Annotated Bibliography - a list of 10 GREAT children's books!

10. Kajikawa, Kimiko. (2008). Close to You: How Animals Bond.  New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

     Kimiko Kajikawa has created an amazing informational book teaching us the multiple ways that animals show love to their young. The photographs are real, the text is written in a rhyming poem, and any loved child will certainly be able to relate to this non-fiction book!

9. Pearson, Emily. (2002). Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.

     Emily Pearson's picture book has the power to touch both adults and children as it shows that no matter how small a generous gesture may be, giving and helping another human being in whatever way you can goes a long way. This book is "extraordinary" because it proves that any "ordinary" person can make the world a brighter and better place to live. 

8. Adler, David A., and Ritz, Karen. (1993). A Picture Book of Anne Frank. USA: Holiday House.

     This biography picture book tells of Anne Frank's experience of being a young Jewish girl hiding in an Amsterdam attic during WWII. This serious issue is written/illustrated in an appropriate way so that children too can  learn about a part of humankind's devastating history which was the Holocaust. 

7. Silverstein, Shel. (1996). Falling Up: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

     Shel Silverstein's poetry is full of fun, nonsense, imaginative creatures, and creative illustrations while the majority are told from a child's perspective. But you needn't worry - there are some serious and meaningful poems included too! These poems and their accompanying illustrations are a must have for any children's library!

6. Williams, Margery and Spirin, Gennady. (2011). The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real. NY: Marshall Cavendish Children.

     The Velveteen Rabbit is a classic and emotional tale of fantasy about how toys become real. Children will relate to the story because at some point we all treat and think of our toys as "real" and believe without a doubt that they can hear, love and protect us.

5. MacLachlan, Patricia. (1985). Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York, NY: Harper Trophy.

     MacLachlan's classic historical fiction novel is a great choice to include in the classroom. It offers children a glance at an unfamiliar period in history and helps show that all people share commonalities and need to depend on each other no matter what era we come from.

4. Wiesner, David. (2006). Floatsam. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

     Floatsam, a wordless picture book, is a great "read" whose stunning illustrations make us use our imaginations to envision an underwater world where anything is possible. When a young boy finds an old camera washed up on the beach we are thrown into an underwater world where we are responsible for providing the text ourselves.

3. Watt, Mélanie. (2001). Leon the Chameleon. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.

     Watt's Leon the Chameleon is the perfect picture book to use when teaching children that it is good to be different! This inspirational story of a young chameleon who cannot blend in with his surroundings testifies that we should learn to love and celebrate the traits that make us unique!

2. Ellis, Deborah. (2001). The Breadwinner. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

     I strongly believe that every elementary teacher should have Deborah Ellis' novel The Breadwinner as part of their library collection. This contemporary modern fiction story about life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule will make any western society child appreciate what they have.

1. Bouchard, Hervé and Nadeau, Janice. (2009). Harvey: How I Became Invisible. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

     This heartbreaking graphic novel about a young boy who loses his dad and begins to feel invisible quickly became the most powerful children's book I have read thus far. A touching tale about how to deal with the feelings of grief after losing someone we love.

Journal Entry 10

Close to You: How Animals Bond

By: Kimiko Kajikawa

Since my last two entries have been about some pretty deep topics, I have decided to lighten the mood for my last entry! I found Close to You: How Animals Bond in the CMC today and thought it would be a lovely book to help conclude my journal!

This informational book is all about love. The book explains all the different ways animals show love towards each other, but I personally connected with it because there are multiple ways that the special people in my life make me feel loved too!

Here is a poem I wrote in response:

Sometimes a hug is just what I need
Sometimes feel like a kiss on the cheek
Sometimes a snuggle is my biggest wish
Sometimes a cuddle is next on my list


Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in my tracks
And a hug from my love helps me calm and relax
Sometimes I just need to curl up and nap
With my head resting on a trustworthy lap


Sometimes the days are long and tough
Sometimes the weather is bound to get rough
But every time I'm feeling down and upset
A hug full of love sure is the best bet! 

