Jacqueline Woodson Experience

After reading If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson and discussing some of her other books with my classmates, I have learned a lot about this author and her style of writing. First of all, I noticed the popular trends in her pieces of literature. In almost every book, people of color are the main characters, they are the ones in power, and the story revolves around some kind of relationship with white people. Even in her picture book Visiting Day did Woodson portray an issue with a mother and her child(ren), as this was another common trend found along with split families. If the above trends did not say enough about the controversial topics Woodson introduces in her literature, this is nothing. In If You Come Softly, the main male character, Jeremiah, was mistakenly shot just because he was a black young man going for a jog through a white neighborhood and did not hear the cops yelling behind him to stop. Also in this novel, the main female’s sister describes the hardships of being involved in a homosexual relationship. These are only a few examples of the heavy topics that Woodson describes in her work. These controversial topics and the strong storylines in her literature make these books well-written and worthwhile reads. Where age appropriate, these books definitely should be read and discussed with students because it provides the perfect opportunity to touch upon such deep topics in our world that society likes to turn away from. I think students need to dip their toes in reality before they take their first steps into the real world because it will hopefully help them to learn how to handle different curveballs that life throws at them. Also, for those students who have experienced such heavy issues in their life already, reading these books and sharing them as a class will hopefully provide these students an opportunity for them to share their hardships with people who care; this is something that many students are often afraid to do without the little push of providing them the opportunity to share. Regardless of the book or the reason, where appropriate I want to incorporate the author of Jacqueline Woodson into my curriculum, which inspires me to read more of her books.

To find out more about Jacqueline Woodson, her books, and how to use her books in your classroom, visit her website!

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowery

Novel for Children Ages 9-12

5 Out of 5 Stars

As Jonas is approaching the Ceremony of 12, where he is given his career assignment, he has no idea what the future has in store for him. Little does he know that he is about to receive all of the memories of the time before Sameness and that his new knowledge will lead him to flee from his community in order to allow the life of choice, love, and freedom to return to his people once again.

The Giver represents a phenomenal book that teaches a valuable lesson to people of all ages. The literary elements help to bring this book to life. The place of the story becomes more and more developed as the story unfolds. The community of Sameness is just what the title states, all the same. No color exists; nobody has a birthday, only a year category until they hit their twelfth year; each family unit consists of a mother, father, and a maximum of two children which are not conceived by the mother and father; choice is not an option, your spouse, children, job, home décor, and food is all chosen for you. All of the characters in this story stay the same except for Jonas, the main character of the story. Since Jonas is the only dynamic character in the story, he has a large impact on his community full of citizens who are all the same. Similar to this fact of Jonas being the only dynamic character comes the reasoning for the story to be told in third person limited. Since Jonas is the main character and the only character that grows throughout the story, it makes sense to have the story told only through the view of Jonas. Symbolism is another huge part of this story. The color red represents the intense feelings of fire, passion, and anger. Jonas learns about all of these feelings during his time with the Giver. He also learns to see the fiery red hair of the girl, Fiona, which he is attracted to. The sled represents another symbol as it not only is the first memory ever given to Jonas, it also represents his experiences of being the Receiver. The baby Gabriel is another important symbol in the story. Gabriel represents hope for the future because of the fact that he is a baby, he is receptive to the memories that Jonas transmits to him, unlike anyone else in his community who has grown accustom to the life of Sameness. Also, Gabriel represents the change that Jonas wants to bring to the world. Once Jonas heard that Gabriel was going to be released, only because he did not sleep at night, Jonas knew he must save him, so he chose to risk his own life, change the premade escape plans, and flee with Gabriel in hopes of reaching the community of Elsewhere. Jonas did not want to settle for the release of babies like Gabriel, so he wanted to change that on top of many other things. All of the other literary elements can be found in The Giver but they all tie together into the ones already stated to make this novel as well written as it is.

If I am allowed to read this book with my future class of students, I most definitely will. The life lessons that this book teaches its readers are wonderful. Anyone who reads this book will really learn to appreciate the small things that our world has to offer. For example, halfway through the story, Jonas begins to discover that the world really is not black and white, but that it has color. What a beautiful thing color is, imagine a world without it. How terrible! Also, the idea of choice is something that all readers should learn to appreciate. Because the people in Sameness are not allowed to make any choices for themselves, readers learn how important it is to appreciate their ability to make choices and learn that they should make their choices wisely since it is a privilege that not everyone gets to exercise. While reading this book with a group of students, I would have a lot of discussion time put in place in order for students to share their feelings and interpretations of the story. I would also probably implement a writing assignment or two into the readings as well in order for students to share what they have learned and what they think life would be like if our country implemented a form of Sameness. All in all, this book was a spectacular read, even with the controversial topics within it, and I would like to share it with many other people.

