"Off We Go To Mexico!: An Adventure in the Sun"

Off We Go To Mexico!: An Adventure in the Sun
Written by: Laurie Krebs
Illustrated by: Christopher Corr
Published by: Barefoot Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2006
ISBN: 1-905236-40-9
Genre(s): Picture Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grades 1 & 4

Summary: This book is actually a song with lots of Spanish vocabulary words for students to practice in it. This song chronicles a family’s vacation in Mexico and their dealing with the culture and traditions of the Hispanic people. It talks about the food, the festivals and the history of Mexico and at the end of the book it talks about facts about Mexico, celebratory times in the country, and gives readers a brief history of the country.

Response: I like that this book could be used for both younger and older readers because younger students would appreciate the song and older students to greatly benefit from the vocabulary.

The illustrations in this book however, are not the best I have seen. Children would probably appreciate them, but they are very cartoon-like and bright. The depictions of scenery are unrealistic in that there are hot pink; plants, and teal, lime green, and black cacti. Also, the animals in the zoo are also very unrealistic. They’re very jumbled together and fenced in in small enclosures.

Teaching Connections: A first grade teacher could read this book to her classroom and as she was reading the children could act out the action on each page such as swimming, eating at a festival, climbing the pyramids, shopping at local markets and dancing to a mariachi band.

A fourth grade teacher could use this book with her class by reading it and having three weeks of Spanish vocabulary words for her students to be tested on. The first list would come from the first half of the book, the second from the second half of the book and the third from the Spanish phrases located in the back of the book.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities students learn about Hispanic traditions and gain vocabulary knowledge.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.teachingtrends.co.uk/acatalog/LIT1905236395.jpg.

"Sweet Dreams: How Animals Sleep"

Sweet Dreams: How Animals Sleep
Written by: Kimiko Khaikawa
Photographs by: Various
Published by: Henry Holt and Company in NY in 1999
ISBN: 0-8050-5890-7
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: Kindergarten
Activity Level: Kindergarten

Summary: This book is about sleeping animals. Each double-page spread has huge letters to tell the name of the animal and slightly smaller letters to tell an interesting fact about the way they sleep. It talks about orangutans, sharks, sloths, hippos, flamingos and humans just to name a few. One of the most interesting parts of this book is the chart at the end detailing the average number of hours a day each of these animals sleeps.

Response: I love that this book is so simple for young children, yet it inspires many questions. I also really like the amazing photographs in this work and the information in the back of the book about each animal.

The photographs in this book are actually of these animals sleeping some of which are incredibly adorable!

Teaching Connections: This book could easily be used in a kindergarten classroom. The teacher could read this book to her students and then ask her students the following questions the book suggests.

Where do you like to sleep?
What your favorite sleeping position?
Do you take naps during the day?
How many hours do you usually sleep at a time?
What kinds of sounds do you think you make while you sleep?
What is the funniest thing about the way you sleep?

What Students Learn: From this book and these questions students learn about how several common animals sleep and are able to compare that to the way they sleep.

Image Retrieved From: http://paclbooks.pbwiki.com/f/dreams.jpg.

In My Family / En Mi Familia"

In My Family / En Mi Familia
Written and illustrated by: Carmen Lomas Garza
Published by: Children’s Book Press in San Francisco, California in 1996
ISBN: 0-89239-138-3
Genre(s): Picture Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This is a book that a Hispanic author wrote about her experiences growing up in Texas. This book focuses on the foods and celebrations present in Hispanic families—the empanadas, the birthday piñatas, the decoration of Easter eggs, etc. It not only tells of the traditional things that Hispanics do and believe, but also of things that only the author’s family did. For example, the author’s mother often had to evaporate the water out of her father’s ear by briefly igniting a newspaper and placing it in a cone shape in his ear because he often got water trapped in it when swimming due to an accident in World War II.

Response: I like that this book because it not only teaches readers about traditional Hispanic traditions, but it also gives readers and insight into the life of an actual Hispanic person, which makes the book seem more real to children.

The illustrations in this work are single-page spreads of Hispanic persons. On the opposite pages with the text in both English and Spanish, there are always one or two cropped images from the corresponding picture to create a better flow. The illustrator used many bright colors in her drawings and many colors traditionally associated with the Texas, Arizona, New Mexico (southwestern) area of the country—terra cotta colors.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could use this book in her second grade classroom to teach her students about Hispanic heritage. She could read this to them and have them tell about things that their families do that is specific just to them and things that Americans do that are specific just to us, etc. Then, students could see the differences in nationalities and families.

What Students Learn: From this book and this discussion/activity students learn about Hispanic heritage and perhaps a little about their own heritage as well.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.delsolbooks.com/jpg/inmyfamily2b.jpg.

"The Hare and the Tortoise: and Other Fables of La Fontaine"

The Hare and the Tortoise: and Other Fables of La Fontaine
Written by: Ranjit Bolt
Illustrated by: Giselle Potter
Published by: Barefoot Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2006
ISBN: 1-905236-54-9
Genre(s): Picture Book, Traditional Literature
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grades 1 & 4

Summary: This book is a collection of fables for children that teach them about morals they should learn. There are traditional ones such as “The Tortoise and the Hare” and newer fables such as “The Heron,” The Miller’s Donkey,” and “The Wolf and the Watchdog.” Each fable has its own great message, such as patience, not being vain, not judging others, working hard, and other values to which children should be exposed. This collection of fables should be present in every classroom as it provides a look into an element of literature that children need as well as good values that can even help teachers in classroom management.

Response: I really like that this book incorporates not only traditional fables, but also many new ones, which I had not heard. I think fables are very important for children because they teach them a lesson and yet they are not explicit in their morals, so children do not feel as though they are being preached to about rules by the teacher, but are more suddenly building their knowledge of right and wrong and how to be a good person.

The illustrations in this work are rather good. They are not as superbly detailed as some other illustrators’ works, but they are rather realistic and what the animals and people in the illustrations are. Each illustration in this book is a double-page spread and each has a beautifully-colored background in a soothing color for the illustrations related to the fable on those pages.

Teaching Connections: This book would be great to read sections of to first graders. There is always a moral in a fable, so the students could learn a lot from hearing these stories. Then, the students could work in groups to think of a moral that they might want to write about and work in conjunction with a fourth grade class, who would help them write their stories. Then, the first graders could illustrate them.

This book could also be read to a fourth grade class to introduce them to fables, since that is something about which they must learn in that grade. Then, the students, having heard the plethora of stories in this book, could be charged with writing their own fable and also helping the first graders with theirs.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities children learn morals, about fables, increase their writing skills, and area able to work with one another and with those of varying ages throughout their school.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.ape2zebra.com/images/thumbs/barefoot/Hare_Tortoise_lg_cvr.gif.

"Milo's Hat Trick"

Milo’s Hat Trick
Written and illustrated by: Jon Agee
Published by: Michael Di Capua Books in NY in 2001
ISBN: 0-7868-0902-7
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Kindergarten

Summary: This book is about a magician who is having trouble with his magic hat trick. He meets a bear who shows him how to jump into his hat by pretending his bones are made of rubber. On a subway one morning Milo misplaces his hat, and the bear, after being tired of remaining in the hat so long, jumps out and scares people. Eventually he returns the hat to Milo and helps him with his show, but when it becomes time for the bear to hibernate he can no longer help the magician, therefore, Milo takes what he has learned from the bear and begins jumping in and out of his own hat.