                                    --- A. Paul

What initially attracted me to this book were the visual elements. Each two page spread has a think, bright border each a different color. The left hand side has the text in a large, attractive, and fun print while the right hand page has a real photograph. Because I have mainly journaled fictional stories, most of them have had illustrations painted or drawn through a media (normally watercolor). It is different to see real photographs in a young children's book, but they are very pleasing. Each photo is of an animal and its young showing love to one another and I know any animal lover out there would absolutely love them. They are unbelievably cute photographs and it is interesting to see animals showing love in many of the same ways that humans do! (Example: kissing and hugging.) Most children will relate to the book because they will have guardians or special people in their life that show love to them in similar ways. In addition, any child who is obsessed with animals will love viewing the photographs, particularly those photos of animals not native to their land (Example: the alligator carrying their babies in their mouth for protection). I found some photos rather interesting and learned a lot myself!

The second reason I really like this informational book is because of the text itself. It is written as a rhyming poem which I have learned most children seem to love! Example: "Polar Bears cuddle in a den of snow. Ducklings line up in a single row. Kangaroos nestle and go for a ride. Elephants walk closely side by side." I also like that at the end of the book there is an additional section with  more information on each animal, charts with stastistics, and additional website resources where readers who are interested in learning more about the animals can visit.

Reading this book made me feel happy and fuzzy inside. There is something about the innocence of baby animals that just pull on the heart strings. It also makes you view the world differently when you see animals showing many of the same emotions that humans display as well. Who knew that animals hugged, kissed, cuddled and rubbed noses like we do? It really puts the animal kingdom into perspective! It made me realize that animals are smarter than we give them credit for and we are similar in many ways. Despite being written for very young readers, I would recommend this informational book to any animal lover at any age!

Journal Entry 9

A Picture Book of Anne Frank

By: David A. Adler

Illustrated By: Karen Ritz

I knew I wanted to include a biography in my journal from the first day we were given this assignment and I noticed it as a category on the syllabus. The first book that instantly crossed my mind to include was "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl". I purchased and read Anne Frank's published diary last Spring as part of my yearly Summer To-Read List. Each Summer I spend my vacation reading the list of books I generate throughout the year but just cannot find time to read during the semester. Anne Frank made the list last year because perhaps strangely, The Holocaust fascinates me. I love learning about it, reading about it, and watching movies about it. I think there's just something so disturbing about the whole unfortunate event that I am drawn to it. I try and try to understand it, but I just can't. However, after considering writing about Anne Frank's diary, I quickly realized it is far too advanced to include in my journal as a children's book. So, when I found this version of Anne Frank's story aimed specifically for a juvenile audience, I knew immediately I found the biography I wanted to journal about.

Anne Frank is without a doubt on top of my list of inspirational people. At only 15 years old she was more brave, tremendous, and sophisticated than I'll ever be. If you are familiar with her story, you will probably agree when I say that at only 13 years old, she was wise beyond her years. I am glad that Adler decided that Anne Frank's story was worth telling to a young audience. As a sort of "controversial" topic, I am glad that Adler presented the information in an age appropriate manner for children. For some reason, I am drawn to these types of books - books with deep messages that aren't all "sunshine and lollipops". Sure those books are great, but I also believe that if we shelter children from every bit of potential "harm" out there, we risk history repeating itself. The Holocaust was unfortunately real, and if an author writes a book for young readers in an appropriate, respectful, and accurate manner, then I think its message should be shared (given some discretion of course).  

