is about a family that has 2 moms and 3 adopted kids in it. They are all very close and have a great time together, but they have one neighbor who doesn't like them. The parents plan a block party for their neighborhood and everyone designs a game for their yard and food. During this party the neighbor comes up to the moms and yells at them. The kids did not understand why, and the parents just said she did not agree with their choices. The ending was about how the kids grew up and got married, and their moms grew old together and died within a year of each other. The brother now lives in the house with his family and they still celebrate the good times in the same house they grew up in.

I think the message of the book and story line is great, but the way it comes across, especially the ending, is kind of boring. I felt like it was very predictable, making it less enjoyable to read.

This book very much reminded me of The Graves Family by Patricia Pollacco. They also moved to a neighborhood where they were the "weird" ones, who did not fit in. Some of the parents did not want them to play with the graves children, because their house was painted bloodred and their parents were different. I think some kids can definitely relate to this, and see in the end having a strong family is all that matters.

A Very Big Bunny by: Marisabina Russo

A Very Big Bunny is about, well a very big bunny. This bunny was named Amelia had not friends and no one would play with her, because she was to big. Then, a new student came to the school named Susannah, and she was really small. No one would play with her,because she was to small to do anything. Susannah discovered Amelia sitting by herself and would come up to her every recess to see what she was doing. Finally, it was picture day and Amelia was dreading it, but Susannah came to the rescue and had them make tiaras and wear necklaces so they could be the star of the show. Amelia loved it and all of the other students thought they were great, from then on out they each had a friend and they found ways to make things work.

This story is very cute, although the front cover is kind of scary. Amelia is on the front and her head looks huge and her eyes are the size of a pencil eraser. This book reminds me of a lot of other books that are about teasing. Usually they will either find one really good friend, or the bully's learn their lesson by getting bullied themselves. I think that it gives a good message, and kids will enjoy learning what Amelia does when she is off by herself. I like that she is constructive with her time and finds good things to do. A lot of times it could be that she is negative, or even bullies other students, because she gets bullied. Instead though, I like that she practices spelling words that begin with p, and counts clouds.

Henry Aaron's Dream by Matt Tavares

I think this is a great book that not only teaches about baseball, but also the treatment that African Americans had to go through before the Civil Rights Movement. This book works so well in the classroom, because it has the ability to connect to a lot of boys who do not want to read about history. Like we discussed in class the other day, children's books are mostly geared toward girls, so it is good to find an enjoyable, educational book that boys would be drawn to.

Henry Aaron's Dream is about the famous baseball player who was one of the first African American players in the MLB. It talks about his struggles and obstacles that he had to overcome in order to reach his goals. He never gave up, even though he could not practice on a real field when he was young and received death threats when he started to achieve success. This message is a great one for young readers, especially since it is a true story about America's favorite pastime.

Cinderella Retold by Lynn Roberts

I find it extremely fascinating reading and watching different versions of the same story. When I came across this version of Cinderella, I was excited to read it. One thing that I noticed right away was that the depictions were very unusual. After looking at the book closer, I noticed it said on the cover "An Art Deco Love Story." The illustrator, David Roberts, created this story to look like it came out of the 30's or 40's. I, personally, did not like this style as much much as the "normal" version, if there is such a thing. I found the people to be kind of creepy, as they had very pointy, odd shaped heads. Cinderella is supposed to be beautiful and charming, but I think she was just as ugly as her evil step sisters in this book. I did really like that they had her vacuuming in this version, as opposed to scrubbing the floors. I think the modern twist helped to make it a little more relatable.

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by: Paula Young Shelton & Raul Colon

I thought this book was really neat, especially since it was from the perspective of the child that went through the Civil Rights Movement. She used some of the information that she remembered during that time, and also stories from her other family members. This historical fiction book does a good job portraying famous figures as normal, hardworking people. One thing that is kind of a negative of the book is that it is quite long and wordy. There is obviously a lot of information to cover when writing anything about history, but I think even I was beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the names, dates, and places

My favorite part about this book was definitely the illustrations. They are all done in really vibrant and rich hues of browns, blues. It looks like there is a grainy texture to the pages, which almost made everything look like it was in 3-D. After being so drawn to the images I was fascinated to learn what technique the illustrator, Raul Colon, used. To get these beautiful images, Colon had to go through many steps, 5 in all. I think that they are so good, they would be able to tell the story, even without the words. The cover of the book is definitely eye catching, so I am glad the story in side is a positive, educational book for students to read and to learn from.