Response: I love that this is once again quirky work from Mr. Agee. One never really knows what to expect from him, but a very interesting story. I love the twist at the end when the magician starts to actually become a part of his own magic act.

The illustrations in this book are classic Agee. Drawn with what appears to be crayon and colored with marker. These illustrations are full of background detail and muted colors, and the majority of the illustrations are single-page spreads.

Teaching Connections: This book would be good to read to a kindergarten class. They would enjoy the magician part of the story and the twist at the end. The teacher could ask her class, after reading the book, what there is to learn from this work. They could have a subsequent discussion about how we can learn from one another and help one another.

What Students Learn: From this book and subsequent discussion students learn about the importance of helping each other.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.loganberrybooks.com/specials-nikita-milo.jpg.

"Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead"

Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead
Written by: Judy Goldman
Illustrated by: René King Moreo
Published by: Boyds Mills Press in Honesdale, Pennsylvania in 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59078-425-9
Genre(s): Picture Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This book tells of a young girl’s experience with the day of the dead, one of the celebrations of her people. Her uncle teaches her about the importance of Monarch butterflies to their people. It is the belief that many Hispanics that the souls of the deceased who come back to visit for the Day of the Dead live in those butterflies. As the family is preparing for The Day of The Dead celebration by decorating their homes, their alters, and making a path for the deceased to return the young girl’s uncle is becoming more and more sick and passes away just before the holiday. The celebration is very difficult for the girl because she misses her uncle greatly, but the next day when she sees a Monarch butterfly on the flowers on his grave she is reminded of what he taught her about them and she begins to feel some better because she knows she will see him again.

Response: This book has both a very sweet and very sad storyline. I really liked how the butterfly was the symbol of the uncle throughout the book and how it helped the girl through her sadness.

The illustrations in this book are mostly double-page spreads of vibrant colors typical to works dealing with Hispanic topics. The illustrator using many lines in each illustration and each work appears to be slightly smeared which gives the illustrations much texture.

Teaching Connections: This book can be read to a second grade class to teach them about the Hispanic holiday The Day of the Dead. After reading this book the teacher could begin a lesson on Monarch butterflies and teach the children about them so this book could be incorporated into a science lesson as well.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities students will learn about the Hispanic holiday The Day of the Dead as well as Monarch butterflies.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.boydsmillspress.com/coverimages/medium/978-1-59078-425-9.jpg.

"It's a Hummingbird's Life"

It’s a Hummingbird’s Life
Written and illustrated by: Irene Kelly
Published by: Holiday House in NY in 2003
ISBN: 0-8234-1658-5
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This book chronicles the life of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird throughout the four seasons. It tells about their mating and nesting habits in the spring and how the young birds grow into adulthood. In the summer sections readers learn about how much these birds must eat each day (eight times their body weight). In the section on fall we learn about hummingbirds’ trip to Mexico for the winter, in which season they rest and become rejuvenated for their long trip back to the United States in the spring.

Response: I became really excited about this book when I realized how much I could learn from it. I learned that the size of a Hummingbird’s nest is only as big as half a ping pong ball, their eggs, which weigh less than one-half of a gram each take about fifteen to twenty days to hatch, and that the newborns feed every three minutes! I also learned that the mother hummingbird must eat 2,000 insects each day in order to feed her children. Furthermore, I also learned that Hummingbirds could fly upside down and are very much like helicopters in that they can lift themselves straight into the air.

The illustrations in this book were more cartoon-like than I typically care for, but at the same time they were interesting watercolor representations on double-paged spreads of these creatures. Nearly every page, in addition to the main illustration and text, also had a separate curved section of interesting information and subsequent illustrations keeping the readers’ interest very high.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could use this book in her second grade classroom. She could read this book to her class and then they could do activities such as making their own hummingbird nest making replicas of flowers that hummingbirds like, planting flowers outside their classroom, and putting Hummingbird feeders outside so the students to view the hummingbirds during the spring.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities students learn many interesting facts about hummingbirds; they also get the opportunity to see them in their natural habitats.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/graphics/library/storytime/hummingbird.jpg.

"Foods of Greece"

Foods of Greece
Written by: Barbara Sheen
Photographs by: Various
Published by: Kidhaven Press in Detroit, Michigan in 2006
ISBN: 0-7377-3033-1
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This book begins with a short introduction to Greece and a unique map that tells of the types of foods readily available to the Greeks, such as much seafood. It then talks about the importance of olives and the varieties and olive oil. The next section of this book discusses the favorite foods of many Greeks and teaches readers what those foods are. Throughout this work, there are many recipes of other Greek foods talked about within and at the end there is a metric conversion chart, a glossary of important terms, and a list of books and websites for students to further their knowledge about Greece and Greek foods.

Response: I love that this book goes into so much detail about the foods of Greece, telling some of their history and giving some general information about the foods. I also love the way the book intermingles the recipes into the text.

The photographs in this book are of varying sizes and are of real Grecians buying, selling, cooking, and cultivating these foods as well as of the foods themselves. They give a real-world application of the information in the book to readers.

Teaching Connections: With this book a second grade teacher could read it to her class in a unit about foods around the world and other countries. She could make some of the foods in this book with her students and possibly take them to a Greek restaurant for them to experience the “flavors of Greece” from those who know how to best cook Greek food. The teacher could also have her students create Venn Diagram to compare Greek and “American” foods, etc.

What Students Learn: From this book and this activity, students learn about Greek food and a little about Greek culture.

Image Retrieved From: http://contentcafe.btol.com/Jacket/Jacket.aspx?SysID=buymusic&CustID=bt0109&Key=0737730331&Type=L&Return=1.

"Mi School / Mi Escuela"

My School/Mi Escuela
Written by: Ginger Foglesong Guy
Illustrated by: Viví Escrivá
Published by: Harper Festival in NY in 2006
ISBN: 0-06-079101-2
Genre(s): Picture Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Kindergarten
Activity Level: Kindergarten

Summary: This book contains a few of the most common words young students will use in English and Spanish. Some of those words include schools, teacher, alphabet, ball, slide, ouch and friends. Along with these words are pictures of children around these things or dong these activities. These illustrations show much multi-cultural influence.

Response: I think that because this book only includes common beginning language students would use in both languages it helps in their introduction to the secondary language, whether that is English or Spanish. I also really liked how multicultural the children are in this book because it is a more realistic depiction of schools today.

Each illustration in this work is a double page spread of slightly muted vibrant colors. The illustrator has created much texture in each of her works. It appears that at least one of her mediums is watercolor and another, perhaps, is colored pencil.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could use this book with her kindergarten class. She could go to these objects or activity centers and provide visuals in their school for that which she reads. She could later label the classroom in both English and Spanish to aid both her English Language learners and those who speak English as their first language. The children could also practice these words in both languages when the teacher pairs ELL students with others.

What Students Learn: From this book and activity students learn about common words they will use and their names in both English and Spanish. By her labeling objects in the classroom, although her students cannot likely read those works, she is increasing her students’ beginning consonant knowledge.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrens/harperchildrensimages/isbn/large/8/9780060791018.jpg.