This version of Anne Frank's story is written wonderfully for a younger audience, focusing on the necessary facts and using language that most children would be able to understand if being read to. The illustrations are breathtaking and deep, and I could honestly spend hours studying them. Ritz has done an amazing job at capturing the emotions in her watercolour images and embedded black and white "photograph" sketches. One heartbreaking image near the end of the book is one of Anne and her sister with their shaved heads wearing facial expressions of lost hope and defeat. The images are what contributes to an even more powerful story. The story of this one brave girl representing millions is simply amazing and it makes me appreciate the life I have been blessed with thus far. I'll never fully understand the Holocaust or how human beings could possibly be so cruel to one another no matter how much I study or read about it, but all I ask is that we learn from our mistakes and never repeat them. This book presents like a window as we take a look into a past, learn about a girl who was real, and make the story as personal as we can. It is hard to envision 6 million people being killed, however, when you get to know them as real people, with real families and possessions, it makes it real. I like how the author put it:

"Some people find it difficult to understand the enormous tragedy of the Holocaust, the organized murder of millions of people. But when they read Anne's diary, it all becomes real. Then they know one of the victims. They know Anne Frank" (unnumbered)

There are some people who hear the word "biography" and instantly think "boring". That couldn't be further from the truth and I think that this book proves it. Non-fiction has the ability to be some of the most powerful writing there is. I have seen many children during my observation days reading books that I personally would never have guessed they'd like - mainly informational books. I think the lesson to be learned is that as future educators we should remember to keep a variety of books in our classroom for students because not everyone will prefer reading fictional story books. Many children like books like these - those embedded with fascinating true facts about the world in which they live.

Journal Entry 8

Harvey: How I Became Invisible

By: Hervé Bouchard

Illustrations: Janice Nadeau

After looking through the CMC for examples of graphic novels (my genre presentation topic), I found Harvey in the shelves and thought it looked interesting. I checked it out and brought it home, but little did I know, it would become my new favorite children's book. I ordered my own copy after reading it because it was just one of those books that I experienced such a powerful connection with. This journal entry will probably take on a different approach than the others, it is because I responded so differently to it.

A guiding question on the list handed out in class asked how the book compared with our own life and if it was like a mirror or a window in any way. I have said yes in other entries, but nothing is quite as true as saying this book was like looking into a mirror of my past. Regrettably, I know exactly how it feels to see a house full of strangers giving you looks of empathy without really understanding why. The words have been said but you just have no idea the impact of them yet. I was ten years old when my dad suddenly passed away. My little brother was seven. I understand how it feels to have to explain death to a younger sibling without really even understanding it yourself. I took on the role of "big sister" and stepped into the role of "mom" when mom couldn't quite do it herself, just as Harvey had to do as well. I know what it's like to feel invisible as everyone around is watching, but nobody knows quite what to say. Looking back, it is sort of like an "out of body" experience. When I think back, I see myself on the outside looking in, I guess it is the coping mechanism within us. I know how it feels to want to see your mom happy again but having no idea how to help. And I also know the feeling of realizing what it is all about when it comes time to say the final goodbyes.

No child should have to go through these experiences at such a young age, but the reality is that many children do. I'm sure some will argue that this book is a "controversial" book that young readers shouldn't experience. However, I know what it is like to attend school and have everyone act differently towards you. All you want is for everyone to act the way they used to and to feel as if you're not the only person in the world going through a tough time. The point I'm trying to make is that I would have liked to read Harvey when I was in elementary and to realize "wow, I'm not the only child in the world who has lost a parent".

I loved every part of this book. It is presented from the older siblings point of view and I have never related to a book more. The illustrations are completely incredible. I love the mood the dark hues present and I love the way the pictures look as if a child drew them him/herself. I love how the text is crooked in places, looks handwritten and smudged, and has "eraser marks". It presents like a diary which makes the story seem quite personal, almost like I wrote it myself, as if these are pages torn from my own diary. 

The book made me feel mixed emotions, but they were mainly happy. I felt glad knowing that someone else realizes what this experience feels like. I liked that the controversial issue of death didn't scare yet another author away. I liked that someone out there felt it important to write these topics in a manner appropriate for children. I felt sad thinking back to my own experiences but there's never a day (nor would I want there to be a day) when I don't think about and remember my dad anyway. He was an amazing person, an amazing dad, and I miss him every single day. And if Harvey helps keep his memory alive, even if it is just to me, then I love Harvey.