First Pooch The Obamas Pick a Pet by: Carole Boston Weatherford

This book was just recently published in 2009, and was, obviously, based on a true story. It is crazy to think that this story is already made into a book, because it seems like just yesterday that we saw the entire thing unfold. I think this book is well written and the illustrations are wonderful portrayals of the actual people and of Bo and the other dogs.

Pets are a huge favorite of elementary students, so I think that many of them would love to read this story. They may learn a thing or two about getting their parents to agree to a pet. I think if any child does as much work and is as giving of their time as those two girls, then they would earn the rights to a pet as well.

The Lion's Share by Matthew McElligott

Very fun, educational book. This book is very unique, as it has a lot to do with math and the signs of division and multiplication. I think kids would really get a kick out of this sill story line, where each animal, starting with the biggest, takes half of the cake to eat for themselves, but by the time it gets to the ant, he is not able to cut it in half. Because of this, he insists on making the lion, the king, a whole cake to eat tomorrow. All of the other animals felt like the ant was sucking up, so beginning with the next smallest animal, they double how many cakes they are going to bring the king to eat tomorrow. The elephant ends up having to bake and bring 256 cakes to the King.

Beatrice Doesn't Want To by: Laura Numeroff

This books illustrations made me laugh. The main characters in the story are dogs, but they are dressed up as people. I think it is funny and cute, and I think kids would have the same reactions. This book shows the importance of making connections to the stories you read. Beatrice does not like books and is upset that she has to sit in the library and wait for her brother to finish his report before they can go home. One day though, her brother takes her to a room where a librarian was reading a book. Hearing this book, and being able to see the reaction of the other kids got Beatrice interested and she started to listen to the book. When she noticed that the main character was doing something she loved, she began to relate to the story and really enjoy it. Throughout the entire book she did not want to do anything her brother told her, except go home. In the end of the book, after she discovered the story that she loves, she repeats "I don't want to", when he tells her it's time to go home.

Mrs. Muddle's Holidays by Laura F. Nielsen

I love this book! After all, who doesn't love celebrating holidays?Mrs. Muddle moves into this new neighborhood and all of the children discover that she is always celebrating new, unique holidays. The children love celebrating them with her, and decide they want to make up a holiday of their own. They end up calling it Mrs. Muddle Day and they decorate their whole neighborhood with bright colors, lights, and balloons. Mrs. Muddle is very surprised and the kids are happy with their new holiday.

I think this book would be a great addition to any classroom. It is very practical and could be used as a great tool to spark imaginations and creativity. I could definitely see myself using this book as an opener to a language arts lesson, where I would have the students, individually or with groups, each create their own holiday. They could describe the date, reason, colors, food, music etc... that goes with their holiday. There are so many great holidays out there, and most children do celebrate at least one, so it is something that everyone can relate to. Very fun way book, that all can enjoy!

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes

A Good Day by Kevin Henkes is a little bit different than the other books I have read by him. Although this book is still good, it is much more simple than the others. I think this book is much better suited for beginning readers to read, as there is very few words and sentences in this book. When the book is opened to the pages, one side is filled with a picture, while the other side has the sentence on it. This makes the book much less overwhelming and conquerable for children learning to read. Although this book is simple, I think it still portrays a good message and is a fun book.

Owen by: Kevin Henkes

Another great book by Henkes! Once again this book is about a common thing that children go through, giving up their beloved "comfort" item. Owen is attached to his blanket named Fuzzy. He does everything with it and takes it everywhere he goes. Since Owen is starting school soon, his parents try different tactics to try to get ride of Fuzzy, but nothing works. Finally his mother comes up with a great idea, and she begins to work on the blanket. She turns his favorite blanket into small handkerchiefs that he can do a lot of the same things with, but not get ridiculed for.