Space Case

Space Case by Edward Marshall, pictures by James Marshall

Picture book for children ages 4-8

4 out of 5 stars

A little robot from outer space comes down to Earth to learn about the natives. Although he is called home after only a few days on Earth, he is so intrigued that he wants to come back for another visit!

This simple science fiction book is filled with fun and laughter. Only a sentence or two exists on each page, along with the picture. But this simplicity fits in perfectly with the story. This alien comes from outer space to investigate our world on Earth. He knows nothing except for what he sees or hears other people say, since he does not learn English until the night that he does not sleep and studies the dictionary. Because the alien is simple, the book should be simple as well. The fact that the pictures give away more about the story than the text does, also fits this trend because again the alien must learn about this new world based on his surroundings. The pictures compared to the text on the page also bring comedy into the story, like when the alien tries to talk to a pumpkin or when he calls a lady nice even though she is dressed as a monster for Halloween. Due to the simplicity of the story, as well as the hilarity on many of the pages when comparing the text to the pictures, this book is considered a well written book and one that many young children would enjoy.

If I were teaching a primary grade class, I would definitely use this book, especially around the time of Halloween because that is the day in the story in which the creature from outer space arrives. Also, this book would fit well into a unit on immigration. The little robot thing comes to Earth knowing absolutely nothing about it, not even the language. Even though it is easy for the robot to pick up the language, because he is a robot, he faces many other hardships during his first few days on this new planet. Similar to the way that the alien had trouble adjusting to this new world, immigrants also have a hard time adjusting when they leave their familiar homeland and move to a new one. Students could read this story, then doing a writing activity about what they think it would be like to move to a foreign country, or even to a foreign planet.

Space Case is a Reading Rainbow book, click on the link to find out more about the Reading Rainbow books and the television series.

The Monster Who Did My Math

The Monster Who Did My Math written by Danny Schnitzlein,  illustrated by Bill Mayer

Picture book for children ages 7-11

5 out of 5 stars

When a little boy is scared of math, a monster comes and does his homework for him, which the little boy finds to be great at first, until he discovers that he does not learn anything this way.

The Monster Who Did My Math is a picture book written in poem form. The literary elements of rhyme and figurative language color the pages of this book. Due to this fact, the text has good musical flow, making it easy to read and fun to listen to. The figurative language enriches the text by drawing connections between words in the book and concepts out in the real world. This helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the text and exactly what it is that the author wants to convey. Lastly, the wonderful illustrations in this story mirror the emotions described within the text of the book. For example, the text on pages three and four describe how the little boy procrastinated doing his homework until late Sunday night and how the anxiety set in when he realized that he had no other choice but do his dreaded math homework. The anxiety and fear of math homework were clearly shown in the illustration of the boy’s face while he was looking at his math book. From the illustrations to the correct use of literary elements, The Monster Who Did My Math definitely falls under the category of a well-written book.

The Monster Who Did My Math would be a great addition to any curriculum because it teaches valuable life lessons on more than just math. The Monster in the story comes to the boy who is having troubles doing his math homework and offers to do his homework for him. The boy quickly agrees to pay for the Monster’s services later and becomes overwhelmed with joy when he receives an A+ on the homework assignment. The teacher must eventually catch on to the situation as she calls the boy to the board to demonstrate his knowledge. This is where the boy begins to learn his lesson, that he did not learn anything by having the Monster do his homework for him. Even though he did not learn anything about math from the Monster, he still had to pay the Monster his charge of sixty four dollars. In the end, the boy comes to the realization that shortcuts do not exist in life because you will always have it to “pay it later.” And he did eventually come to understand and even enjoy math too. I would read this book as a cross-curricular connection in a language arts class during a poetry unit, since this whole book could be considered a poem. Or I would use it to teach a lesson on cheating and how the students will not gain anything by cheating and that in the end they will always have to “pay it later”. Lastly, I could use it in my math classroom during a time that students are struggling to learn a new concept, and I could act as the Math Monster who doesn't do their homework for them, but as the Math Monster who helps them tackle their homework problems and understand them.

If You Come Softly

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

Novel for ages 10 and up

5 out of 5 stars

A white girl and a black girl discover what it means to fall in love, even if it means doing what the whole world seems to not want them to do.