Time, sometimes the time just slips away

And you're left with yesterday

Left with the memories

I, I'll always think of you and smile

And be happy for the time

I had you with me

                                                           - Please Remember, Leann Rimes

Journal Entry 7

Where the Wild Things Are

By Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak succeeded in catching my eye after learning about modern fantasy in class. I don't really know much about fantasy but I wanted to explore it a little. I figured any book with a "wild thing" sleeping under a pink tree must have elements of fantasy within it, and the Caldecott Medal finely displayed on the cover let me know I was making a good choice!

I had previously heard of the movie Where the Wild Things Are but had never watched it, and I also didn't realize it was based on a popular children's book. I was also surprised to see that it is an older book (1963) whereas I was assuming early-late 2000's. I guess I am behind in the times because I had never read this book as a child, yet many of my friends, as I have learned, love it.

I absolutely loved the book when I read it. Max is such a typical and amusing child, which is why I believe it is standing the test of time. His expressions throughout the book make me smile and laugh, he looks so mischievous as he chases the dog with a fork, speaks back to his mom, and gets sent to bed without any supper. I think Max will be relatable to most children. Every child lets their imagination run wild, and will test their boundaries to see just how much they can get away with. It makes me reminisce back to my childhood days when I did the same things. I never chased my pet dog with a fork, but I have done my fair share of misbehaving and gotten sent to my room too. With such wild imaginations, it is easy for children to get carried away and I think any child reading this book will find Max just as amusing and relatable as I did.

I love the fantasy in the book as well. As Max's room becomes a forest and he sails away to "where the wild things are" the reader feels a sense of adventure as they anticipate what will happen next. This part of the book is filled with the fantastical as Max sails away, travelling for "weeks and days and a year" from his realistic home setting to a new world filled with all kinds of creative and wild creatures. Max is brave when he encounters the scary "wild things" and instantly tame them using a magic trick, becoming the king of all the wild things. After having a wild "rumpus" in his new land he sends the creatures to bed without their supper. This part of the book is one of my favorites. Max, trying to act like his mom brings memories flooding back to me. All children dream of growing up and being just like their mom or dad. When playing "house" and "barbies" when I was little, I would always pretend to be my mom - she was the smartest person I knew and I wanted to be just like her.

The ending of the book is especially important. It brings the story full circle and ties up all loose ends. When Max finally got lonely he wanted to be where "someone loved him best of all", that of course being his mommy at home. So he sails back over a year and through the days and weeks to find his supper waiting in his room still warm. This part of the book allows us to see how Max's imagination allowed him to get away and loose his "wildness" in a magical place and when he was ready to be calm he "came back home" to find his supper still waiting for him. I connect to this book because I too have  travelled to strange lands plenty of times and have always come back just in time for supper as well! Refrigerator boxes make great space ships that fly to the most magnificent planets you know! ;) I think all children can relate to Max's story and that is why it is on its way to becoming a classic.

Lastly, the illustrations are stunning. Sendak has an amazing ability to capture the most expressive and appropriate emotions on Max's face. They had me smiling the whole way through. I also love the color scheme in the book. Sendak used a lot of pastel colors throughout most of the book, and a lot of greens and blues which made me feel relaxed and calm. Even though the story was about wild creatures, they weren't made to seem scary or uninviting. The texture that Sendak created through his use of line is also quite effective. The illustrations are filled with all sorts of different lines that add texture to the floors, dog's fur, trees, creatures, and so on. I also noticed that as the story starts, the illustrations have borders around them and start pretty small on one page but as the plot develops and Max's imagination creates his magical world, the illustrations get larger and larger until they take up the whole page, then two whole pages, and so on. However, when Max decides to go home again they start to get smaller once again. The technique is quite subtle and I only realized it after reading through the book multiple times. However, I think it is brilliant - as Max's imagination grows bigger and bigger, so does the illustrations, I love that idea!