"Animals Eating: How Animals Chomp, Chew, Slurp, and Swallow"

Animals Eating: How Animals Chop, Chew, Slurp and Swallow
Written by: Pamela Hickman
Illustrated by: Pat Stevens
Published by: Kids Can Press in Tonawanda, NY in 2001
ISBN: 1-55074-577-8
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: 4
Activity Level: 2

Summary: This book deals with several animals and how they eat. It talks about their tongues, their mouths, and their huge teeth. It also provides readers with interesting facts about each animal related to eating. Readers learn things such as how many stomachs cows have and how snakes’ jaws work from this book, along with much other interesting information about animals.

Response: One great thing about this book is that it introduces children to several animals they may not have been aware such as lampreys, pikas and baleens. Furthermore, this book also gives such great information about these animals to the readers. It also does things such as compare human teeth to those of animals, such as horses. I also really liked the activities throughout this book, such as the “tongue trapper,” which is a model of a frog’s tongue, the one that helps children see how a gizzard helps birds grind the seeds they eat, and the “straws and sponges” activity that helps children see how different insects feed on liquids.

The illustrations in this book are rather remarkable. Many of the pictures are double-page spreads of the animals and are greatly detailed to show much texture. Others of the illustration are smaller drawings of other animals discussed within the work. All of these illustrations are beautifully colored with somewhat muted tones.

Teaching Connections: This book would be great to use with second graders in teaching them about different animals. The teacher could read this book to them and talk about each of these animals. She could then assign each student in her classroom to one animal and have that child bring in a representation of that animal that he or she created. The creature would have the aspects of that animal that were discussed in the story visible. The teacher would also do an activity with Venn Diagrams about comparing and contrasting some of the animals in the book, either with the whole class, or by having the children separate into groups.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn about many animals and their feeding habits and can even compare ways that animals eat to themselves.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.acornnaturalists.com/store/images/ProdImages/B-14426.jpg.

"Cooking the Indian Way"

Cooking the Indian Way
Written by: Vijay Madavan
Photographs by: Robert L. & Diane Wolfe
Published by: Lerner Publications Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1985
ISBN: 0-8225-0911-3
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This is a book that details about Indian cooking. It tells a little about the country, provides an introduction about the people of India, and what types of foods are associated with the country. Then, the book teaches readers about common spices used in Indian cooking and how Indians access those spices (whether they are readily available at supermarkets or must be grown at home, etc.) The book then defines several utensils and cooking terms and then proceeds to give several recipes of common Indian cooking.

Response: I really enjoyed how this book gave a good, but succinct introduction to country and culture of India before jumping right into their foods, because it provides readers with the background knowledge on which to base the remaining information about the country’s food.

The photographs in this book serve to show readers how Indians cook and how some of their traditional dishes look. Some of the photographs are full single-page spreads of food dishes and others are simply smaller pictures to represent what they author writes about the country.

Teaching Connections: To use this book in a classroom, a teacher could implement it into her second grade classroom by reading it to her students as part of a larger unit about world foods. To extend their lesson at the end or he book, the teacher could make an Indian recipe with her students and at the end of the unit, the students could vote on which type of restaurant they wanted to visit on a field trip. (The teacher cols also use this book and her unit on cuisine in an even larger unit on nations of the world).

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity students learn about Indian cooking and a little about the country itself.

"It Doesn't Have to Be This Way"

It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
Written by: Luis J. Rodríguez
Illustrated by: Daniel Galvez
Published by: Children’s Book Press in San Francisco, California in 1999
ISBN: 0-89239-161-8
Genre: Picture Book, Realisitc Fiction (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 5
Activity Level: Grade 5

Summary: This book is written by a Hispanic man who was involved with a gang when he was younger. In the story this young boy learns from current gang members about how to dress and act and is about to be initiated, when his cousin comes to once again try to coax him into remaining out of the gang. At that point, the gang’s rivals appear and the young boy’s cousin is shot. She lives, but the situation puts the boy’s life into perspective for him and instead of joining he gang, he decides to ask his uncle to teach him about fixing cars.

Response: This story is about learning to make decisions in one’s own life and how to say no to getting involved in the wrong situations. I think that this book teaches an important lesson for upper elementary students.

The illustrations in this book are very details. There are both single- and double-page spreads of vibrant colors within this work and, although the outer lines of most of the illustrations are slightly smeared, the illustrators makes such clear differences in each character’s expressions, etc, that readers feel as though they could pick these people out of a crowd as if they had seen them in a photograph.

Teaching Connections: This book could only be used in an upper elementary classroom. Its contents are far too complex for younger students. However, a fifth grade teacher could read this book to her class and have an open discussion about making choices and saying no. This lesson surrounding this book would fit well with the DARE units they participate in the fifth grade.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn how and why to resist gang life.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.bilingualbooks.com/mas_assets/thumb/625.jpg.

"The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau"

The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau
Written and illustrated by: Jon Agee
Published by: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux in NY in 1988
ISBN: 0-374-33633-4
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grade 1

Summary: This book is about a painter whose creations came to life. Live ducks walked out from his paintings, waterfalls fell from them, volcanoes erupted out as well. There was always a creation of chaos when one of his paintings was in the room and Clousseau became very famous. But, then, a cannon shot out of one of his paintings and the town became infuriated and sent him to jail. All of his paintings were taken, except for one in the King’s Palace f a guard dog. This painting helped the police catch a thief and save the King’s crown, making Clousseau a hero. He was subsequently released…”and returned to his painting” (p. 29)…into his painting!

Response: Again, this is another great work by Agee. This is one of his first books, so the style is a little different and the illustrations are more grim, but the quirkiness is still present. I love the way that you could read the last page (noted above in the summary) to student and they would think the painter went back to painting instead of him going back into his painting, which the illustration shows!

As I stated above, the illustrations in this book are a little more grim than Agee normally uses, but I believe that some of that could be attributed to the fact that this book was set long ago in an art museum, so his very muted tones depict that setting.

Teaching Connections: This book would be great for younger children, perhaps first graders. A teacher could read this book to her class and ask them prediction questions about what could be happening next in the story because nearly every page in this book leaves readers wanting to know more.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn to predict text.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.bankstreetbooks.com/images/bankstreet/0374435820b.jpg.

"Las Posadas: A Hispanic Christmas Celebration"

Las Posadas: A Hispanic Christmas Celebration
Written by: Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Photographs by: Lawrence Migdale
Published by: Holiday House in NY in 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1449-3
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grade 1

Summary: This book is about the Spanish holiday of Las Posadas. It tells the story of a young girl and her family and they ways in which they celebrate the holiday and the ways it is traditionally celebrated. This book also intertwines the history into its story, which helps readers learn all the more about this special celebration. It talks about the traditional church services held surrounding the holiday and about the foods traditionally made for the celebration. It also includes the music and lyrics for the song of Las Posadas and a glossary of important terms to know.

Response: One thing that I especially like about this book is that it deals with the holiday is two ways: by showing readers about one family’s celebration and by expanding that view to the totality of Hispanics who celebrate Las Posadas. In this way the book is both general and specific and it makes the story of Las Posadas seem more real.