Like Sheila Rae, Owen's problem represents many that kids go through. My step sister did not want to give up her special blanky and I remember how difficult it was to try to change her mind, and convince her that she would be fine without it. This book may be able to inspire some children to give up or allow alterations to their comfort item, which is something many parents would appreciate!

Sheila Rae, The Brave by Kevin Henkes

I loved this book. It is about a mouse, Sheila Rae, who was so brave. She did all of these things that showed how brave she was, while her sister was scared. Walking home from school one day, Sheila took a new route and her and her sister were lost. Sheila, usually so brave, became very scared and thought horrible things. At this time in the story her sister, Louise stepped up and became the brave one. She said she knew how to get them home and on the walk she did all of the brave things she usually sees her sister doing.

I think that this story is so fun, because a lot of kids can relate to the things that they are or are not scared of. When they read this they will be able to say,"I'm not scared of that either!" I love how great of a lead this book could be for talking about things that the children are scared of or things that they have overcome. The pictures in this book are also very well done. I love how some pages even have 2 or 3 pictures that help to show what the sentence is about. They are all done in very bright, fun colors. This book has a great message, but would be enjoyable just to read anytime.

The Birthday Room by: Kevin Henkes

The Birthday Room is a novel by Kevin Henkes. I was really surprised to learn that not only does he write wonderful children's books, but novels as well. This novel is about a boy that lost one of his fingers in a sawing accident when he was two while his Uncle was watching him. After the accident his mother never talked to nor heard from his uncle, until his 12th birthday. On that day he received a letter from his uncle requesting that they come visit him. During the visit they discover he is having a child and needs to be forgiven before he can move on.

I did enjoy reading this book, but the plot of the book is a little weird and boring at times. I did not feel like there was a big climax in the story. While reading this story I discovered that it was titled The Birthday Room, because he receives a room for his birthday, where he can create his artwork. The ending reveals, however, that he ends up giving the room to his uncle, aunt, and new born cousin as a birthday gift to them. I thought this re-gifting was necessary, because otherwise I had no idea how the room had to do anything with the rest of the story.

Julius The Baby of the World by: Kevin Henkes

This book reminded me of What the No-Good Baby is Good For. The Sister, Lilly, was very excited for her baby brother to be born. After he arrived, everything changed. She would say the opposite of what her parents told him and did not like him at all. When her cousin came over and agreed with her, Lilly got very defensive and told her all of the good things he can do. I think this story is very heartwarming, and so-like kids. Really, it is typical of all people. It is like the saying, "you don't know what you have, until it's gone." I think it is a cute book, and, as always, Henkes' mouse drawings are adorable.

Kitten's First Full Moon by: Kevin Henkes

I thought this book was really cute. It is about a kitty that sees the moon for the first time and thinks it is a bowl of milk. She does everything she can think of to get it, but she can't. She even climbs to the top of a tree to try to get it, while up there she discovers the reflection of the moon in the pond, and thinks it's another bowl of milk. She runs down and into the pond, but nothing. She ends up being a poor, sad, cold kitty. The book repeats, "Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting." When she finally is worn out and tried everything, she goes home and finds a bowl of milk waiting for her there.

The main thing I like about the book is that there is a repetitive line throughout the story and at the end of the story, it changes because it is now the kitty's. I also really enjoy the pictures in this book. The entire book is done in shaded black and white. It really makes the moon stand out and look even bigger and brighter. I think that kids would love this book so much, because they would know that the moon really isn't a bowl of milk. They would laugh at all of the silly things the kitty is trying to do to get it, when they know it is to far away.

Reflection

Over the first half of the semester I have discovered so many great, new books! Without having specific guidelines set, at first I was pretty nervous to start my blog. Not having length minimums is difficult for me, but I have become accustomed to writing a blog and then coming back to it and writing some more. I think that it would be more helpful for me to get feedback on more specific ways to improve my blog, but I understand that would be very time consuming. Coming in to this class I thought that the freedom to choose our own books was going to be difficult, but researching good books and pulling random ones of off the shelf have proven to be quick and very useful.