Where the Wild Things Are is an incredible picture book infused with fantasy. It helps encourage children to dream big, imagine often, and believe that anything is possible.



Jornal Entry 6

Shiloh

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

I stumbled upon Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor a few days ago and decided to read it, not really knowing what it was about. I obviously recognized the title, but surprisingly I had never read it in my childhood. When several friends noticed me reading it, they all reacted the same way - "aww, I love Shiloh. Such a good book". Most were also surprised that I had never read it before. I think that somewhere between switching schools I must have missed it. Another surprising thing I noticed was that they all seemed to have read it in different grades. As I got further into the book, I began to worry that Shiloh was a little mature for elementary aged children. Therefore I began asking friends what grade they were in when they had read it. Most of my friends did say grades 4-5 but I also had a friend tell me he had read it as a class in grade 8 and one who had read it in grade 7. I was beginning to get confused and still wondered if it was an appropriate book for young readers. It definitely wasn't the vocabulary itself that was bothering me - rather the mature content within. After some thought, here's what I personally believe about the matter:



I think that Shiloh is a magnificently written novel that children in elementary (ages 8-10) should definitely read. Maturity and developmental level are factors to consider when suggesting books for children to read. Some children may be ready to read Shiloh earlier than others, as it can be emotional. With regards to the storyline, it is sad in parts, but it is a realistic situation with a consistently hopeful tone. Children probably don't need to be as "protected" as we may think. Animal abuse is a real issue and children should be aware of real issues in the world (at at time when they are intellectually ready). Shiloh is written for children with a RL of 4.4, and has a happy ending, so while I was a little worried about the content at first, I think children deserve more credit for comprehension than we sometimes give them credit for. Part of what makes this book so great is that Naylor has presented a mature and controversial topic in an appropriate way so that children can read it without it being too harsh. I love that she appreciates children's intelligence and trusts them to be able to read it maturely.

The story takes place in West Virginia and I love the way the language represents the southern state. An important element of realistic fiction is ensuring the language and syntax properly represent the characters and situations within the book. I can safely say that the language in Shiloh remains constant throughout. I enjoyed how "mom" became "ma", how "get" became "git" and how most "ing" endings resulted in the "g" being left off. Example: "your dog come over here twice because you been mistreatin' it" (Pg. 110). Don't you just want to say it out loud? It was such a fun book to read, because even when reading it silently, you constantly "hear" the "twang" of the words and want to say them out loud. I think children would have fun reading this type of text, after all who doesn't like speaking in accents?

My favorite part of the book (and most memorale for me) was watching Marty struggle between what is right and wrong. Society values honestly and telling the truth, while lying is a big no-no.  I loved watching Marty mature and grow as a character. Marty began to realize that sometimes the line between right and wrong can be blurred and sometimes situations aren't as black and white as they are when we are little. Marty knew that lying about hiding Shiloh away was wrong, but returning Shiloh to be hurt again couldn't be right. He also knew that politeness was socially valuable in his town and the "right" thing to do was to "stay out of others' business" but how could that be "right" when animals were being hurt? Marty had to learn to follow his heart and to do what was best for him. It reminded me of one of Shel Silvertstein's poems that I have highlighted in an earlier journal entry. The poem is:

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long,

"I feel this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong."

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What's right for you--just listen to

The voice that speaks inside."

                                                 — Shel Silverstein

I connected with Marty because I can remember being a child and being told what was wrong and what was right. Adults made every situation seem either black or white. Cheating was wrong, lying was wrong, helping others was right, sharing was right.. and so on. But I can also recall times when those paths crossed and decisions weren't as easy as "right and wrong" anymore. I remember times when I've lied to protect someone's feelings, and times when I've questioned the law and society's values and what they believe to be "right". Shiloh helps us realize that sometimes the values of society can be wrong. Sometimes we have a "turn a blind eye" attitude where people would rather pretend they don't see things than risk standing out and making a fuss. How can that be right?