The photographs in this book are of difference aspects of the celebration—the food, the family decorating, the family’s church, etc. This also makes the holiday seem more real to readers.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could use this book with her first grade class on a unit about Christmas celebrations of those of all faiths around the world. She could read this book to her class and maybe make the cookies with the class as well, so everyone could have that experience. To conclude the lesson on Las Posadas, she could use this scholastic lesson plan and extend the activity with another book about the topic and a creative representation of poinsettias.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn all about the Hispanic holiday of Las Posadas and tap into their creativity in creating their poinsettias.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.whippersnapperbooks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=WSB/PROD/PosadasCelebration.

"It's Moving Day"

It’s Moving Day
Written by: Pamela Hickman
Illustrated by: Geraldo Valério
Published by: Kids Can Press, Ltd. In Tonawanda, NY in 2008
ISBN: 978-1-55453-074-8
Genre(s): Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This is a book about animal habitats and when certain animals move throughout the year. It talks about the woodchuck, the cottontail rabbit, the yellow-spotted salamander, the raccoon, the red fox, the Eastern milk snake, the Eastern chipmunk, and the striped skunk. Each animal that is discussed has a reason for moving, such as their home being destroyed by a storm, or them getting too big for the house, etc. This book is a great introduction to animal habitats.

Response: I like that this book would so easily fit into a second grade classroom discussing animal habitats. It almost seems as though the author intended for that to be the case!

The illustrations in this work are brightly colored with blended colors and very flowing shapes. The animals are realistic in their colors, but not always in their sizes relative to other things. However, this could be a very good thing for young children because perspective with them is not always as important as recognizing these animals and understanding their habitats. There are not great details in the illustrations, either, but they are very child-like, therefore, the children will be very appreciative of viewing this work. All of the illustrations in this work, with the exception of the first one, are double-page spreads.

Teaching Connections: A second grade teacher could read this work to her students to begin a lesson on animal habitats. After reading this book, the she should read the information in the back of the book about each animal in the book and then assign small groups of students to create the habitats in which each of these eight these animals live, using common household items.

What Students Learn: From this book and activity, students learn about the habitats of several common animals, which is a part of the NC second grade curriculum.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.canlitforkids.com/SpringK56_2007_08/MovingDay.jpg.

"The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter"

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter
Written by: Arielle North Olson
Illustrated by: Elaine Wentworth
Published by: Little, Brown, and Company in Boston, Massachusetts in 1987
ISBN: 0-316-65053-6
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grades 1, 4

Summary: This book is based on true stories about a young girl tending a lighthouse while her father was kept at sea by treacherous storms and about gardens swept to sea by storms along Maine’s coast. This story is about a young girl who, knowing her father would do the same for other sailors, kept the light in the lighthouse burning for weeks while her father was kept out at sea due to a huge snowstorm. (The girl’s mother was too terrified of heights to climb the tower, so she did as her father had instructed her and persevered through even her own illness to do what was best for the sailors.)

Response: This was a good book about perseverance and families dealing with struggles. It was set in an era long-ago, which is not exactly was I was hoping for from this book. The story was good, but left me slightly annoyed at the mother for not trying to conquer her fear of heights when her daughter was working though an illness to help the sailors and maybe help her father get back home safely. Nonetheless, the ability of a young child to take on so much responsibility and do great things is a story that children need to hear.

Like the sadness in the story, the illustrations portrayed the gloom of the situation and the terrifying aspect of the story on the small island. Most of the illustrations were single-page spreads that flowed like water onto the next page, which also helped with the flow of the story.

Teaching Connections: A first grade teacher could read this book to her students and then have a discussion with them about the good qualities the book showed about the daughter. (Generosity, Selflessness, Courage, etc.) Then, they could also discuss why lighthouses are important and what their jobs are. Finally, students could visit this lighthouse website and learn more.

Fourth graders could also do this lesson while learning about NC lighthouses, but in their lesson, they would also research a NC lighthouse, create a replica, and present information on that lighthouse to the class. Research might begin at the NC Beaches website.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities, children learn about generosity, selflessness, courage, and perseverance. They also learn about the importance of lighthouses and fourth graders taking part in this lesson learn about lighthouses in their area.

Image Retrieved From: http://artfulparent.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/the-lighthouse-keepers-daughter.jpg.

"One More Sheep"

One More Sheep
Written by: Mij Kelly
Illustrated by: Russell Ayto
Published by: Peachtree Publishers in Atlanta, GA in 2006
ISBN: 1-56145-387-1
Genre: Picture Book, Concept Book
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Kindergarten

Summary: This book is about a man who brings his sheep home with him one night so that they did not get too cold outside or being eaten by wolves. He gave them all wool (irony) socks and hats and tucked them snugly into bed. But, when he tried to count all of his sheep, he fell asleep because that is what apparently happens to people when they count sheep. All are resting well that night until there is a knock on the door and Sam almost lets in a wolf dressed as a sheep because he believes he forgot to bring one of his sheep indoors. The sheep quickly shut the door to keep him from making that mistake, but have to find a way for him to realize that all ten of his sheep are inside without him falling to sleep counting them, so they decide to put on a show for him. Once Sam realizes that all of his sheep are with him, he almost lets the wolf in again when he tries to determine who or what could be outside his house dressed as a sheep! In the end, they all go back to bed, and, though mush excitement has occurred this night, Sam has not trouble going to sleep—he just begins to count his sheep—1,...2,…...3,………..4………………ZZZZZ.

Response: I think this book is absolutely adorable. It has the good sheep and the bad wolf and a humorous story—all of which young children would appreciate. Plus, it incorporates math into the book, which gives teachers a perfect reason for reading this book in their classrooms!

The illustrations in this book are very cute. They are a combination of single-, double-, and split-page spreads. (Sometimes the illustrator segments the pages into fractions and has multiple illustrations on a set of pages.) One page, where the sheep are putting on a show, even folds out, creating even more interest for readers. The colors are fairly dark and muted because this book takes place at night, so there are many shades of purples and blacks as well as yellows and reds.

Teaching Connections: This book could be used in a kindergarten classroom as part of a math lesson. The teacher could read this book to her students and on the pages where the main character counts sheep, she could point to each sheep and have the class count how many there are. From there, the teacher could begin her math lesson about the numbers from one to ten.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn about the numbers one through ten and about rhyming words, as this book has a very distinct rhythm when read aloud.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.thechildrenbookshop.com/bookshop/images/703-1.jpg.

"Rapunzel"

Rapunzel
Retold and illustrated by: Paul O. Zelinsky, hand lettering by John Stevens
Published by: Dutton Children’s Books in NY in 1997
ISBN: 0-525-45607-4
Genre(s): Picture Book, Traditional Literature

Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grades 2, 4
Award: Caldecott Award Winner in 1998

Summary: This book is a retelling of the story of Rapunzel. While pregnant, Rapunzel’s mother feels she will die if she does not eat of the rapunzel in the sorceress’ garden which she can see from a window in her home. Therefore, her husband goes to pick some for her, but comes into contact with the sorceress while in her garden and, due to his immense love for his wife, he agrees that, in exchange for the rapunzel, (and the life of his wife), he will give her their child once it is born. Upon that time, the sorceress appears to take the child, whom she names Rapunzel. She treats her well, but when she is twelve years old, the sorceress locks Rapunzel in a high tower and she is the only one who climbs her hair to see her. Eventually, a young prince comes buy and falls in love after hearing Rapunzel singing to the birds and, after watching what the sorceress did to get to the top of the tower, he climbs up to see Rapunzel. He proposes and they marry and spend many evenings together. One day the Rapunzel mentions to the sorceress that her dress is fitting too tightly and the sorceress realizes what has happened, cuts Rapunzel’s hair, and banishes her and she gives birth to her twins, alone. When the prince comes to visit that night, he finds the sorceress in the tower and not Rapunzel (he was able to climb up the tower because she let down the hair she had cut) and the sorceress says what has happened and he falls, astonished, to the ground and loses his eyesight. While he is walking through the woods, he hears Rapunzel’s singing again and when her tears of joy at seeing him again meet his eyes, his sight is restored and they walk to the nearest city, which happens to be the place over which he is prince, and live happily ever after.

Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting take on the traditional tale of Rapunzel. This author shaped his version of the tale from the Grimm’s two original versions as well as a few older versions with similar content. (The author’s note about the history of this story gives a plethora of information about the story’s origin as well as some ways it has changed through history.)

One of the main reasons I picked up this book, I must say, was because of the gorgeous illustrations! (This book won the 1998 Caldecott Medal, and for good reason!) The paintings in this book are absolutely fantastic! Included in the illustrations are single- and double-page spreads, column pictures, and one and a half pages spreads. They are done in such remarkable detail that one has to look very closely in some of them to see the hidden animals and to distinguish that these illustrations are not photographs. Mr. Zelinsky’s illustrations are reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance period and are wonderful representations of this artistic period.

Teaching Connections: This book could be read to a second grade class after the teacher reads a more traditional version of the tale and the students could work on Venn Diagrams to compare and contrast those stories (and illustrations).

A fourth grade teacher could use this book in her classroom in several ways. She could read it and implement the vocabulary, discussion questions, and extension activities outlined in this lesson plan on teacher vision, which is great.

She could also read a more traditional version of this tale to her class before reading this one and have the students pass the books around the classroom while writing a response about the similarities and differences in the folk/fairy tales so that they could practice their writing skills.

She could also use this book in a lesson about folk/fairy tales, which is in the NC fourth grade curriculum. After learning about these tales and hearing several, the students could be placed into groups where they have to create their own tale, write a script, and act it out in front of the class. (This would be in a month-long unit about folk and fairy tales.)

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities, students learn about the history of folk and fairy tales, gain an increased vocabulary, learn to compare and contrast and otherwise analyze text, and increase their writing and communication skills.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.valdosta.edu/~vllindqu/rapunzel.gif.

David Gets in Trouble / David no se mete en líos

David Gets in Trouble… (Spanish version also available = David no se mete en líos)
Written and illustrated by: David Shannon (Spanish version translated by: Teresa Mlawer)
Published by: The Blue Sky Press / Scholastic in NY in 2002 (Spanish version published by: Everest / Scholastic in 2002
ISBN: 0-439-05022-7 (Spanish version ISBN: 84-241-8661-3)
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Kindergarten
Activity Level: Kindergarten

Summary: This is a book about a little boy who always gets into trouble. Each page is filled with excuse he uses such as “I didn’t mean to” (p. 3) “My dog ate my homework,” (p. 11), and “I couldn’t help it” (p. 12) when he forgets to do something or does something incorrectly. He is always full of excuses and always says it was not his fault to whatever occurred. But then, when he lays down at night he says “Yes! It was me! I’m sorry” (p. 26-29). He repents of what he has done in the end and apologizes for the trouble he caused during the day.

Response: I love that David is such a typical little boy; those in a classroom would be able to easily relate to him! They would understand him and the moral of the story too, which is what the teachers want from reading this book.

The illustrations in this book are typical David Shannon. They are adorable and childlike, yet with great depth and color-blending that is apparent in all of his double- and one single-page spreads that rapidly more the story along.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could read this book to her kindergarten class when the students seem to be forgetting common courtesies and need to be reminded to be kind to one another. The teacher could prompt the student with a text talk style question on many of these pages by asking what David just did, since the story is highly correlated with the pictures and the words just tell us what David said, but not about what he did.

A teacher could also pair this book with its Spanish counterpart and use that book with her class as well if she has several Hispanic students in her class. It would be great because everything is exactly alike except for the words!

What Students Learn: From this book students learn that being a typical boy is alright and your parents will love you no matter what, but it is better to take responsibility for your actions and say that you are sorry when you do something wrong.

Images Retrieved From: http://www.carverlib.org/kids/kidsimages/davidgetsintrouble.gif. AND http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PGEFAP9JL._SL160_.jpg.

"Terrific"

Terrific
Written and illustrated by: Jon Agee
Published by: Hyperion in NY in 2005
ISBN: 0-7868-5184-8
Genre(s): Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grades 2 & 4
Award: The California Book Award

Summary: This book is about a man with a lot of sarcasm who sees the world in a very pessimistic manner. For example, he wins a trip to Bermuda, but dreads the sunburn, he is not rescued when his ship sinks and believes he will be eaten by sharks and when he makes it to a deserted island is afraid he will be eaten by cannibals, but no one else is there except a parrot who tells him there is nothing to eat or drink except pomegranates and pomegranate juice, to which this man, Eugene, sarcastically replies, “Terrific,” because he greatly dislikes pomegranates. The parrot teaches him how to build a boat so they can be rescued, about which Eugene complains much. Eventually they are rescued by the parrot’s owners who are fishermen and when they leave Eugene safely at the dock in Bermuda, he realizes that instead of going home with the fishermen, the parrot has chosen to remain with him, to which he, unsarcasitally replies is “Terrific!”

Response: I like that this is another one of Jon Agee’s sarcastic works of literature with a double meaning. I think it introduces students to those double-meanings of things in our world that they should know about.

I do always enjoy Mr. Agee’s comedic illustrations be them single- or double-page spreads in muted tones. He always places just enough detail into his illustrations t make them interesting, but to not overpower the story and he always has huge signs on his storefronts that dictate where his characters are (in this case, Bermuda.)

Teaching Connections: A teacher could use this book to introduce her second grade students to sarcasm. They will be exposed to it in their lives and this is a way to let them know about it in a way that will not offend anyone. The subsequent discussion about this book will allow students to talk about the moral of this story, which is that things might look bleak sometimes, but one’s luck will change and it is just better to be a positive person because Eugene would have had an even better time on his trip if he would have been. Although it turned out well in the end, he could have had more fun with the parrot and his time with the fisherman if he would have taken what life through at him with a grain of salt.

A fourth grade teacher could read this book to her class and then have them write a story about why Eugene might have had such a pessimistic view on life and/or about how the remainder of his trip went and what happened to the parrot and him. They could also write another sarcastic story with a one-word title.

What Students Learn: From this book and the discussion and activities children learn about sarcasm, which can be important because they need to know what to be offended by and what no to be offended by and often young children are not aware of the difference. They also gain thinking and creative writing skills in these activities.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.commonwealthclub.org/features/caBookAwards/75/images/06-06bookawards-agee.jpg.