I love the fact that not only do we get to read and reflect on the books we choose, but we get to read about all of the other books the other students read. Also, I loved having a reason to read so many children's books, because I had forgoten how great they are and how much variety they have.

Glogster

Once Upon a Picture by Sally Swain

I thought that Once Upon a Picture was a very interesting book. The author, Sally Swain, takes four famous pieces of art and says once upon a time this was created..., now upon a picture we might wonder... and creates a new story about the picture with more pictures.

I think this book would be great to use in an art class to discuss how people interpret different things from art. The end of the book offers an opening for the reader to create their own portion of the book by saying, "Next upon a picture you might wonder..." I love when books do this, becuase it really gets peoples imaginations going, and allows them to feel more open to expanding on the book.

Since this book is about famous artists, their work, and interpreting their work, it is very fitting that there are very few words in this book. I am very happy that the author chose this route, rather than explaining everything. I feel like this really helps to bring the book more alive, and make the art work more attainable to students, rather than so extraordinary, like it is usually portrayed.

The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra

I loved this book! I could definitely picture reading this book to my toddler's one day, but I don't think it is as good of a book for the classroom. I think if I were teaching preschoolers or kindergartners who have a nap time, it would be a good book to read then.

This book describes how all of the grown up letter has to get each small letter to go to bed. All of the small letters each acts a different way, or has some ritual they do before going to bed. "u takes off his underwear" and "a is wide awake and b still has a bath to take". I love how Sierra uses some rhyming throughout the story, as well as using other plays on the words and letters. The pictures are adorable and really help bring this story to life.

This story is very realistic, how each day bedtime can be a struggle in new ways. I know my little brother and sisters never wanted to go to bed. Maybe if after getting in the routine of reading this fun, educational book, it would become easier.

What's Wrong With My Hair? by Satoshi Kitamura

I thought this book was really cute. It is about a lion who wants to get its hair done for a party. It wants a new styles, becuase on the front of the book all of the other animals were saying how bad his normal hair looks. He then goes to the giraffe hair dresser, and the giraffe gives the lion all of these crazy styles for different types of parties: such as a bird's nest for a garden party. In the end he gets a star shaped hairdo.

One of the unique things about this book is that it has cut-outs. I love how there is a oval cut out on the last page with a star around it, so kids can put their face up to it and have a hairdo like the lions. Also, on the back of the book there are instructions on how to make your own cut out and decorate it, so that could be a great activity for younger students that could go along with this book.

Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms

Rotten Teeth is about a girl who doesn't know what to take to show and tell, in fact, she has never brought anything to show and tell. She is the shortest and quietest girl in her class, but after talking with her brother, they decide she should take her father's jar of rotten teeth for show and tell (he's a dentist).

I think a lot of kids would really enjoy reading this book, because it is kind of gross, kind of funny, and I think it is really something some kids have a problem with. The illustrations of the jar of rotten teeth is really quite disgusting and it makes me a little sick queasy just looking at it. The fact that it is so gross, kind of makes it funny. Who would think to bring in a whole jar of teeth? I am sure some students do bring in their one tooth they lost, but never a whole jar!

I remember show and tell was one of my favorite parts of school, but also one of the most nerve-racking. If you bring in something awesome, then you are going to be the most popular student for the day, that is a lot of pressure! I, as most student do, always contemplated for days on what I should or should not bring. Now that I am thinking about it, maybe it is more trouble for the students than what it was worth. Nonetheless, if I teach in lower elementary school, I think I will have a show and tell time, becuase I think it is a great opportunity to split up some of the monotony of the school day and give students a chance to speak to the class without having to "do work".

The Misfits by James Howe

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, mainly because the quintessential characters had so much depth. Howe does not come straight out and describe every aspect of their personalities, but rather their actions really do the job. By doing this, I feel like it leaves the reader more room to picture their own life and their own friends. I felt like I knew each one of them, but rather they were people I had went to school with, not "made-up" characters. I do not think that it would be possible to read this book and not add the names you were called as a child to the list.