If You Come Softly is a phenomenal book. It touches upon the real life issues of diversity in our world and the unfortunate consequences that can often result from it in the form of a love story. Most teenagers, girls especially, would enjoy this book because of the fact that it is a romance novel, so they are drawn to read it from an aesthetic stance. What they will come to learn as they read is that they are also reading from the efferent stance because they are gaining information about real life issues and how to deal with them. The way that If You Come Softly can be read from both stances represents Lousie Rosenblatt’s theory of transaction, where she claims that books are not read just for information or just for enjoyment, but that they are read on a continuum between the two stances. This theory of transaction, where both the reader and the book bring something to the table, is easily shown through this book. While reading this story, I connected with the text on an emotional level. This was especially true when Miah, the black boy, is killed. I have experienced death of family members as well as friends and all of those feelings came rushing back as I read about the feelings of Ellie, the white girl. I connected with the characters. I also learned a new perspective on what it would be like to live in New York and date a black man, as a white girl. My past experiences and my prior knowledge made the book as moving as it was for me. Other people would definitely enjoy this book, but probably in not the exact same way that I did. This idea is exactly what Louise Rosenblatt is conveying in her transactional theory.

I would definitely want to read this book with a group of students, but unfortunately I do not know if I would read it with 10 year olds. Ages 10 and up is what the book cover says the age level is for this book, but I think I would only read this book with middle school upper level readers or high school lower level readers due to the heavy content in this book. Because of the fact that the main characters in this story are high school students, and the fact that this story could actually happen, I do not think it would be appropriate for any elementary school student to read. But if I were to read this with my students, I would not make them do any activities while reading the story, just discuss the book. Often times, students will automatically be turned away from a book because of the fact that they have to read it for school and do homework. This would take away a lot of the meaning in If You Come Softly. The main discussions of this book would revolve around the issues of diversity in our society. If I could find an appropriate group of students to read this book with, I would love to use it in my classroom.

Each Peach Pear Plum

Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Picture Book for children ages 2-6

5 out of 5 Stars

Readers will play the game ‘I spy’ while paging through this infusion of the most popular nursery rhymes into an all new nursery rhyme.

Each Peach Pear Plum is a fun story to read for people of all ages, but especially for very young children as they enjoy hearing the rhyming words of the text as well as searching for their favorite nursery rhyme characters in the illustrations. The reason why this book is so great is because of the interaction between the text and the playful cartoon like illustrations. The title page of this book captures the reader interest right away by stating, “In this book With your little eye Take a look And play ‘I spy’”. From the get go the reader is interacting with the story. This is important for young children to do as it gets them interested in books. Based on the experiences gained from playing a game within Each Peach Pear Plum children will be more interested in reading other books in the future, in hopes to get the same enjoyment from them, although it will be in a different way.

I would use Each Peach Pear Plum during any poetry unit. First of all, it describes many different familiar nursery rhymes all in one. Second, the whole book put together could be considered a poem itself. Because of these two observations, this book could be used as an introduction to a poetry unit or as an example of rhyming used in poetry. Also, teachers could use this as a frame of reference for an activity where they write a poem and then create a short picture book based on their poem. Lastly, this book is important to use with young students, as it shows them a different kind of book. Because this book asks the readers to play the game of “I spy” in it, the children will discover a new kind of aesthetic value in reading books, which will lead them to want to see what other books in the world have to offer, and this is an important thing that we want all teachers to do.

Scholastic and Bright Hub have their own fun ideas on how to incorporate this book into classrooms as well!

Amelia Bedelia

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish, Pictures by Fritz Siebel

Picture book/short novel for children ages 7-10

5 out of 5 stars

Amelia Bedelia is recently hired to work as a housekeeper for Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. On her first day, Amelia takes everything written down on her to do list in the literal sense when she changes the towels and dusts the furniture, along with many other chores. Thankfully her lemon meringue pie is delicious as this is what allows her to keep her job!

I find this story absolutely hilarious. This story is brought to life mostly through the illustrations, as they give away what Amelia is truly up to. For example, when Mrs. Rogers asks Amelia to dress the chicken, we know that Mrs. Rogers wants her to get the chicken ready to be cooked, but instead Amelia gets out some fabric and creates an outfit to fit the chicken, and literally dresses the chicken. The reader would not know this if he or she did not have the illustrations to accompany the text because all the text states is, “ ‘Now I must dress the chicken, I wonder if she wants a he chicken or a she chicken,’ said Amelia Bedelia. Amelia Bedelia went right to work. Soon the chicken was finished.” (Parish, 42). Without looking at the picture of Amelia Bedelia cutting fabric and creating an outfit for the chicken, the reader would not understand what exactly is going on. Any book that has interaction between text and illustrations makes it an enjoyable read. The wonderful and hysterical story line of Amelia Bedelia would make any reader, new or experienced want to read. Due to the connection between the illustrations and the words on the pages, the illustrations serve as scaffolding for those readers who are just learning how to read.

