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!

Journal Entry 4

Sarah, Plain and Tall

By Patricia MacLachlan

"An exquisite, sometimes painfully touching tale."

                                                                        -- The New York Times

As I began searching through the shelves at the CMC looking for a novel to read for this blog, I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for exactly. I didn't set out looking to choose a specific book, I wanted the book to choose me. As I was kneeling on the floor, Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan caught my eye. It wasn't the cover that got my attention - nothing much about it really seems to stand out. It was how the book looked old and worn, its pages yellowed, wrinkled, and torn and how it still stood on the shelf after all these years, never being considered too "outdated" or irrelevant for the CMC. The title too of course, slowly flooded back to my memory. I could vaguely remember having read it in elementary school (maybe grades 3 or 4?), but genuinely could not recall what it was about. I seemed to remember liking it enough, but nothing about the story seemed to stand out clearly in my mind. I know it was recommended we read books we haven't read before, but I really had the desire to reread Sarah, Plain and Tall. 

Sarah, Plain and Tall is timeless - such a classic. There's something to be said about a book published in 1985, introduced to the CMC in 1990, now with yellowed and torn pages, that STILL gets taken out on a regular basis.

Although the book is set somewhere in the late 19th to early 20th century, as I was reading it, I couldn't help but relate/compare the experiences of Anna to my own experiences when I was about her age. I felt such a personal connection to the book despite living in a very different time, proving the book's timelessness.  The reason I felt such a connection to Anna is because, I too, lost a parent when I was a child. I grew up in a lone parent family- just my mom, little brother and I. Like Anna, I also took on the role of "big sister", helping to take care of my little brother, and trying to protect him from as much as I could. As we learned in class, a sign of a great historical fiction book is one that makes us realize that all people, no matter what time period in history, share(d) the same needs, go through similar experiences, and need to depend on each other. 

Aside from my very personal connection to the book, there are of course other reasons why this piece of historical fiction literature is a great choice. For one, the book is like a mirror - reflecting the past back at us, allowing us to see the differences (but also similarities) between people living back then and our world today. Children today do not realize just how lucky they are and how much they are blessed with. Reading a book like this will allow them to take a quick glance at how they would be living if born 100 years ago. It is important they imagine the experiences of people who have lived in a different time and place. They get a glimpse of the chores, modes of transportation and communication, hobbies,  and careers they would likely have had if born at that place and time. The Witting family is also so very ordinary that it is easy to imagine the plot/events as real, to place themselves and their own families in their shoes and to understand as we also learned in class, that history happens to "ordinary people".

I think the fact that the word "plain" is mentioned so many times throughout the book, it makes us realize that ordinary people have exciting stories too. One doesn't need to have super powers, fame and fortune, or outstanding attributes or abilities to have a great story to tell.

All the elements in Sarah, Plain and Tall are very realistic and authentic in my opinion. The characters are realistic, their actions and speech are very believable for the setting of the book (traveling by horse and cart, sending letters as the only means of communication, manually plowing fields, etc.), and the events are believable for the time and place. All contributes to a great book, one that has even won a Newbery Medal.

I think many children, despite the setting of the book, can relate to the Witting family. Today, many children experience loss, divorce, lone parent and blended families. Because the Witting family seem so "plain" and the events that happen make them seem so ordinary, children can relate their own lives to them. The book helps teach children about loss and grief and different families, and because it is set in the past, children can begin to understand that things like these have been affecting families for years. We are all alike in some ways and we're never alone! Such an important message wrapped in an amazing history lesson that anyone should enjoy.



Journal Entry 3

Leon the Chameleon

By Mélanie Watt

Leon the Chameleon is an amazing picture book about a chameleon who is different from the others. He turns the opposite color of whatever he is near, making him feel sad, embarrassed and lonely.

When I first read Leon the Chameleon, I felt an immediate connection to Leon. Growing up, I moved around and switched schools a lot. As a painfully shy kid, I found it extremely difficult to make friends. I was labelled the "new kid" year after year, and you would think changing schools would get easier after a while -but it did not. Because I was often considered an outsider and never liked to put myself out there, I always felt like I never belonged and was often very lonely and without true friends.