The fact that we all went through this awkward time in middle school where everyone felt like a misfit, really drew me in. I am sure when students read this book they feel better about themselves and more "normal". When we know that we are not the only ones going through the same, tough things, it is comforting. I know when reading about the cafeteria scenes, I pictured my own and where all of the different groups sat at. It made me laugh thinking about how secluded and strict we all were on where we had to sit at during lunch.

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett

I loved this story. My birthday is at the end of March, so Easter is always one of my favorite times of the year. My family would always decorate eggs a couple of days before Easter. Although it was always fun, none of them turned out as great as the pictures or as we had imagined. Also, this book reminded me of how much fun I had last Easter. My mom and Aunts and Uncles hid eggs all over the yard, and expected us, 16-22 year olds, to find them. We were all up for it, but being the crazy family that we are, an egg fight broke out. I think this story is able to connect with a lot of people that way.

Another reason I loved this book so much is because the plot is very cute. Hoppi, the rabbit, wanted to decorate the most beautiful egg for Easter, so he went around getting ideas from everyone else. He said that he couldn't do what they did, he needed to make an egg that was his own. While going home blue bird's egg falls out of the nest and Hoppi can not leave it to die. He ends up staying on the egg all spring until it hatches. For his hard work, he ended up wining the prize for the best egg.

This story just seems to warm my heart. I think everyone needs to read this story once a month to remind themselves how much more important helping people is than winning. Hoppi is truly a great rabbit that any Doe would be lucky to have!

Who Needs It? by Eleanor May

Who Needs It is a very fun, informative book that connects the reader to social studies. I like that it has boxes along the entire book that give informational facts about wants versus needs, which is really important to teach children at a young age. I know most children think everything is a need, so it is good to read about it in a fun book. I really connected with this story, because I can imagine if I went camping with a lot of my friends, it would have turned out very similarly. In the book the main character tries to survive camping on three small items, like his favorite book, while his friend brings everything from a air mattress to a TV, to his remote control monster truck. After being out there for a couple of hours, they concede and go inside to dry off, eat and relax. It is funny and kind of sad to think about, but I think a lot of people can relate this experience with one of their own.
I know when I was a child, after sleeping in a tent one night, I was ready to go to a hotel! I could not fall asleep, becuase the entire time I was listening for any little noises that I thought could resemble a large animal. In the morning the tent was so cold and damp, I felt like I did not sleep a wink. Camping always seems like a fun adventerous idea, until the next morning.

My Little Polar Bear by Claudia Rueda

I was immediately drawn to My Little Polar Bear, because of its beautiful cover. It is made of very glittery, powder blue paper, with the writing and and polar bears in white. I think this cover perfectly depicts the story and the polar bears in it. I found it so interesting that throughout the entire book, all of the text and pages are only filled with variations of white and blue. In some books I do not think it would work and may appear boring, but in this book it is really striking. Another aspect of this book that I love is that their are very few words and sentences on every page and they are very simple, so young children can help read this book, or even read it on their own.