"Medio Pollito / Half-Chicken"

Medio Pollito / Half-Chicken
Written by: Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by: Kim Howard
Published by: Delacorte Press in NY in 1995
ISBN: 0-385-32044-2
Genre(s): Picture Book, Traditional Literature (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grades 2 & 4

Summary: This is a book about a chicken born with “only one wing, one leg, one eye, and half as many feathers as the other chicks” (p. 6). The other animals, who, through gossip, quickly found out about him, began to call him “Half-Chicken.” When he overheard the swallows saying that “Not even at the court of the viceroy in Mexico City is there anyone so unique,” (p. 10) he decided to find out for himself. He set out for the City and along the way, he helped a stream by removing some branches from blocking it, a small fire continue burning by fanning it with his wing, and the wind become detangled from some bushes, and after each good deed, the stream, the fire, and the wind asked him to say, but he repeated that he was on his way to see the viceroy and could not remain with them (thus, the repetitive nature of this story.) When he arrives at the viceroy’s residence, someone tells him to go in the back way through the kitchen and the cook throws him in the pot of stew. Since he was so nice to the water, it spills over the pot and since he was so nice to the fire, it goes out so it does not burn him, and because he was so kind to the wind, it carries him home that night. And the moral of the story is: we all have our special gifts, being unique is good, and we should be kind to those around us. Also, the author writes this tale about weather vanes having one leg and turning the way their “friend” the wind blows.

Response: I love that this is a dual language book because it can be understood by the two main groups of students in one’s classroom—English- and Spanish-speaking, which is very important. Reading this book in the way I detailed below ensures that both these groups understand and are engaged in the lesson.

All of the illustrations in this book are double-page spreads of vibrant colors. They look as though they have been painted and then the illustrator used a tool to scratch off some of the color, which gives the work a very interesting texture.

Teaching Connections: A teacher could read this book to her second grade class in Spanish and then ask them what they think happened on each page. Then, she could read each page in English and see if they were correct. Then, she could tell students about folk tales and the class could discuss the main idea behind this story—helping one another and accepting our uniqueness.

In a fourth grade classroom a teacher could read each page in Spanish, ask her students what they think happened, and then read the page on English. Then, she could teach about folktales, have children explore this website and then have them write a story that explains why something is the way that it is.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activities children increase their bilingual skills and folk tales. They also learn a little about Mexico, about helping one another and being unique, and gain better writing skills.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.randomhouse.com/images/dyn/cover/?source=9780440413608&height=300&maxwidth=170.

"Planets Around the Sun"

Planets Around the Sun
Written by: Seymour Simon
Photographs by: Various
Published by: Sea Star Books in NY in 2002
ISBN: 1-58717-145-7
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: Grade 1
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This book begins by talking about that which students know—Earth. Then, it broadens to let them know that we are one of nine (now eight) planets that revolve around the sun. It gives a brief synopsis of each planet in our solar system detailing about the size of the planets, the materials that make them, etc. Furthermore, this book also tells readers about asteroids and leaves them wondering if there are other planets like Earth out there that circle other stars. (There is a fact chart in the back of this book that shows each planet’s size relative to the others and gives statistics on each one such as its distance from the sun, orbital period, diameter, the length of its days, the average temperature, the number of moons it has, and whether it has rings.)

Response: I love how, even though this is a book for first graders, Seymour Simon is able to pact so much information into one text! I think this book will intrigue children because of its actual photographs of the planets and its amazing information.

As with all of Seymour Simon’s books, the photographs within are amazing! They are all spectacularly colored single- and double-page spread, both distance and close-up, of the planets in our solar system. In addition, they are all set on black backgrounds, which makes their vibrant colors leap off the page!

Teaching Connections: With second graders, a teacher could have her class pass this book around the room and everyone who volunteered to read could read a page or two. After the book has been read, the teacher could teach about the latest knowledge of Pluto not being a planet and then place students into eight groups. Each group would be charged with making a model of one of the planets described in the book out of materials in the classroom or those that they bring in. they would have to confer with one another so that they ensure the sizes of their planets are similar in proportion to that which they are supposed to be.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn about the planets in our solar system and gain read-aloud and teamwork skills.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.highwaygold.com/books/subjects/children-s-books/educational/curriculum-supplements/science-nature-how-it-works/general/see-more-readers-planets-around-the-sun-level-1-1587171465.html.

"Three Little Cajun Pigs"

Three Little Cajun Pigs
Written by: Mike Artell
Illustrated by: Jim Harris
Published by: Dial Books for Young Readers in NY in 2006
ISBN: 0-8037-2815-8
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grades 2 & 4

Summary: This is a spoof on the story of The Three Little Pigs. In this story all of the pigs are Cajun form Southern Louisiana and are fighting off an alligator instead of a wolf. Like in the traditional story of The Three Little Pigs, one builds a house out of straw, one builds a house out of wood, and one builds his house from bricks. The gator knocks down the first two pig’s houses with his tail and when he cannot do so with the third pig’s house he tries to go down the chimney, but gets burned by their roux, a traditional Cajun food. This story is hilarious, both in the words and illustrations, but readers should be aware that it is not written in proper English, when one reads this book the Cajun dialect comes out no matter what—and that makes it all the more hilarious. (This book does provide a glossary for the French words, several pronunciations, and a couple of terms students need to know to understand the text.)

Response: I really love this book. It was definitely one that I could not read silently; I actually sat down and read aloud—to myself. I could not imagine this being a silent reading book for children because if they can read it without saying the words aloud, they will start laughing out loud, so there is really no way to read this book silently!

The illustrations in this book are muted blues, pinks, greens, browns, and reds. They are highly detailed, which makes readers need to look at them longer in order to not miss anything. This is the type of book that you have to go back and view the illustrations several times before you have seen everything because each time you look at them you will see something new!

Teaching Connections: I think that a second grade teacher could use this book with her class. She could read the traditional version of The Three Little Pigs to the class and then this one. Then her class could make a Venn Diagram about the similarities and differences between these two works.

It would be great for a teacher to read to her fourth grade class because the boys, especially, would LOVE it and at that age they can handle having a later discussion about language. It would be important for them to recognize the differences in dialects at this age because on the writing test they have to write in proper English and it might help them remember that there is a reason for writing and speaking in that way and to not make careless errors on their test that are not proper English. (Although, this would not be a good book to expose them to directly before the test.)

I think if a teacher were to use this book in her classroom, she would need to explain that people from Louisiana do not necessarily talk like this and, although this book is funny because of the wording, we should move past that and see that though their dialect is not proper English, it is correct to them and we each have our own way of speaking that sounds funny to others. She may even want to read other books with the Appalachian Mountain dialect, the Southern dialect, the Northern dialect, etc so that her students become familiar with these differences and notice that, although these stories are funny and are not written in proper English, the rules of that dialect are in place in these stories. This book would be a great way to begin students talking about why we use proper English in school and how that might be different from what we have heard or what we use elsewhere (it sounds more professional and it links us all together to have a standard system).

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities student learn about different dialects and learn to compare and contrast stories.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.buy.com.edgesuite.net/prod/three-little-cajun-pigs/q/loc/106/35199247.html.