Of course, Shiloh isn't going to make every nine year old question "societal values" but it may get them thinking about right and wrong. I genuinely enjoyed reading Shiloh and can completely understand why some Jr. High teachers may choose to read it to their class. The themes run deep and whether older or younger, most children will take something meaningful away from reading it.

Journal Entry 5

Flotsam

by David Wiesner



After learning about picture books in class, I came across Flotsam with its multiple awards displayed on the cover and decided to check it out. I was actually rather surprised to find it was a wordless book. I had never really studied or "read" a wordless book before so I was immediately interested in analyzing it. The book is about a little boy who spends his days on a beach collecting flotsam - "something that floats", meaning he searches for things that wash up on the beach. One day he finds an underwater camera and when he develops the film he sees exactly what goes on in a world humans don't get to experience. He also discovers pictures of all the children who have previously found the camera, and taking a photo of himself, he sends the camera back into the ocean. The last page shows a picture of another kid finding the camera washed up across the world on a different beach.

As I flipped through the pages, seeing the story unfold before me, I felt excited. It was a feeling I had never really gotten reading any other type of book before. I can not remember ever having to understand a story without decoding text, so it was a completely new and foreign adventure for me. I felt like I was a child again, studying the pictures and having to use my imagination to create the text(story) myself. I felt in control - like it was my story to tell using only the visual clues to help me. It made me imagine what it would be like if I didn't know how to read - like most young children do not. Pictures can be powerful, they can ignite excitement and nurture and expand imaginations. I think that is why children are naturally such great storytellers. Before they know how to read text, they know how to use the pictures to help them tell a story. As adults, we often forget what using our imagination feels like - most of our creativity vanishes. We read books, study the text, and often never even question it. Children have a wonderful ability to be creative and I think wordless picture books like Flotsam allows them to do just that.

I first of all connected to the book on a personal level because it brought back memories of myself as a child. I grew up in Bonavista where you could literally walk right off the province's edge and I would never change that for anything. I spent my summer days with my parents on the beach across from my house splashing in the freezing ocean and making a mess in the sand. My dad would take my little brother and I to find "beach glass", glass that is smoothed from the rough action of the water and sand. My brother and I would have contests to see who could find more pieces and who found the prettiest colors. I still hold those memories close because my dad passed away a few years later. So for that reason, I connected with the little boy in the book who loved searching for objects that washed up on the beach.

I also believe the book can be enjoyed by children of varying ages. I wouldn't necessarily put an age limit on it because I thoroughly enjoyed "reading" it myself! I can imagine young children sitting down studying the pictures and making up their own story to accompany the text, letting their imaginations run wild. The pictures are such that they follow a sequentially organized plot and the subject is fascinating. Any child who has grown up around water should also have enough background knowledge to understand the pictures.

With regards to the actual illustrations, I believe David Wiesner has done an incredible job. Flotsam has won both The Caldecott Medal and "Best Illustrated Children's Book Award" from the New York Times. The illustrations were executed in watercolor and emphasizes amazing detail and texture (the fish scales, eye lashes, hair, etc).

I particularly love how most illustrations have borders around them, giving a formal and sequential feeling to the pictures:



Another aspect I absolutely love about the photos is that some are shown from multiple perspectives. This creative technique used by Wiesner gives us an "all knowing" view and enables us to see the same event in different ways, giving us perspective. For example, the following illustration shows us the same scene from 4 different perspectives - very neat!



Lastly, I love the fantasy within the book. The deep seas of the world are a mystery to most of us, and this book allows us to see "photos" of a deep water world full of fantastical people and elements. We believe through this book that octopus live in homes with furniture, there are mermaids, and villages with little underwater aliens, etc. I love how imaginitive the underwater world is portrayed and I can picture young readers imagining it in these ways too. Example:

I just want to conclude that Flotsam is a great wordless picture book that I felt the need to write about. It is an amazing book to get readers thinking creatively and pulls you into a story that you can be a part of creating. My first wordless book experience was great!