Module 14- SLIS 5420

Scranimals

By Jack Prelutsky

Prelutsky, J. (2002). Scranimals. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Summary

Two young children are on an adventure to Scranimal island, where there live very unique creatures. Each of these amazing creatures is a mixture of animal, plant, fruit, or vegetable. Some of these remarkable Scranimals include the Bananaconda, Porcupineapple, and Broccolion. This book is filled with fun and quirky rhymes and poems depicting the wonderful inhabitants of this whimsical island.

Impressions

I am not a big fan of poetry, in general, but I really love this book! I really enjoy Prelutsky’s work, as it is usually quite humorous and fun for the reader. I don’t care for stuffy, formal poetry, so this book is a great choice for someone like me. I can appreciate the rhyme and effort  of the book without feeling like I just read something I HAD to read. I will be promoting this book and more of Prelutsky’s work to my students when discussing poetry.

Reviews

Prelutsky's poems and Sís's illustrations describe "potatoads," "bananacondas," "hippopotamushrooms," and other hybrid residents of Scranimal Island. By combining the name of one animal with that of another animal, plant, or fungi, the poet shows how playing with language can lead to silliness, while still following most of nature's rules: if there were such things as "broccolions," they would logically prey upon "antelopetunias." After meeting these intriguing creatures, readers can try their hand at their own cross-pollination of species with words and pictures.

Engelfried, S. (2004). Scranimals (Book). School Library Journal, 50(6), 58.

Kids will easily get and appreciate most of the combinations (the Potatoad, the Radishark); others require a greater level of sophistication (the Camelberta Peach, the Cardinalbacore), though a helpful chart appears on the back cover. Sís's simultaneously imaginative and concrete illustrations transform a nice-enough collection of related poems into a unified whole.

Parravano, M. V. (2003). Scranimals. Horn Book Magazine, 79(1), 91.

Suggestions for Use

I would love to use this book with a poetry unit. I like the fact that this book has the rhyming element, which is what most students look for in poetry, at least initially. But even more than that, I would like to show the students how poetry can be fun and whimsical to write and to read. I think many times kids get the idea that poetry has to be very formal and stuffy, and any opportunity I can take to show them otherwise is a chance I don’t want to miss.

Module 13- SLIS 5420

Red Ted and the Lost Things

By Michael Rosen

Rosen, M. (2009). Red Ted and the lost things. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

Summary

Red Ted is a teddy bear that has been left at the train station by his owner. He is placed on a shelf with some other lost things. Fearing he will never see his owner again, he decides to set out to find her. With the help of an alligator friend he has made and a cat they encounter along the way, Red Ted finds his way back home and into the arms of his owner.

Impressions

This graphic novel is a sweet story about friendship and loyalty between a stuffed animal and its owner. Though obviously fiction, this book portrays the feeling that most all of us have felt about our most beloved stuffed animals. I liked the way the author turned it around and showed the bear as being the one with the feelings of love and devotion, rather than the child. I’m sure we would all like to think that our stuffed toys love us just as much as we love them!

Reviews

Rosen's quirky combination of characters is matched by Stewart's muted colors and deliberately hazy backgrounds, which nicely spotlight the stuffed animals. His use of panels, which effectively further the action, vary from one to six per page and provide a quiet but effective pace. Noteworthy is an almost all-white, one-and-a-half-page spread; the sole image (on the bottom of the recto) is the trio depicted at Stevie's door, alone and in despair. The plucky and determined Red Ted deserves a place among the many lost-toys books on library shelves.

Elleman, B. (2009). Red Ted and the lost things. School Library Journal, 55(11), 86-87.

Red Ted, accidentally left behind, is deposited in the Place for Lost Things. Determined to find the little girl who loves him, he escapes the cavernous closet of forgotten toys. A naysaying crocodile and cheese-craving cat join Ted's expedition, and together they search for friendship, family and food in this charming tale. Both text and illustrations evoke time-tested teddy-bear classics such as Corduroy, with its toy-comes-alive point of view, and Paddington and Winnie-the-Pooh, with delicately penciled characters clearly defined against subtly drawn backgrounds.

Red Ted and the lost things. (2009). Kirkus Reviews, 77(20), 111.

Suggestions for Use

This book is a great introduction to graphic novels, especially for younger students. This is really the first graphic novel I ever read. It would be a good teaching tool to use to explain the proper way to read a graphic novel. You could also discuss the similarities and differences between books and graphic novels.

Book Trailers- SLIS 5420

Flotsam by David Weisner

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Swimmy by Leo Lionni

Module 12- SLIS 5420

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By  Doreen Rappaport

Rappaport, D. (2001). Martin’s big words: The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.

Summary

This book is a wonderful representation of Dr. King’s life and his passion for civil rights and the movement towards equality for African Americans. The story is told chronologically from the time Martin was a young boy through the events of his death. It depicts his life work and importance in a way that younger children can understand and relate to. Beautiful illustrations help to create a classic children’s picture book.

Impressions

This is a fabulous book because it tells the very important life story of Dr. King in a way that elementary aged students can understand. It’s so vital that our students grasp the reasons that he was and still is such a major figure in our American history. I think it’s a very difficult concept for kids to grasp that things were not always the way they are now for African Americans, and they need to be able to relate, as best they can, to how hard life was before the civil rights movement. I think this book does a wonderful job of conveying the work of Dr. King in a kid-friendly way.