"Mercury"

Mercury
Written by: Larry Dane Brimner
Photographs/Illustrations by: Various
Published by: Children’s Press in NY in 1998
ISBN: 0-516-20619-2
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This is a book about the planet in the solar system closest to the sun, Mercury. The book is written very simply for younger readers to provide them with information about this planet. It details the distance the planet is from the dun, its day (1,408 hours), Copernicus’ charting of Mercury’s year length, the old and new ideas about Mercury, and the possibly future missions to the planet. This book provides a wonderful introduction for students to Mercury as well as places to find out more information, and has a listing of important words for students to know.

Response: I really like how this book puts very complex information into a narrative that very young students can understand. I love that the book teaches about the history of the planet, the differences between it an Earth (in terms of days it takes to orbit the sun, etc.), and what NASA may be planning in the future.

The photographs in this book are great. I love how there are actual pictures of the planet from the Mariner 10 mission. I think young students will really appreciate these views of another planet and will be ready to indulge in the literature! I also love the pictures of the telescopes and other equipment in this book because I think children will be amazed by the technology, even in the world they live in!

Not all of the illustrations are photographs, some are drawings, such as that of Copernicus and those in the history section, however, they are strikingly detailed.

Teaching Connections: To use this book, a second grade teacher could read an introductory book about the solar system to her class to give them some background knowledge about it. The, she could put students into seven groups and give each group a planet book to read and study (obviously excluding Pluto, now not considered a planet, and Earth, because they should already know much about it). Each group will take turns reading sections of the books in the same series as this book and will then make note of the most important points about that planet that they learned. They will then make a short presentation to the class about the planet.

(Note: Since this book was published in 1998, the photograph at the beginning of this work of the entire solar system includes Pluto as a planet, so the teacher might want to make note of that before the students become confused.)

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity, students learn about the planets in our solar system, gain group work skills, have practice reading aloud, and increase their note-taking and presenting abilities.

"Subtraction Action"

Subtraction Action
Written and illustrated by: Loreen Leedy
Published by: Holiday House in NY in 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1454-X
Genre: Picture Book, Informational Text, Concept Book
Reading Level: Grade 1
Activity Level: Grade 1

Summary: This is a book about learning to subtract. It chronicles the time in school during the school fair when children will be working with money and eating (subtracting) food, etc. Loreen Leedy does an excellent job relating math to the real lives of student in this work, which is wonderful! This book is divided into chapters that deal with subtracting cookies and muffins, calculating time on the obstacle course, a magician making things disappear, etc. This is a really adorable book for students learning the basics of subtraction that makes the subject more fun, interesting, and, hopefully, easier for students.

Response: Loreen Leedy is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors for children. This book is so adorable for little children because is related math to things happening in their school and makes the math problems seem real, so the students feel they need math (and they do) to solve these number problems in their daily lives. That real world connection, especially for young students who are likely to become easily frustrated, is very important in encouraging them!

The illustrations in this book are in muted tones in mixed single- and double-page spreads. All of the characters are cartoon-like animals that first graders would likely really appreciate.

Teaching Connections: A first grade teacher could read this book to her students after they have been introduced to the concept of subtraction for a few weeks. By that time they will know enough that the teacher can read this book to them, have a small dry erase board close to where she is sitting to write the problems in the book on, and have them subtract correctly when she places the problems on that board and asks the students to help her solve them.

This could also be a book that children take home with them to read and could be helpful to those struggling with subtraction.

What Students Learn: From this book and the activity students are able to learn about the beginning concept of subtraction.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.jmeacham.com/math/number.operations.htm.

"Projects About the Plains Indians"

Projects About the Plains Indians
Written by: Marian Broida
Illustrated by: Rodica Prato
Published by: Marshall Cavendish Corporation in Tarrytown, NY in 2004
ISBN: 0-7614-1601-3
Genre: Picture Book, Informational Text
Reading Level: Grade 3
Activity Level: Grades 2 & 4

Summary: This is a great book about Plains Indians. It has information about Cheyenne, Lakota, and Hidatsa Native Americans. There is not an actual storyline to this book, but there is information about how each group live(s/d), what their homes were like, and what some of their rituals were like. This book even includes projects to do with students regarding each group of Native Americans. It also has boldface words within the text that are defined in the back of the book where there is also a Metric conversion chart for readers.

Response: I really like how this book teaches children that not all Native Americans lived in tipis and not all of them were primitive nomadic people. I also really appreciated how it taught about more in-depth aspects of their lives, like how they gathered food and what they ate, etc.

The illustrations in this text are paintings as well as actual photographs of Natives. The pictures add an element of reality to the book that I believe is important for children to recognize. One picture shows a Native American riding on a horse in the dress we traditionally think of when we think of these people, but it also shows the rest of the Natives in the picture sitting around their tipi in slacks, button-up shirts, and hats, just like whites. This can help students understand that not all Native Americans wear headdresses and animal skins for clothing (even though this picture was likely taken after the Natives had become more accepting of whites and their culture, it can still show that our stereotypes are not correct).

Teaching Connections: This book is already set for ways to incorporate it into the classroom. It comes full of project ideas such as building tipis, matching parts of a buffalo with the way a Native would use them, a moccasin game, model of a travois that students can build, learning how to grow a sunflower (science incorporation), making a felt pouch, and numerous other activities that will aid student learning about the traditions of the native American culture.

A teacher could use this book with her second grade class. On the first day of the lesson should could have a discussion with her class about what they know about Native Americans and write that on chart paper at the front of the classroom. She could then spend one day discussing each of the tribes in this book by reading about each one to her class and then having them complete one or more of the coordinating activities. On the fourth day of the week, she could have a discussion about what her students knew before about Native Americans and what they have learned through the lesson. On the final day of the week, students could review all that they learned about Native Americans.

For a fourth grade classroom, the teacher could read about one group of Native Americans each day and have the students do the activities in the book, much as they second graders would do (except that the activities chosen could be the more difficult ones for fourth graders). This should take three days. On the fourth day of the week, the teacher could show her students the Disney movie “Pocahontas” and they could have a discussion about what is correctly and incorrectly portrayed in this movie regarding Native Americans. On the fifth day of the week, students will make presentations about the other group of Natives (besides the three in the book) that they chose to study at the beginning of the week in groups.

What Students Learn: From this book and these activities students can learn about the real (not the stereotyped) Native American culture and learn through hands-on activities about certain aspects of their lives.

Image Retrieved From: http://ak.buy.com/db_assets/prod_images/688/35217688.jpg.

"¡Marimba!"

¡Marimba!
Written by: Pat Mora
Illustrated by: Doug Cushman
Published by: Clarion Books in NY in 2006
ISBN: 978-0-618-19453-7 / 0-618-19453-3
Genre(s): Picture Book, Concept (Alphabet) Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Grade 2
Activity Level: Grade 2

Summary: This book is about a monkey who lulls two zookeepers to sleep by singing and then leads a party in the zoo. It links every letter of our alphabet to an animal in the zoo. (For the letters “U” and “X,” the authors uses the fantastical animal the unicorn and the musical instrument the xylophone, respectively.) Although certain words are in Spanish in this book, the non-animal-naming words are in English, much to the advantage of the many teachers who do not speak Spanish. Each animal that the book lists is the Spanish cognate of an animal’s name (illustrated on that page) in English. The animals partake in several activities that are a part of the Hispanic culture such as: dancing la bamba and la marimba, eating enchiladas and flan, making piñatas, etc. Each page in this work rhymes with the next, so it flows very well and has a rather sing-songy appeal to it, with which younger children will absolutely be able to identify and enjoy. This book not only detail animals students are already familiar with, but also introduces them to ones they may not be aware of at all, such as manatees, nutrias, ocelots, quetzals, vicuñas, wapitis, yaks, and zebus/cebúes.