In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

In the Night Kitchen is a controversial book about a child who goes to a bakers kitchen in his dream, and arrives their naked. Nudity is something we are not exactly comfortable with in the United States, so I am surprised that the author would choose to depict the boy in the story naked for over half of it. Although the illustrations were not exactly photographs, they were quite revealing. Children, and even teens and adults, are often not mature enough to handle these types of pictures. I can not imagine having this book in my class, and having to deal with all of the talk about the pictures. I think it would cause way more trouble than the artistic and literary value. It may not be that big of a deal, but I do not think that this book is so great that I must have it in my room, regardless of reactions. I would not want to even try to explain why the girls in my class were looking at this book if their parents were to ask.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This is a very fascinating book, that kept me drawn in until the very end. I loved the alternate, "perfect" world Lois Lowry portrayed. I do, however, believe some parts of this book are a bit crazy and scary to picture, based on my own reactions. I can also see how this book could be so controversial,especially in religious contexts, because it does not believe in a higher power that controls all. This society has the power to change colors and memories, or chose who is worthy of life. After reading this book, I found myself wondering if it was really a children's book, and what age range it was suggested for. I do not think I would know how to handle a book with such strong content and a strong message at age 11. I think that this is a great, moving book, but I would not recommend it for anyone younger than sixth grade.
When I read this book, it kind of reminded me of our lives in America, and how we have certain stages we are expected to go through, like the children in the book. I feel like there is a certain age were we are expected to give up our "comfort item" because it is no longer acceptable, and an age when we are supposed start riding a bike. When we turn 16 we are able to ride a car, and when we turn 18 we are expected to get a job, move out, or start college. I know a lot of people who would be relieved if they were told what career would be perfect for them, or who their perfect match is, so they did not have to worry about it or struggle with it themselves.
After thinking about this book for awhile, I have came to the conclusion that we all go through what Jonah went through when he turned twelve. Usually it is not until eighteen or even twenty-two years old, but eventually we all have a time when we realize that what we thought was a perfect world, is really messed up and clouded with crazy people. Leaving small town Iowa for Iowa City, arguably one of the most liberal cities in Iowa was a challenge. Realizing that teachers you once looked up to, are not as perfect as they seemed. Finding love and enduring heartbreak, while not as bad as never having the capabilities for such emotions, plague a lot of people during this time. Maybe having the option to choose your own identity and choices is what makes good people so special.

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnel

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell is another controversial book about being gay and also raising children. In this book there are two male penguins who love each other and are given an egg to take care of, so they can have a family like all of the other penguins in the zoo. I think this book has a great message, that as long as two people love each other and are capable of raising a child, then they should. I especially love that this is a true story, and it tells more about the penguins and where they live at the end of the book.

The Sissy Duckling by Henry Cole

I enjoyed reading this book, although I can definitely see how it could be inappropriate for children to read. Elmer, a sissy duck, was teased and bullied by everyone, even his dad for the majority of the book. He ended up running away after hearing his dad disown him. He never once changed how he acted, ore who he was. He was always himself and was able to help make people realize that he is great in his own way. In the end, being himself was enough, and he was OK with that. I think that using the word sissy is never a good idea in children's literature, and will always cause controversy. Name calling is so prevalent in schools, they do not need to read negative words in the books they read to. I think that this book really does have the ability to reach more feminine males and help them see that they are special in their own way, and one day people will realize that.

The entire front of the book is based around things that are typically feminine. The title is in pink, glittery writing with butterflies and flowers. Elmer is wearing heart shaped sunglasses and a pink flower back pack. I think that this does help to drive the point home that being a sissy, equals being feminine. I think that it increases the likelihood of children to hold these stereotypes to be true as well. I am completely undecided about if I would read it to my own children or not, but I do not think it would be a part of my classroom library.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

I think there are a lot of aspects of Where the Wild Things are that might make this children's picture book controversial. First off, the main character is an angry child who is being sent to bed without supper. Now a days this is called neglect and child endangerment. I do not think it is quite that extreme, but I do not support withholding food from a child who is being naughty. There is also talking monsters in this story, as if children do not already have enough night mares. These scary, weird creatures not only influence their dreams, but also their imagination. Having imaginary friends and creatures that your child plays with and talks to does not always reflect positively on the parents, a cause for concern.

I never read this book as a child, but through my experiences I know that a lot of children love this book. With the moving version coming out, I do not think this book is going to be going anywhere any time soon. I do not necessarily love this book, but I do not think that the content is going to stop me from letting children read it.

Daddy's Roomate by Michael Willhoite

This book is about a child who's parents got a divorce, and the father is now living with another man. Throughout the book it talks about things that the father and his roommate do, as well as things they all three do together. In the end it says that the men are happy and so is the boy. I can definitely see how this would be a controversial book, especially since it was published in 1990, twenty years ago. We are becoming more accepting of others every day, but I can not image what people who are different went through that long ago. I feel like this book is very modest and comes from the viewpoint of the child, making it perfectly acceptable for children to read. I think that it would be very important for children who have gay parents to read a book like this, because the main focus of it is that they are all happy, and that is all that matters.