I remember reading this particular story along with many others in the Amelia Bedelia collection and enjoyed the experience each and every time I read them. Due to this fact, I definitely want to have this book as a part of my personal classroom library in the future. Any book that helps students really enjoy reading is a book worthy of place in my classroom. If I am teaching second or third grade I might use this book in literature circles for the appropriate reading level groups. Students would read this story, possible along with other Amelia Bedelia books, then the students would think of many different tasks or words that take on multiple meanings. This connection could also be made to a lesson on homonyms. Regardless of the way this book gets used, it will always have a place in my heart and in my classroom.

Check out this great website that has everything to do with Amelia Bedelia!

How Many Days to America

How Many Days to America by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Beth Peck

Picture Book for Children Ages 7-11

4.5 out of 5 stars

After soldiers come calling upon a boy and his family, the father informs his family that they must immediately pack one bag to leave for America due to the disagreement between the family’s beliefs and that of the government. Although the boat ride to America is not an easy one, they are welcomed into America, on Thanksgiving Day, with open arms.

How Many Days to America describes a tale of a family of present day refugees fleeing to America, similar to the way that the Pilgrims first did many years ago. These refugees are from the Caribbean, so their journey, although still hard, is much shorter. Based on the fact that this story has many historical connections, this book represents a good social studies tool, which also makes it a book commonly read from the efferent stance. While reading from the efferent stance, readers will learn reasons why refugees leave their countries to come to the free land of America. They will also learn the hardships faced by these refugees on their journeys. For example, lack of food, being denied entrance into other countries, and strong winds on the sea. According to Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory, the reader and the story both contribute to enjoyment of the story. Based on the reader’s previous experiences and his or her own personality, reading this story might stir up some different feelings. Many readers of How Many Days to America may have family members who are refugees of some kind, and this story could have an emotional affect on them because of this fact. Equivalently, students could be reading this story because they are curious about how refugees make the trip to America, similar to that of the Pilgrims. These two different approaches to reading the story represent the way that reading this story is on a continuum from the efferent, information gather, stance, to the aesthetic, reading for emotional reasons, stance.

Eve Bunting’s story How Many Days to America is filled with curriculum connections. First off, this story could be read as an extension from a lesson on the First Thanksgiving as it describes another refugee group’s story and the continual celebration of Thanksgiving. It would be a perfect book to read during the week of Thanksgiving regardless of the current Social Studies unit as well. Lastly, this story could be a pre-reading for a discussion and activity about refugees. Students could make and then discuss reasons of their own as to why they would leave their life behind in one country to move to another. From here a simulation activity could be done representing the hardships of leaving a country in a small boat with limited resources. This activity or lesson should end with a discussion on being thankful for what we have here in America. Using the strong emotions depicted in this story would help the students create a personal connection with the story and hopefully grow from reading the story and participating in the post-reading activities.

Good Dog, Carl

Good Dog, Carl by Alexander Day

Picture book for children ages 2-8

5 out of 5 stars

Carl, a Doberman, is put in charge of babysitting the baby while Mom leaves for an afternoon.  Carl fulfills his duty by feeding the baby, playing with her, dancing with her and getting her back in her crib with the house picked up by the time Mom comes home.

Good Dog, Carl is a wordless picture book, so it cannot be considered well-written because text only exists on the first and last page with the dialogue of Mom giving Carl instructions and complimenting him on his task. It can be considered a well-illustrated book though. Because not a single letter of text can be found on any of the main pages, the illustrations are the only thing moving the story through the plot line, and the illustrations do so with ease. Wordless picture books are so great because they allow the readers of this book to create their own interpretations of the story. By creating their own interpretations, the reader can connect with the book on a higher level than those stories that are guided by text. Due to these reason, wordless books deserve a spot in any repertoire of childrens books just as much as books with words.

Other than the fact that Good Dog, Carl was one of my favorite books as a child, it also provides many lesson opportunities that would make it an even more useful tool within my future classroom. I think that children would find just as much joy in paging through this book as I did as a child and anytime a child can connect to a story and enjoy reading it makes it a worthwhile read. One lesson that would be fun as well as educational would be to have students create a wordless book themselves. After reading Good Dog Carl, I would ask the children to first write a story, and then create their story using only pictures. After these books were completed, I would have share time in which the students would pass around and trade their books for their peers to read. I think the students would enjoy this story and would gain valuable experiences in writing as well as expressing their feelings without words.

