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!