The Old Tree by: Ruth Brown

The Old Tree by Ruth Brown is a wonderful story about all of these animals that live in a tree marked with an X. One of the great things about this book is that each of the animals have their own little story about their lives, directed by Pigeon, the mail man. He tells all of them, your tree has an x on it, do you know why? None of them know, until he gets to the top of the tree when Captain Crow realizes it means the tree is going to get cut down. The second reason why this book is great is becuase all of the animals, even though they do not get along, work together to save all of their homes. Once one person sparks an idea, they all went with it and tried their hardest, which is great for children to learn. The third reason why I loved this book so much is that the illustrations are beautifully done in acrylic and watercolor. The art takes up both sides of the open pages, with only one long rectangle for the writing. Not only are the pictures amazing, but the last page is a pop up of a giant tree with all of the animals celebrating around it, becuase they saved the tree. I love that they did this, because it works really well with the story, and adds a lot to it. I think that this pop up made the tree come alive for me, it even included window flaps, so you could see animals inside their houses celebrating. Overall, I think that this story has a good message and beautiful artwork to attract all ages.

Seven for a Secret by: Laurence Anholt & Jim Coplestone

Seven for a Secret is about a young girl writing to her sick grandpa that she has not seen in a long time. The whole story is in letters that they have written back and forth, revealing a lot about their life. I think that this format the author used really helped to enhance the book,not telling too much, but getting the view of both characters. In the young girl's letters she asks about her father, about magpie's, about his health, and tells him how excited she is for him to visit and for her baby brother to be born. He writes back about her father and how he used to sing him a song about magpies, a type of bird. In the song one magpies represents one thing and 2 represents another and so on. The magpies show up throughout the book, representing the meaning from the song, it is how the reader finds out that the grandpa has died. One magpie comes, which means sorrow. I think that this book could potentially be a controversial book, becuase it does deal with death. I think if children were reading this by themselves they would not understand the symbolism of the birds.

The Mitten by: Jan Brett

I think the most memorable aspect of The Mitten is the beautiful illustrations done by author, Jan Brett. Every inch of this stories pages are covered in her beautiful work. There is a wooden border around every page, with a mitten cut out on both the left and right side. I believe these cutouts are what make this book so unique. In side of them are glimpses of what the boy is doing and what animal is going to appear next and go inside of the mitten. I think that this forecast is great, and something that especially younger children will love, because they can guess what type of animal is coming next.

Babymouse: Queen of the World! by Jennifer L Holm & Matthew Holm

Babymouse is a graphic novel series that shows all of the adventures that Babymouse goes on. This is my first graphic novel that I have ever read, and I am undecided on it. There are many aspects to this book that I did not like, such as the flow of the words in all of the different boxes. I felt like I was a little lost half of the time and wanted more storyline to go with the amazing pictures.

One thing that I loved about this particular graphic novel is the cover. The front cover shows Baby mouse on top of the world with all of her friends behind her cheering. When you turn the book over there is one picture that shows she is dreaming this. The next picture shows she is dreaming this in the middle of class, because her teacher is standing over her, upset. The inside cover give a brief description of who Babymouse is and an overview of the novel, all done in the graphic novel format. Also, this whole book is in black, white, and pink which would presumably be aimed more at girls, which is probably why I chose it in the first place, now that I think about it. In class we discussed in the genre presentations how graphic novels are written for and read more heavily by boys, so it is good to know that their is some variation out there.

After reading this particular novel, I was intrigued. I wanted to know more about this book and the rest of the books in the series, so I googled "Babymouse." I found that there is an entire website devoted to this series and the authors have a blog about all of their work. With the technology available to children, I think that having a website that ties to the books really help increase the readable factor.

The Lonlely Only Dog by: Adele M. Brodkin

The Lonely Only Dog is about a dog named Harry who is happily living a life that a lot of dogs dream about. He has his own pillows, food and water bowls, he gets treats and goes on walks, and he has owners who play fetch with him in the house. One day he realizes that all the other dogs he sees has dog friends and he has none and becomes lonely. After he gets another dog to play with he realizes how much better his life was before. This story about Henry reminded me of the classic phrase, "the grass isn't always greener on the other side." What we think we want or what we think is great, isn't necessarily the way we picture it to be. I think that this is a good story for children, because a lot of kids think that their pets want another pet to play with, or even need an entire pet family to be happy, and will beg for days and weeks to get them it. Parents can read this book to them, or have them read it to show that it is not always the case. Pets are happy when they get taken care of and played with.