Curious George Goes to the Hospital

Curious George Goes to the Hospital by Margaret and H.A. REY

Picture book for children ages 4-8

4 out of 5 stars

When George, the curious monkey, finds an unknown box in his house, he opens it and puts a piece from the box in his mouth thinking it might be candy. When it turns out to be a puzzle piece, George has to go to the hospital where he ends up causing mayhem due to his never ending curiosity.

Curious George Goes to the Hospital is a fun as well as informative story. Due to this opinion, the story can be read either the efferent or the aesthetic stances. If children enjoy books from the Curious George series and like to read these books just to laugh or connect with the character of George the monkey, then they would be reading from the aesthetic stance. In this stance, the reader is reading in order to connect with his or her personal feelings and emotions. In regards to this book, children can connect with George’s feelings of fear upon entering the hospital, his feelings of sadness when his friend leaves him in the hospital for the night, and his feelings of curiosity or temptation when seeing new objects, like an empty go-cart. Also, many children would enjoy this book because of its hilarity. Seeing George hop on a record player and spin round and round until he is going so fast that he flies off, is something that children would find hilarious while reading the story and seeing the illustration describing the event. On the other hand, this story can be read from an efferent stance, where the reader is looking to take away some new knowledge upon reading the story. In Curious George Goes to the Hospital many of the procedures that take place in a hospital are described. For example, when George is preparing to be x-rayed, the nurse describes to him what barium is and why he is swallowing it. Readers can learn about the happenings inside the hospital and the steps that are taken to remove a foreign object that is swallowed whole and lodged into the esophagus. According to Louise Rosenblatt these two stances typically do not stand alone, but often are read on a continuum between the two. In other words, readers will not be reading from either the aesthetic or the efferent stance, but they will be reading in a combination of the two, sometimes with more emphasis on one stance or the other.

The Curious George series of books is one of my favorite children’s series. In each book, George’s curiosity takes him on an adventure that typically ends up with him in some kind of accidental trouble. These adventures and the trouble he gets into make these books full of laugh-out-loud-fun. Now, as a pre-service teacher, I am learning an alternative purpose to reading these books. In Curious George Goes to the Hospital many hospital procedures are described. This could be used to teach students about the happenings inside hospitals as well as about different types of jobs people can have if they want to work in a hospital. I could read this book to my class just for pleasure or for a lesson. Some ideas for lessons other than to teach about medial professions and the inner workings of hospitals would be to have the children do a writing activity. In this writing activity, the students would each create a picture book of their own about an experience that they have had. They would also be encouraged to add new twists into their stories to make them funny as well. Regardless of whether this book is used for aesthetic or efferent purposes, it is something that will be used within my classroom.

Learn more about Curious George, his friends, and activities to do with this series by going to George's own website.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace By Mary Hoffman, Illustrated by Caroline Binch

Picture book for children ages 9-11

5 out of 5 stars

Grace is a vibrant young girl who loves acting out the many stories that she hears from her grandmother. When her class is school is given the task to perform the play Peter Pan, Grace is told by her classmates that she cannot play the lead of Peter because she is black and because she is a girl. After Grace proves her classmates wrong by earning the leading role, she learns that she can do anything she sets her mind to.

Amazing Grace is a fabulous book that teaches children to not judge another’s character based on the physical appearance. Although Grace does not give up, she is discouraged when her classmates tell her that she cannot have the role of Peter due to her race and sex. Grace’s grandmother takes her to the ballet of Romeo and Juliet, where she comes to learn that the “stunning new Juliet” is played by her grandmother’s friend’s granddaughter, who came from Trinidad. Learning about this new Juliet who went from Trinidad to the lights of Broadway gave Grace the courage to say, “I can be anything I want.”The story ends with Grace winning the audition for Peter and performing a marvelous play, proving the fact that Grace really could do anything she set her mind to. Just the way that Grace learns that she can do anything she wants to do as long as she sets her mind to it, Amazing Grace will teach children the exact same lesson. The fact that this book is put on the controversial book list is ironic in terms of the theme of this story. Amazing Grace is put on the controversial book list because the family in the story is not a typical family having a mother and a father in the home. Here Grace lives only with her mother and grandmother. Although this appears to not be a good situation, more exists beyond the appearance of this family. Grace’s mother and grandmother raise Grace well and teach her the valuable life lesson of never giving up. Grace’s grandmother reads her stories, and allows her to play doctor on her. Even though this arrangement is not the stereotypical arrangement of a family, it is still a family and a good one at that.  This book is also seen as controversial because of the improper English occasionally used by Grace’s grandmother. This is controversial because it appears to give the impression that black people do not know proper English or that they are not intelligent people. Again, this is ironic because the message of Amazing Grace is not about being book smart, but is about persistence in fulfilling life’s goals. Grace’s grandmother came from the country of Trinidad to the United States, she cares lovingly for Grace and teaches her valuable life lessons. How do any of these factors make her less of a person or not as smart of a person? They do not. Lastly, this story teaches about not judging a person based on the appearance, this fits right into the idea of not judging the whole race of African Americans based one fictional character’s improper grammar usage.