I know that Leon's journey of self-discovery would most definitely relate to others as well (both children AND adults). Leon is significantly the only named character in the story (emphasizing his importance), and through him, we go on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as the plot develops. The tone of the story starts out quite sad and melancholy as Leon feels embarrassed because he stands out. "He didn't join the other chameleons because he felt that he didn't fit in". I personally feel for Leon because it brings back similar unpleasant feelings of my childhood when I wanted so desperately to be "like everyone else". I  never tried to make friends when I moved from place to place because I had a fear of not being accepted. As the plot proceeds, conflict arises when Leon follows a group of little chameleons who wander off and get lost. At the climax of the book, Leon's bright, contrasting color allow the adult chameleons to find them, ironically proving to him that the trait that made him feel inferior was the very thing that saved them!  It is here that the tone of the story changes to one of happiness and joy as all conflict is resolved. Leon begins to love and appreciate who he is and for once feels proud to possess his unique trait! I wish I would have understood when I was young that the uniqueness in each human being is what makes us wonderful and special.

This book reminded me of my absolute favorite song from my childhood. It is called "You Are Special" and it came from Barney. I was obsessed with Barney as a child and I would walk around my house all day long singing the song. It's kind of embarrassing but I STILL remember all the lyrics and will sing it every few months when I hear it while babysitting my little cousins. I still love it! Here are the lyrics, although many of us probably already know them!

You are special, you're the only one

you're the only one like you
There isn't another in the whole wide world
Who can do the things you do

Oh you are special, special
Everyone is special
Everyone in his or her own way

Oh you are special, special
Everyone is special
Everyone in his or her own way

You're important, oh you really are
You're the only one of you
The world is better just because you're here
You should know that we love you

Oh you are special, special
Everyone is special
Everyone in his or her own way

Oh you are special, special
Everyone is special
Everyone in his or her own way
Everyone in his or her own way

 

Mélanie Watt has written an insightful book with a message whose meaning goes much deeper than a chameleon who cannot change the right color. It presents like a window, making me "see through" and contemplate the world in which we live and the values we uphold. When I hear of the people who hurt themselves (whether young or old) because they feel like they do not belong, it breaks my heart. Everyone has the right to be made to feel special and should learn to love themselves no matter how they are different from others. Society does not always embrace uniqueness but it is something to be praised, definitely not looked down upon.

Mélanie Watt (a Canadian!) is also the illustrator of the book. She created the illustrations in Leon the Chameleon using acrylic and black ink, and I personally love them! The expressions portrayed on Leon's face throughout the book provide for empathetic reactions from the audience. Watt created the pictures using a few simple colors that emphasized the accompanying text.  I love that she chose complementary colors to make Leon "pop" on the page. She even added an illustration and lesson at the end of the book teaching children about "opposite" colors on a color wheel and how to mix them. The illustrations are quite simple, but they do  not need to be complicated because her use of color is stunning! I especially love the way the trees are painted at the end of the book because the brushstrokes have created texture. I also love the purple/yellow colors on the same page because they emphasize the night's darkness and the moonlight reflecting off the chameleons who are returning home safe and sound! 

Here are some examples of the illustrations: 

Classroom connections:

I would use this book in a primary classroom to:

• Teach children to celebrate each others' differences and the things that make them unique
• Cross-curricularly as an introduction to art lessons about complementary colors and the color wheel.

Overall, the narrative elements and illustrations of the story go suitably well together. The plot, conflict, irony, and tone complement each other and provide for a great storytelling style, while the illustrations provide heart warming visuals about a young chameleon who realizes it is good to be different!

Journal Entry 2

Falling Up

Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein

Falling Up is a book of poems and illustrations written and drawn by the well known and respected author, Shel Silverstein. This week, I really wanted to reflect on some poetry because although I struggle with it, I really enjoy it. I always loved poetry when I was a child but as I got older it began to feel less fun and more confusing. I chose this book to reflect on because I've always loved Shel Silverstein's writing but have never read much of his poetry. (The Giving Tree is one of my all time favorite books!) I always love reading about Shel's silly characters and imaginative worlds he creates through his writing. I have found that his poems have great rhyme and rhythm which anyone at ay age can enjoy. The pages look clean and simple and the writing is filled with irony and puns, creative characters and no lack of humor.

If you have not experienced any of Shel's poems or aren't familiar with his illustrations, below is a video animating "The Toy Eater", one of his poems from Falling Up:

I have always heard that Shel Silverstein is a great children's author and I know my little cousin absolutely loves reading his poems, so I thought that reading some of his work was a good place to start when reflecting on poetry.