Reviews

Elegant and accessible, this powerful homage to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and beliefs is illustrated with glorious collage art made of cut paper, photographs, and watercolors. The narrative is interspersed with quotes from King himself and raises questions about oppression, prejudice, racism, and overcoming violence in nonviolent ways. An evocative introduction to the man who championed racial equality and who "taught others to fight with words, not fists."

Ralston, J. (2003). Martin's Big Words (Book). School Library Journal, 49(10), 98.

The author relies on her subject's own words, and his power, passion and pacifism shine through. Collier's (Uptown) striking watercolor and cut paper collage art feature closely focused, lifelike images of King and other individuals against an inventive montage of patterns and textures. The portraits of King exude his spiritual strength and peaceful visage. In the background of some scenes are intricate recreations of stained glass windows, which, Collier explains in an introductory note, he interprets as a metaphor for King's life. An elegant, understated pictorial biography.

Roback, D., Brown, J. M., Britton, J., & Zaleski, J. (2001). Martin’s big words (Book Review). Publishers Weekly, 248(41), 64.

Suggestions for Use

I have used this book during Black History month to explain the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. in our history. I think most children have heard of him at a young age, but do not really understand who he was or what he did for our country. I used the video version of the book and before showing it, asked the students what they could tell me about Dr. King. We watched the video version of the story, which is very impactful. The narrator, Michael Clark Duncan, has a very powerful and impressive voice, which lends itself very well to the importance of the story. After watching, I asked the students to tell me again why Dr. King was so important, and the responses were very different. They really seemed to “get it” and appreciate his contributions to our society.

Module 11- SLIS 5420

Let’s Save the Animals
By Frances Barry

Barry, F. (2010). Let’s save the animals. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

Summary

Many animals around the world are endangered. This colorful, lift-the-flap book has colorful illustrations that show some of these special animals and why they are endangered. At the back of the book, there are two pages of ways to help protect and save the animals, such as conserving energy, not littering, and respecting wildlife.

Impressions

This is a very basic book for younger children that explains the concept of endangered animals in a gentle way. It gives just enough facts to create understanding, but not alarm. The pictures in this story are colorful and attractive to the reader, and the flaps offer an additional interest to children. It has a “go green” edge to it, with the suggestions for recycling and keeping the earth clean and healthy. The students on my campus really enjoyed this book, and it was chosen as one of this year’s 2x2 books.

Reviews

Each spread highlights an endangered animal, such as the Amur tiger and giant panda. A flap in the middle of the spread, when flipped, reveals the same animal in a different pose. The concept worked well in Duckie's Rainbow (2004) and Duckie's Ducklings (2005,both Candlewick) because the flipping of the page enhanced the visualization of what Barry was trying to show: for example, actually creating a rainbow. The flaps do not work that way here; they merely provide a novel way of presenting the material.

Dean, K. (2010). Let's Save the Animals: A Flip-the-Flap Book. School Library Journal, 56(7), 55.

Each oblong spread in this eye-catching and informative book features endangered animals rendered in matte paper collage. Large flaps show animals engaging in multiple activities (a polar bear is seen "strolling across the ice," then "diving into the Arctic Ocean"). The playful expressions of Barry's lively animals make the final spreads all the more stark, as they reappear in black die-cut silhouettes. A page turn, and they're "gone forever." End-pages help answer the closing question, "How can I help?"

Let's Save the Animals: A Flip-the-Flap Book. (2010). Publishers Weekly, 257(9), 52.

Suggestions for Use

Read this book to younger elementary aged students during the time frame of Earth Day. Have students make a list of all the ways they can help to “go green” and help save the animals and the earth. Ask students to get their families involved in some of these things.

Module 10- SLIS 5420

The Other Side
By Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, J. (2001). The other side. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.


Summary

Clover is a young African American girl living in the time period when whites and blacks were still segregated and separate. One day she discovers that her neighbor is another young girl, a white girl named Annie, who often comes to the fence that separates their properties. Both girls have been told not to go over to the other side of the fence, but after Annie continues to sit on the fence, Clover decides that she will join her up there. The two become fast friends, and eventually Annie in welcomed into Clover’s circle of friends.

Impressions

This is a sweet story of friendship and the power of choice. I loved the softness of the author’s approach to the subject of racial segregation. It was obvious in the story, but done in a way that was not harsh, as seen through the eyes of a child who didn’t understand the issues surrounding skin color. I also appreciated the fact that both girls were respectful of their mother’s instructions, but managed to find a way around the situation without being defiant. I really enjoyed this book!

Reviews

A fence separates Clover's black side of town from Annie's white side. Clover's mother has warned against climbing over it, but after watching Annie with no one to play with, she decides to make friends with her. Since they can't climb over the fence, the girls sit on it instead. Beautifully realistic and expressive watercolor illustrations complement the text.

Oluonye, M. N. (2004). The Other Side (Book). School Library Journal, 50(10), 66.

This book delivers a subtle but powerful message about friendship and racial divisions in an earlier time in America. The hopeful "Someday" at the end of the book leads the reader to consider whether that someday has yet come. Wonderfully expressive watercolor paintings executed in soft pastels and restful greens appeal to the reader; they also help to communicate the feelings of the characters and the simple lifestyle in the small rural town. This is a lovely picture book for all ages.

Feehrer, B. B. (2001). The Other Side (Book Review). Library Talk, 14(4), 48.

Suggestions for Use

This would be a wonderful book to use for a black history month lesson with younger students. Most young children can’t comprehend what life was like back in the time of segregation, and this book can provide some insight for them on their level. Preface the story with the subject of racial segregation and how life was very different many years ago, and after reading, discuss some other things that were different for people during those times.