Absolutely no reason exists as to why I would refrain from using Amazing Grace in my classroom. Other than Grace’s temporary time of discouragement, this story is very upbeat and fun. The water color illustrations bring the story to life. The first few pages touch upon many events that happen in history as Graces acts out her favorite stories. After reading this story, the students could research the different events and put on mini theatricals themselves. Most importantly, this book teaches about character building. After reading this story, I would discuss the book with my class and talk with them about judging others and how this is something that should not be done. Lastly, I think children would relate well to fun and imaginative character of Grace, causing them to thoroughly enjoy the story, as well as learn something from it.

If you are curious about other Mary Hoffman books, check out her website. Follow these links if you would like to read other people's opinions on the story as well as activities to do.

The Higher Power of Lucky

Hansel and Gretel, Retold and Illustrated by Rachel Isadora

Picture Book for Children Ages 4 and Up

5 Out of 5 Stars

The new stepmother of Hansel and Gretel abandon the children in the woods, only to be captured by an evil witch. With quick wit and wisdom, Hansel and Gretel defeat the evil witch as well as the stepmother and return home to the happy life of living only with their father.

The evil stepmother pressures her husband, the father of Hansel and Gretel, to abandon the children because of how poor the family is. Although the father does not want to do this, he feels left with no other choice. At the end of the story, after Hansel and Gretel get away from the bad witch and return home with all of the witch’s pearls and precious gems, the stepmother has passed away and the family has plenty of money due to the jewels brought home by the children. The story then concludes by stating, “All the cares were at an end and they lived happily ever after” (Isadora). In this story, the power of money is at the center of this text. The family struggles to provide adequate food for all in the beginning of the story because they do not have enough money. This also causes the stepmother to convince her husband to abandon his children in the woods. Nobody is happy in this part of the story. The father misses his children and regrets his decision. The stepmother still has no more money than before and therefore is not happy about life. The children are lost, hungry, and get captured by a witch. It is not until the end of the story when the children come home with jewelry to sell for money that the family is happy. The fact that the stepmother, the only one who cared the most about money, was also gone caused the story to end on a happy note as well. This story shows people that money is directly linked to happiness, and that money can make people do things that they normally would not do.

Hansel and Gretel is a common and classic fairy tale. Due to its history and popularity, I would use this book in my classroom as the children would enjoy hearing a familiar tale. One reason why I may choose not to use this book is because of the fact that the family in the story is illustrated as a black family. This depiction could lead to students falling into the stereotypical relationship of black people struggling financially, since poverty is a big part of what this story is about.  On the flip side, this version of Hansel and Gretel is a positive version because of the way the family is illustrated as black. This is a positive because most fairy tales tell stories about white people, so this story takes diversity into account. If I were to read this book to my class, I would hope that they find the aesthetic value of the wonderfully collaged illustrations as well as the magical tale of good conquering evil. Due to the upper level reading required in this book, I would either read the book out loud to my class, or I would use it in the form of literature circles. In the literature circles, the students would discuss the book and their assigned readings daily as well as complete different activities so that they really understand what this book is all about and all that is has to offer.

Check out Susan Patron's awesome website to learn more about Lucky and her adventures, as well as some great teacher resources.

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel, Retold and Illustrated by Rachel Isadora

Picture Book for Children Ages 4 and Up

5 Out of 5 Stars

The new stepmother of Hansel and Gretel abandon the children in the woods, only to be captured by an evil witch. With quick wit and wisdom, Hansel and Gretel defeat the evil witch as well as the stepmother and return home to the happy life of living only with their father.

The evil stepmother pressures her husband, the father of Hansel and Gretel, to abandon the children because of how poor the family is. Although the father does not want to do this, he feels left with no other choice. At the end of the story, after Hansel and Gretel get away from the bad witch and return home with all of the witch’s pearls and precious gems, the stepmother has passed away and the family has plenty of money due to the jewels brought home by the children. The story then concludes by stating, “All the cares were at an end and they lived happily ever after” (Isadora). In this story, the power of money is at the center of this text. The family struggles to provide adequate food for all in the beginning of the story because they do not have enough money. This also causes the stepmother to convince her husband to abandon his children in the woods. Nobody is happy in this part of the story. The father misses his children and regrets his decision. The stepmother still has no more money than before and therefore is not happy about life. The children are lost, hungry, and get captured by a witch. It is not until the end of the story when the children come home with jewelry to sell for money that the family is happy. The fact that the stepmother, the only one who cared the most about money, was also gone caused the story to end on a happy note as well. This story shows people that money is directly linked to happiness, and that money can make people do things that they normally would not do.