The illustrations in this work are very well-done. They are nearly all double-page spreads of vibrant colors of remarkable likenesses of the creatures they depict. Very few of the pages contain white backgrounds, most, instead, contain tera-cotta looking colors, which are, again, akin to the Hispanic nature of this book.

Teaching Connections:

Critical Thinking Questions:

1. Why do you think the money lulls the zookeepers to sleep once each year?

a. Possible answer: He does this so that all of the animals in the zoo can have their annual party!

2. There is a great deal of personification within this book. Some examples of this are when the sloths salsa, the otters make piñatas, gorillas play their guitars, coyotes conga, etc. Does anyone know what that word means? Can you break it down into its root word? Do you hear the word person in it? So, it must have something to do with people. Does anyone now have a guess about what this word could mean?

a. Possible answer: This term means animals acting like humans. The animals take on human characteristics.

3. Outside of what we just read about in this book, explain how some of these animals get along in the wild.

a. Possible answer: These animals are not really friends in real life because the koalas and orangutans would likely be enemies, jaguars would eat birds if they could catch them, lions would prey on llamas, and otters and ocelots would also not be friends.

4. So, if the animals really would not get along in the wild, but they are personified (made to have the actions of people), then what can we as humans learn from this book?

a. Possible answer: We can learn that we all need to be friends with one another and try to get along as best we can and be accepting of others.

Activity:

A teacher could use this book in a second grade classroom. It is an alphabet book, but it is also a book of Spanish and English words and likely contains words that kindergarteners and first graders would not know. A good activity to do with these students regarding this book would be to read this book to them, ask them the above critical thinking questions, and then teach them about English and Spanish cognates. (The teacher can get some information regarding this from the author’s note in the back of the book.) The teacher could have pictures of all of these animals with their Spanish and English names on them in plastic bags for each of her students and give them the opportunity to look at the words and animals and see the difference between the words, if any, in both languages. Then, they could, as a class, read each word in each language and practice their pronunciation skills.

Once students are familiar with these words, perhaps the teacher could project this book on the board with a document scanner/projector and the class could read it together.

What Students Learn: Although these words are cognates and the majority of them are spelled very similarly in both languages, this activity would be very beneficial because it can help students see slight differences and learn pronunciation in both languages. From this book, the critical thinking questions, and the subsequent activity, students learn about animals that represent all twenty-six letters of our alphabet, the definition of personification, gain a lesson in accepting others, learn a little about the Hispanic culture (because many of the activities in which the animals participate are of that culture), cognates, and how to pronounce several words in Spanish.

Image Retrieved From: http://www.metrolibrary.org/graphics/spotlight/hispanicamerican/2007/easyfiction/marimba.gif

"Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration"

Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration
Written and illustrated by: Richard Keep
Published by Peach Tree Publishers in Atlanta, GA in 2004
ISBN: 1-56145-322-6
Genre(s): Picture Book, Informational Text, Song Book (Multicultural Work)
Reading Level: Kindergarten (with the exception of the information at the end)
Activity Level: Grade 1

Summary: This is a book about the Day of the Dead Celebration celebrated in the Hispanic Culture. The bulk of this book contains many nonsense words and the story is guided by the illustrations instead of the opposite being true. There are many onomatopoeia words in his book as well, which makes this work wonderful for using with musical instruments. In the back of the book, there is a fairly detailed explanation about what the book was about and also an explanation of the holiday The Day of the Dead. It explains the holiday in terms that children can understand and goes somewhat in death into the celebrations and beliefs in the Hispanic culture about the passing on of friends and family. It talks about the flowers, herbs, and foods the markets carry for the feasts on this holiday as well as the sweet bread (pan de muertos—bread of the dead), that is made each year during the time of this celebration, and the toys and masks made for this as well. This work also relates to its readers the traditions of this holiday such as cleaning the tombstones of loved ones and then having picnics in the graveyards. It enlightens children to the idea that, though we miss our loved ones greatly when they pass, that we do not always need to be said or afraid, but that we can instead celebrate that they have moved on to a better place.

The illustrations in this work are very creative. The illustrator used cut-paper montages, acrylic and watercolor paints, and makers as well as pens to create these visuals. Because the words are not telling of the story, the illustrations have to guide the readers through the ideas and rituals surrounding this holiday. There are skeletons are every double-page spread dressed in strange costumes of vibrant colors since skeletons are a huge par to this holiday celebration. They are dancing and eating, playing music, talking with one another, and truly enjoying themselves in the illustrations meant to lighten the mood of the passing of loved ones, as the holiday does.

Teaching Connections:

Critical Thinking Questions:

The critical thinking questions should be asked of the students after the final page of the book (containing actual information on the Day of the Dead celebration) has been addressed.

1. What similarities and differences do you see between feelings about the deceased in our culture versus that of the Hispanic culture?

a. Possible answer: In our culture we mourn greatly for the departed and place flowers on their graves to show we miss them, which is somewhat similar to the actions of the Hispanics. However, we do not set up alters in our homes for the deceased, nor do we have a specific holiday to commemorate the passing of our friends and relatives. We do not celebrate the “moving into a better life/place” as the Hispanic culture does. Death is much more serious in our culture than it is in theirs.

2. Describe how you think you would feel or how members of your family would react to “celebrating” death as the Hispanics do.

a. Possible answer: I think that my family would frown upon this practice because they would think that we were not respecting those who had passed on. Even though we tend to believe that our family members go on to a better place, we would not feel comfortable celebrating because it would be hard for us to understand that we are not celebrating the fact that they have go on, but the fact that they are in a place of no more pain.

3. Explain why, although this celebration is very different from anything we have in our culture, we should be accepting of it.

a. Possible answer: I think that we should be accepting of this expression surrounding the dead because there is really nothing wrong with it; I am sure that Hispanics miss their loved ones, as they should, but they just have a better outlook on one’s passing than us. We need to except everyone and embrace their different beliefs because we want others to do that for us.

Activity:

I think that this book could be used in a first grade classroom. The teacher could read the first sentence about what the Day of the Dead is, which is located in the back of the book, to her students and then read the book to them. Then she could take them to the music room or have some instruments in her classroom and hand out instruments to her students. Then, she could read this book again after assigning each student a word to listen for in the story. When the student hears that word he or she will play his or her instrument for a few seconds and then the teacher will continue reading. She will have this book projected on the screen in the front of the classroom and will instruct the students to all play their instruments when the words are not italicized. (She will likely have to explain what italicized means, finger-point read to the students, and they will likely have to practice several times before the students are able to do this correctly.)

When the students finish with the story and playing their instruments, the teacher should instruct them to gather around her and listen to her while she reads about the Day of the Dead from the back of the book.

What Students Learn: From this book, the critical thinking questions, and the activity, students learn about musical instruments, rhythm, and much about the Day of the Dead. They also gain comparison and contrasting skills and are able to reflect upon their culture’s beliefs versus that of others.

Image Retrieved From: http://peachtree-online.com/images/ProductImages/Books/1561453226.jpg