Module 2- SLIS 5420

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

by Barbara Robinson


Robinson, Barbara. (1972). The best Christmas pageant ever. New York: HarperCollins.




Summary

When the church Christmas pageant is overtaken by the Herdmans, the town’s rowdy, raucous family of bullies, everyone is outraged and worried. But as the wild family learns about the true meaning of Christmas, things don’t go quite the way everyone suspected. What happens at the pageant leaves everyone surprised and amazed.

Impressions

I LOVED this book! I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read it. I think we can all relate to the Herdman family, and we can all relate to how we would feel if we were faced with the challenge of working with them on a project. This book is very relatable and easy to read. The humor is timeless and draws the reader in very quickly. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh-in fact, I’ve already told my 9 year old to read it!

Reviews

Readers are introduced to the six Herdmans, "the worst kids in the history of the world." They lie, steal, and play with matches "…and when they didn't have anything else to do, they would bang the garage door up and down and try to squash each other." When they take over the annual Christmas pageant, everyone is horrified but, of course, the Herdmans bring a chaotic sincerity and authenticity to the evening that is truly moving.

Mitnick, E. (2011). The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. School Library Journal, 57(10), 96.


Robinson's classic tale, first published in 1972, relates the story of the six ill-behaved Herdman children, who suddenly begin attending Sunday school at their neighborhood church. They take over all the major roles in the Christmas pageant, causing lots of humorous mischief along the way. The unusual pageant is ultimately a great success, with heartfelt performances by the Herdman kids, who bring their holiday ham to the manger as their offering.

The best Christmas pageant ever. (2011). Kirkus Reviews, 79(17), 1626.

Suggestions for Use

This would be a wonderful read aloud for older students. It would provide some great opportunities for discussions about bullying, which is a topic of great importance in our schools now. I would also use it as an teaching tool for explaining how everyone needs acceptance and for stressing the importance of not judging a book by its cover. Because the children in the story are elementary aged kids, my own students could relate to the antics and issues in the book.

Module 2- SLIS 5420

Swimmy
by Leo Lionni

Lionni, Leo. (1964). Swimmy. New York, NY: Knopf, distributed by Random House.

Summary

In a vast ocean of wonders, Swimmy finds that he is different from the other fish in his school. One day, after all his companions are gobbled up by another large fish, Swimmy is all alone to explore the sea. As he travels, he discovers amazing creatures and beautiful things he never knew existed before. When he encounters a new school of fish that are much like his old friends, he must help them find a way to face their fears and explore with him.

Impressions

I really enjoyed the storyline in this book. It is one of reinforcing the idea that it's okay to be different and that we all have our own unique and valuable qualities. It also presents and reinforces the fact that anyone can be a hero, regardless of size, color, gender, etc. I tend to have a strong connection with these types of books, and this one was no exception. The illustrations are beautiful and soft, with a bit of an abstract feel to them. I found them very soothing and calm.

Reviews

Swimmy, the little black fish and lone survivor in a school of red ones, devises an ingenious scheme for protecting a new school of fish friends. Lionni has illustrated his clever story with a series of astonishingly beautiful seascapes full of undulating watery nuances of shape, pattern, and color.

Swimmy. (1991). Horn Book Magazine, 67(5), 618.

An exquisite picture book. A little fish, the lone survivor of a school of fish swallowed by a tuna, devises a plan to camouflage himself and his new companions.

Swimmy. (2009). School Library Journal, 55(4), 30.

Suggestions for Use

This would be a wonderful book to use with students for a lesson about differences between us, whether they are cultural, racial, socio-economical, or physical. Begin by having a discussion with the students about the kinds of differences we see among our group. Let them give suggestions and make a list. Read the story and then go back and consult the list, making connections between the story and the suggestions they provided. End the lesson by reinforcing that although we are different, we are all valuable and can contribute to society, just like Swimmy.

SLIS 5420- Module 1

Bats at the Library
by Brian Lies


Lies, Brian. (2008). Bats at the Library. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.



Summary

This whimsical story tells of a lively group of bats who discover one boring night that the window of the local library has been left open after dark. They can hardly contain their excitement as they hurry inside. The opportunity to explore the books doesn't come around often for this group! The older bats setttle in quickly with favorites to read, while the young ones explore and have fun, listening to story time and enjoying pop-up books. A wonderful time is had by all, until the sun begins to come up and they all must fly.

Impressions

I enjoyed this book as it puts a fun spin on the library and all that a person can enjoy there. The author does a great job of conveying the joy that reading and getting lost in a story can bring. I love the way that the bats are all so thrilled to visit, and what a treat it is for them. The illustrations, which are done by the author, are beautiful and interesting, and complete the story very well.

Reviews

When a library window is left ajar, news travels fast through the bat colony and what had started out as a normal kind of evening…turns into a very special, fun-filled evening in the public library. After much reading and much play with the photocopier and the water fountain, the bats all settle down in the library for an enchanting storytime. If the readers of Bats in the Library look closely, they’ll see that the book is upside down!

Brodie, C. (2009). Bats, Bats, and More Bats! (Bats at the Library). School Library Monthly, 26(2), 24-26.

The author's full page illustrations appear in various hues of blue to gold reflecting the passage of time. In the last set of lines, the bats are thinking about all the things they read and look forward to the call for "Bat Night at the Library." My favorite lines in the story are "Please keep it down—you must behave! This library is not your cave!" This is an enjoyable story for young library visitors.

Scroggs, S. (2009). Bats at the Library. Library Media Connection, 27(5), 67.

Suggestions for Use

This is a wonderful book to use with younger grades to introduce them to the library and all the wonderful possiblities it holds for them. I have actually used this already with Kinder and First grades this year, and they loved it! We read the story and then went back and talked about the different aspects and activities that the bats were doing throughout the book and compared them to our library, while putting a fun spin on it. (ex: Do we have story time here in our library? Do we hang upside down while we listen to stories??)