Hansel and Gretel is a common and classic fairy tale. Due to its history and popularity, I would use this book in my classroom as the children would enjoy hearing a familiar tale. One reason why I may choose not to use this book is because of the fact that the family in the story is illustrated as a black family. This depiction could lead to students falling into the stereotypical relationship of black people struggling financially, since poverty is a big part of what this story is about.  On the flip side, this version of Hansel and Gretel is a positive version because of the way the family is illustrated as black. This is a positive because most fairy tales tell stories about white people, so this story takes diversity into account. If I were to read this book to my class, I would hope that they find the aesthetic value of the wonderfully collaged illustrations as well as the magical tale of good conquering evil.

To read the reviews of other people check out this website.

Rapunzel

Rapunzel

Retold and Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Picture Book for Children of All Ages

5 out of 5 Star Rating

A beautiful girl, named Rapunzel, was captured by a sorceress at birth to keep Rapunzel unexposed to the real world. While trapped alone in a tower, Rapunzel fell in love with a prince, unbeknownst to the sorceress, who climbed up her long locks of hair to visit Rapunzel at night. The sorceress exposed her evil side yet again when she learned the truth of Rapunzel and her secret husband.

            Paul O. Zelinsky took this age old fairy tale and created a beautifully illustrated picture book. The illustrations in this version of Rapunzel give the story more meaning than the plot line itself. The style of realism is clearly displayed in each picture of the book. The characters in the book are white, upper-class people and the representational style of the illustrations emphasizes this fact even more. Rapunzel’s parents are shown living in a large castle-like mansion with nothing but beauty all around them. When Rapunzel’s mother covets their neighbor’s rapunzel plants, her husband proceeds to steal them from the neighboring sorceress, who eventually catches the husband in the act and then punishes the couple by stealing their newborn daughter. This punishment of the sorceress shows the way that upper-class people are not above any other people, meaning that stealing is still a punishable crime no matter what rank one has in society.

Another way that Zelinsky’s illustrations bring more to the story than the text does by the way that the sorceress is not depicted as a scary old witch, but yet is depicted as a motherly figure who wants to protect Rapunzel from the harsh reality of the real world. This idea is also shown through the tower that the sorceress locks Rapunzel in. The tower is beautifully painted with an ornate design and it is described as having “many elegant rooms”. In each picture, Rapunzel is also wearing an beautiful dress, owns lovely necklaces and other gifts in her tower. If the sorceress wanted to imprison Rapunzel as a punishment, she would have locked her in an ugly, barren tower.

When the sorceress learns of Rapunzel discovering the real world, a world that includes men, she cuts off Rapunzel’s locks and sends her alone into the forest to bear her children. The sorceress also casts the prince, Rapunzel’s husband, off the tower causing him to become blind and roam the lonely forests as well. Love conquers all evil when Rapunzel and her husband are reunited in the end of the story after their painful, lonely wanderings through the woods. The power of this story lies in the exposure to society. Rapunzel’s parents learn the repercussions of stealing from others. The sorceress tries to hide Rapunzel from the real world, in order to keep her safe, but in reality she only learns that she can be truly happy when she does become exposed to society. This happiness is also depicted through the illustrations in this book.

As you can see through this lengthy analysis of Rapunzel, this book has a lot to offer. Due to this fact, I would definitely use this book within my classroom. The pure beauty of the illustrations, aside from the extra story that they tell, make it a worthwhile read aloud. Also, this story and its illustrations could foster a great classroom discussion involving the analysis of the illustrations, the story, and the ideals of society.

Pinocchio the Boy

Pinocchio the Boy, written and illustrated by Lane Smith

Picture book for children ages five through ten

4 out of 5 stars

Everyone knows the traditional story of Pinocchio the wooden boy, but in Pinocchio the Boy, the traditional story is summed up in the first page followed by a comical continuation story of Pinocchio as he sets out into town unknown of his new real boy identity.

