The Reader

The Reader

Specifics

APA Citation: Hest, A., & Castillo, L. (2012). The reader. Las Vegas, NV: Amazon Children's Publishing.

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Published in the last four years.

Lexile Level: AD480L

Audience: For younger readers

Summary

This story is about a boy who climbs to the top of a snow hill with his dog, a sled, and a brown suitcase. When they get to the top, they play in the snow and share special warm treats together. Then, it is story time, and the boy reads a story to the dog. When it is over, they sled to the bottom of the hill and they are home together. 

Evaluation

This book is adorable. First, the author places an importance on reading, as the boy is called "the Reader" and the climax of the story is the boy reading the book to the dog. She also uses a lot of repeition, which gives the book a good flow to it, "The wind blows. Snow blows. The hill is very very tall. The top is far, far away." She also uses this to create a bit of suspense, especially because readers don't know what is in the brown suitcase and are axious to find out. Then when it is revealed, students will get excited like, "Wow...that must be a great book for him to go through all that work to read it at the top of the hill." Hopefully it excites the reader.

My favorite part of this book was the illustrations. Normally, I read the text first then look over the pictures, but for this book I couldn't help but look at the pictures first. They are bright because of the snow, you can see the dog and boy's love for each other, and overall the pictures are just gorgeous. Readers can practically feel the chill in the air that it portrays.

Mini Lesson

Because the photographs were my favorite part of this story, I would have the class draw a picture of a special event in their life. This will also help them realize that this event doesn't have to be a "once in a lifetime" thing like a vacation, a birthday party or a trip to an amusement park. It can be something as simple as taking your dog for a walk to the top of a snow hill. 

White Socks Only

White Socks Only

Specifics

APA Citation: Coleman, E., Cohn, S. B., & Geter, T. (1996). White socks only. Morton Grove, IL: A. Whitman. Accessed online from http://www.storylineonline.net/white-socks-only/

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonist, Online materials

Lexile Level: AD630L

Audience: Anybody can read this, however I think to understand the story well, it would be better suited for an audience who was at least in the 3rd grade and with an adult. 

Summary

This story is about a young black girl who sneaked into town by herself, even though her mother says she's not old enough to do any good so she can't go into town. When she gets there, she goes to drink from a water fountain labled "Whites Only". She was in luck, she bent down, slipped off her shoes, and stepped on to drink from the fountain in her white socks. This is when a white man walked up and started yelling at her and taking off his belt to beat her with it. A crowd formed. An older black lady from the young girl's church walked up, took off her shoes and stepped up to the fountain to drink as well. It became a movement, many black folks walked up, took off their shoes to reveal many colors of socks, and drank from the "Whites only" water fountain. In the end, the sign was removed from the water fountain and anybody could drink from it. 

Evaluation

I loved this book. The text was brilliant and beautiful and the illustrations were colorful and appealing to the eye. The author, Evelyn Coleman, uses many literary devices throughout the story such as similie, "His face got as red as fire" and hyperbole "And child was it hot! On that kind of a day a firecracker might light up by itself."

This book has a theme of racism and the young girl ended up taking a stand against it, without even realizing it. Then, many people stood by her and followed her lead, which ended up getting the sign removed. 

This author did a fabulous job, I would absolutely read more of her books. 

Mini Lesson

For this book, we would have a class discussion about racism and the civil rights movement. 

No Mirrors in My Nana's House

No Mirrors in My Nana's House 

Specifics

APA Citation: Barnwell, Y. M., & James, S. S. (2005). No mirrors in my Nana's house. Orlando, FL: Harcourt. Accessed online from http://www.storylineonline.net/no-mirrors-in-my-nanas-house/

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonist, Online materials

Lexile Level: NP

Audience: This book can be used for all kinds of audiences. I would use it all the way through 8th grade depending on the lesson. Because it is also a song, even music teachers could use it in their class. 

Summary

This is a short but sweet book about a girl's nana not having mirrrors in her house so she couldn't see all of the "imperfections" she has, but there was beauty in everything. 

Evaluation

Although this book was short, it was rich with literary elements. First, she uses a similie again and again throughout the book, "So the beauty that I saw in everything, the beauty in everything, was in her eyes like the rising of the sun." The author, Ysaye M. Barnwell, also uses repetition throughout the book. 

The book was also adapted from a song. The author is a part of a singing group and she turned their music into this book. 

Mini Lesson

I would have the students listen to the song that this book was adapted from, and then have them investigate to find other books that are from songs and we could share them as a class. 

Catching the Moon

Catching the Moon

Specifics

APA Citation: Hubbard, C., & DuBurke, R. (2005). Catching the moon: the story of a young girl's baseball dream. New York: Lee & Low Books. Accessed online from http://www.storylineonline.net/catching-the-moon-the-story-of-a-young-girls-baseball-dream/

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonist, Online materials

Lexile Level: AD70L

Audience: This book is great for any grade level of students. I would read it to a class through middle school. 

Summary

This story is about a young girl, Marcenia, who loves playing baseball, but her parents are not as supportive because they would rather her focus on school. One day a man named Mr. Street told the kids that he is hosting a baseball camp, but it is for boys only. Marcenia tries again and again to prove to him that she is good enough for his camp, and eventually he agrees to let her go, but she cannot afford the cleats she needs. In the end, Mr. Street bought her a brand new pair of cleats, her father said she can go to camp, and she swears she will grow up to become a professional baseball player. 