What the No-Good Baby Is Good For by: Elise Broach

What the No-Good Baby is Good For is a clever story in which the older brother, John, discovers that his baby sister is not all bad. In the story he starts off by saying a bad thing that she always does, and then sees a positive in it. I think that this story is good, because a lot of older siblings have issues when their is a new baby in the family. I know that my youngest sister was really upset when a new baby was brought home, and I think this book would really help her see that she actually likes the baby. I love how the mom in this book is able to show John just how much he would miss her if she was gone, by agreeing to get ride of her and taking her to grandma's house. The mom did not just come out and say, "I think you would miss her if she was gone forever," instead she says and does things to make John realize it on his own. This self realization is so much more powerful, and really helps to increase the meaning in the story.

Princess Pigtoria and the Pea By: Pamerla Duncan Edwards

Princess Pigtoria and the Pea is about a poor princess pig that wants to find someone to marry so he can fix up her house. She finds an add for a prince Proudfoot looking for a bride, but he turns out to be to into himself. Pigtoria ends up falling in love with the pizza delivery guy, they get married, open a chain of successful pizza places, and live happily ever after. I think this story is a cute twist on a classic. I like that she went with her heart, and it ended up being the best decision. I especially like the fact that they started a successful business together, a pizza restaurant,which brought them together. I think we can all learn from Princess Pigtoria, and choose the path that seems to be best in the long run, rather than the current easiest path.

The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks By: Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

The Magic School Bus series is shaped around Miss Frizzle,"the strangest teacher in school." These books are very informational and creative. Another reason I think this particular book is great, is because it includes interesting facts about water and the purification system throughout the book. Water is so important to all of our lives, it is good for children to know where it comes from and how much we need it. It is so much more powerful that this information is in a fun picture book, rather than a text book, or some other format that is less relateable for the students. I think Ms. Frizzle is the kind of teacher a lot of us want to be. I hope that I am able to be as creative and present information that my students can relate to, and, ultimately, understand and teach others.

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy By: Barbara Park

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy is about their class pet day. Although Junie B. starts off being excited she soon finds out that her dog will not be allowed in the school. She becomes very upset, which can be seen throughout the book. I think that this author, Barbara Park, did a great job portraying Junie B's excitement, sadness, and anger. The punctuation and capitalization really made me feel like I think Junie felt. Not only is Park able to convey these emotions, but the reason I like this book the best is because she was able to capture the witty sense of humor and eclectic speech that children use.

Don't Look Now By: Ed Briant

Don't look now is a very interesting children's book that is designed in a comic book format. There are very few words, which is why it is so important that the illustrations are amazing. They are very bright and vibrant, helping to bring the story alive. There are two boys in this book that go on an adventure, finding and creating things that cross from reality to fantasy and back again. The lack of words do not make this book any less climatic or interesting.

Amelia Bedilia's First Day of School By: Herman Parish

Amelia Bedilia is a student that a lot of teachers dread. Unfortunately a brand new teacher has Amelia in her class and she definitely has her work cut out for her because Amelia takes everything she says literally. I can definitely relate to this situation, as I have many younger brothers and sisters who innocently mistake what I am trying to say. Although this story is very funny, I can see my self getting very frustrated in this situation. After all, who would really glue themselves to their seat?!

Annie's Chair By: Deborah Miland

I enjoyed reading Annie's Chair,especially because I was surprised by the ending. All throughout this book it is made known that Annie loves to do everything in her chair and no one else is allowed to sit in it. Near the end of the book she finds her dog, Benny, sitting in her chair, so she tries everything to get him out of it, but nothing works until she starts crying. Annie crying makes Benny cry, they end up consoling each other and Annie tells Benny never to sit in her chair again, without her. I can relate to this story, because I have certain things that I do not like lending people, but I do not mind as much when I am with them.