Pinocchio the Boy is not a traditional fairy tale. The original fairy tale, where Pinocchio is a wooden boy who comes to life, is full of magic and mystery. The way that Pinocchio’s nose grows longer when he lies teaches the valuable lesson that lying is wrong. This modern day continuation is more of a story than a fairy tale because it does not follow the typical pattern of traditional fairy tales. For example, no clear moral of the story can be defined. No struggle between good and evil exists. Instead, Pinocchio is unknowingly turned into a real boy in his sleep and endures a day of trials and tribulations because he does not know that he no longer is a wooden puppet. This is where power can be found in the story. Pinocchio’s ignorance of his real identity causes problems for him throughout the day. The little cricket who is portrayed as Pinocchio’s companion and mentor in life refuses to talk to Pinocchio because he doesn’t recognize him. At the puppet theatre where he was a big hit the previous week as a talking wooden boy, he gets booed off the stage and thrown out of the theatre. Lastly, when he tries to show a vendor how his nose grows when he lies, it does not work. All of these incidences cause Pinocchio to feel sad and ashamed and this is due to his ignorance about his identity. Being ignorant is something that can cause problems for people in life and in many different situations. Although Pinocchio the Boy tells a modern day story more than it follows the typical structure of a fairy tale, it still captures the audience with the collaged illustrations and funny story line. It also teaches an important lesson on ignorance.

Due to the fact that so many children are familiar with the traditional story of Pinocchio, I would use this parody in my classroom as I think my students would find it captivating as well as hilarious. A post-reading discussion and lesson on ignorance, as well as identity, would also make this a beneficial read. Another potential activity connected to reading this story would be a writing activity. In this activity, the children could take a classic fairytale and then write a different ending or write a continuation of the story, similar to that of Pinocchio the Boy.

Lane Smith Books

Mississippi Moon

Mississippi Morning by Ruth Vander Zee, Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Picture book for children ages nine and up

James William, son of a racist white man, lives in the south and endures most of his childhood living in ignorance about his father’s beliefs while he befriends both white and black boys, until one day he discovers the truth of his father under his Ku Klux Klan white suit.

Mississippi Morning is a picture book that is on the controversial book list. This is understandable for the fact that the abhorrence that comes in the form of racism is described through a real-life story. The story begins describing James William as the picture perfect son. He is a boy who wakes up early to do complete the daily chores in place of his father who runs a hardware store in town. This hardware store is a symbolic landmark in this story. James William, while helping out at his father’s store, sees the men that gather and solve all of life’s problems on his father’s porch as great men. While hanging out with his friend Red, he hears a different perspective about the discussions and actions of his father and his friends. James William refuses to believe the fact that these great men could think that a black preacher got what he deserved when his church was set aflame. Another unknown insight gained from a friend came to James William in the form of his friend LeRoy, whom the reader only knows to be black based on the illustrations. LeRoy describes the group known as the Ku Klux Klan and their actions against his people. Still, James William refuses to believe it, even after his father refuses to answer his questions about such actions and groups. It is only when James William awakes earlier than normal to complete his chores and physically makes eye contact with his father pulling off his white Ku Klux Klan suit does he see the horror in the solutions that the men who sit on the porch of his father’s store have to the problems of the land.

Mississippi Morning would fall under the category of a well written book. It’s illustrations are wonderful. The story it tells and the lesson it teaches is powerful. Because this story is told from the perspective of an innocent young boy, this story becomes even more of a harsh reality when describing the white man’s discrimination against black people during the early 1900's. Children who read this book would be able to easily relate to James William in the story and then fully understand the horror of the actions of many white men and the Ku Klux Klan better than any textbook or any other history lesson. Due to this fact, this book should be used with caution. It is important to make sure that the audience is age appropriate as well as emotionally prepared for this story.

Although this book is considered to be controversial and could cause some parents to be upset about the content in this story, I would still use this book, when appropriate, as a part of my social studies curriculum. Any lesson that can be taught without using a textbook is worthwhile because students will be more excited about the lesson. With this book in particular, I think the children will really learn the material and understand the brutal reality of discrimination, then and now. My reasoning for choosing Mississippi Moon to read to my class while discussing early 20th Century United State history would be to emphasize the point that discrimination, in any form, is hurtful to many people.  The children would be able to relate to James William because he is a child of their same age, and they would be able to feel the shame that James William felt when he heard about Ku Klux Klan’s actions. Hopefully, the students will see the hatred in their actions and never want to take part in something like of their own. Lastly, I think Mississippi Moon would generate a great post-reading discussion about what the students would do if they were James William and they saw their father as a member of hate-group. So many other topics in history, as well as current events, relate to the hate crimes of the KKK that I think the lesson taught in this story is far more valuable than the chance of upsetting a child over the reality that is discrimination.

To see what another blogger thought of this book check out the blog Cynsations.