Evaluation

This story is a good story to read to encourage students to follow their dreams, no matter how many obstacles are in their way. However, there are some stereotypes in the book that are difficult to ignore. First, her father says to her mother that Marcenia will grow up to be like all of the other girls around them, either a teacher, a nurse or a maid. Then Mr. Street is being sexist throughout much of the book and although Marcenia was a great player, he wouldn't take her right away like all of the other boys, she had to prove herself. Mr. Street is a also a white, middle class looking in charge. Lastly, the family is too poor to afford to send her to baseball camp, even though it is free all she would need is new cleats. The hero was first Mr. Street who bought cleats for Marcenia, and then her father her simply gave her permission. Of course none of that would have happened if Marcenia wasn't persistent, but the real heroes were men. 

The writing itself was beautiful. The author uses a lot of similes throughout the text, "As if the moon would drop into it like so many fly balls had before." "[The moon] was so round and bright like a brand new baseball." The illustrations really show how much fun Marcenia has on the field.

The story is also a great one to read because it is a true story, and the girl is now a professional baseball player. This will excite and encourage students to want to push themselves, no matter how hard, to chase their dreams. 

Mini Lesson

I would have the students write about their dreams or goals and how they are going to achieve them. I'd also like them to write about if they ever have been told they can't or if they've been discouraged by an adult to follow their dreams. 

Sleep Like a Tiger

Sleep Like a Tiger

Specifics

APA Citation: Logue, M., & Zagarenski, P. (2012). Sleep like a tiger. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Written in the last four years, diverse protagonist

Lexile Level: Not Available

Audience: This is a good book for younger readers.

Summary

This book is about a little girl who was not sleepy, but her parents told her to get ready for bed anyways. When she got tucked into bed, she asked if the whole world sleeps. Her parents said yes, and they began to talk about how all kinds of animals go to sleep. Then she says she still not sleepy and her parents tell her she can stay awake all night if she wants and they leave her tucked into bed with the lights off. She then falls asleep and sleeps like all of the animals they had talked about.

Evaluation

This book is not one I would read to my students, but I'd be happy to have it in my classroom. I believe this story serves better as a bedtime story than something to read with a class.

The author did a great job teaching about a few animals and how they sleep like bats, whales, and tigers. She used reptition to first teach about all of the animals, then to show that the girl slept like them too. 

This story has only three people, they are all white. There is nothing stereotypical about this book and the author does not use loaded words.

The illustrations are pretty and are a huge part of why this story is so nice. It uses darker colors to get the reader in the mood to sleep and shows sleeping comfortable animals. 

Mini Lesson

I might have the students write about what they do to prepare for bed and what they do when they can't sleep. 

Knock Knock

Knock Knock

Specifics

APA Citation: Beaty, D., & Collier, B. (2013). Knock knock: my dad's dream for me. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonist, written in the last 4 years

Lexile Level: AD780L

Audience: This book would be a great book for a read aloud for a grade school and even middle school classroom. 

Summary

This story is about a boy who loves his father and they have a special connection together, as many boys and their fathers do. However, one morning his father isn't there to play their special knock knock game. He is gone for several months before the son hears anything from him. Finally, he receives a letter full of advice from his father, saying although he cannot be there for his son, he knows he still is there in his heart. 

Evaluation

The book took a turn I was not expecting when I picked it up. However, I think this book is great for a read aloud to address situations where a parent leaves and cannot come back. This could be due to being incarcerated (as the author's father was, which inspired this story), divorce or even death. I think this is a story that children can really connect to after having gone through a separation from a loved one like this. 

The illustrations were beautifully made out of watercolor. The boy starts off happy and full of light as he and his father play their game. However, after the dad leaves, the art gets a bit darker. The sky is not as blue, "which symbolizes the boy's loss" according to the illustrator. When he gets older, we see him get a bit happier, but the father figure is still in some of the illustrations, as the boy is still longing for his dad.

Mini Lesson

For this book, I would have the children simply write about a family member. They can get as personal as they choose. This could mean a discussion of their favorite pet, or they could dig deeper and talk about their parents, grandparents, or siblings. They should also talk about what they have learned from this specific family member. They can read them out loud if they choose, but I would not force them to do it, as this can be a very personal experience. 

Pet Show

Pet Show

Specifics

APA Citation: Keats, E. J. (2001). Pet show! New York: Puffin Books.

Meets EDU 333 Blog Requirement For: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonist

Lexile Level: AD370

Audience: This is a good book for a younger audience. I wouldn't go higher than about 3rd grade. Of course, students of all ages can enjoy this book, but I wouldn't choose it as a read alowed as they get older. 

Summary

This short story is about a pet show and how Archie will find his lost cat in time to bring him to the show to be judged. As the show goes on and all of his classmates receive awards for their pets, Archie is struggling to get there on time. He finally arrives, with a pet, but not his cat. He got creative and brought a jar with a germ in it for his pet. He won quietest pet of the day. 

Evaluation

I think young readers will enjoy this book. I like that this book is just about a normal kid trying to get his pet to the pet show on time. The illustrations are beautiful and vibrant and I believe it will grasp the students' attention. The author creates a bit of suspense for the children...will Archie find his cat on time? When his cat does show up, but with another lady who won a ribbon for it, what will Archie do? In the end, it worked out and it was a cute ending with everyone's pets receiving a ribbon. 

The author does not negatively show stereotypes in this novel, nor does he use loaded words. The book has many diverse characters in it, and all are portrayed well. This would be a good book to have in a classroom that will help to show children that there are books with children from all races.

Mini Lesson

If possible, I think it would be fun to have a class pet show and have students bring in all sorts of pets. However, it is unlikely I will get approval to turn my classroom into a miniature zoo, so instead I would have the kids make up animals! They could create their own animal species, draw pictures of them, describe them (how big, what they eat, if they are friendly, etc.) and then have a pretend pet show.