After reading Falling Up, I began wondering what makes Shel's poetry so entertaining and unique. I loved it, but I wanted to know what exactly I responded to. After some thought, I think a huge reason I respond to his writing is because of his original style. His writing is often told from a child's perspective and so we see a different way of thinking about things that we would never otherwise consider. Adults sometimes forget how to have fun and how to laugh. Shel helps us remember what it's like to see the world though the eyes of a child. In this way, I believe that Shel's poems are very relatable to children, which makes poetry maningful and appealing for them instead of "boring". For example:

• "Remote-A-Dad" (pg. 112) is a poem that tells of a remote that works on dads. The remote can make dads raise allowances and stop him from bossing children around.
• "No Grown-Ups" (pg. 113) is about forming secret clubs and playing games that grown ups are not allowed to join. 
• Lastly, "Crazy Dream" (pg. 168-9) is about a little boy who dreams that his teachers are now students and he gets to make all the rules and give all the homework.

These poems are the reason I feel connected to Shel Silverstein's writing. Of course I've never had a remote that worked on a parent, but they are all poems that bring back memories. They make you feel nostalgic. I remember my first "no boys club" and wishing so bad that teachers had homework to do instead of us. Isn't it humorous that children think teachers love making them miserable while they sit at home with nothing to do? I love that Shel's writing has the ability to bring back that child within me.   

As adults, we sometimes get so caught up in the world, that we forget how to be creative and to use our imaginations. Shel has an outstanding ability to think outside the box. His poems are so silly and his writing so full of nonsense, hyperboles, the fantastical and impossible that it is no wonder children are drawn to them. For example, "Headless Town" (pg. 121) is a poem about how difficult it is selling hats in headless town, where people obviously have no need for hats because they do not have heads! 

And lastly, another reason why I enjoy Shel's poetry so much is because it isn't JUST silly and fun. Some poems share important messages and lessons that I believe all children should learn. For example:

The above poem teaches children to listen to that voice inside their head that tells them what is right and wrong, what they want, and who they are. I think that individuality is an extremely important concept that every child should take seriously. As future educators/mentors/parents, we have to choose what poems to introduce to children and what messages to send them. There are SO many great choices out there and I believe that Shel has written a lot of them.

Shel also illustrates his own work. His illustrations are done using pen and ink and are all black and white. They are amazingly simple and pleasing to view. They often add humor and exaggerate the silliness of the poems. The pictures not only accompany the words, they usually explain and extend them. Most poems couldn't be effective without them because the text take on a different meaning when you see the illustration that goes along with it. Therefore, the pictures are an integral part of Shel's poems. They give meaning to poems that most people would not/could not understand without them. 

For example: 

Turkey? - by Shel Silverstein

I only ate one drumstick                                  

At the picnic dance this summer,

Just one little drumstick -

They say I couldn't be dumber.

One tough and skinny drumstick,

Why was that such a bummer?

But everybody's mad at me,

Especially the drummer.  

In the classroom:

I believe that using Shel's poetry in the classroom is a great way to introduce children to the topic. Poetry can often be complex and difficult to grasp. Even as an adult I still struggle with it. Children should love poetry from the start and I believe Silverstein's poetry could accomplish this task. Too often poetry is associated with feelings of reluctance and frustration. If we make it interesting and fun from the start, chances are the feelings will continue throughout the years. 

I am not implying that all of Shel's poetry is classroom worthy, but a lot of it is. Teachers should choose select poems to teach during individual lessons and keep his collection in the bookshelves for students' personal pleasure. Although some poems shouldn't be taught directly during class time, many are enjoyable for children so they should have the opportunity to read them on their own if they should so choose.

One final word: Shel Silverstein's website is a great resource for both teachers and students to use. Below are the links for his website and classroom activites that teachers can use to accompany his poems:

http://www.shelsilverstein.com/

http://www.shelsilverstein.com/pdf/poetry.pdf

   

Journal Entry 1

Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed

By Emily Pearson, Illustrated by Fumi Kosaka

“Emily Pearson deserves a huge thank-you for writing such a life changing story. I think everyone should read this children's book. We can change the world one deed at a time. We can make a difference.”   - Sheri Duffy, mother

For my first journal entry, I decided to write about Emily Pearson's Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. When I first read this book, I immediately fell in love. It has such a touching storyline and I felt a deep connection after hearig its message. As a quick overview, Pearson has created an inspiring story of generosity through an "ordinary" little girl named Mary, who picks some "ordinary" blueberries and leaves them for her neighbour on her stairs. The simple act of generosity sets off a chain reaction of kindness as each involved person feels inspired to do something nice for another five people. The book shows that in only 15 days, everyone in the world has been touched with a kind deed and the world is a happier place, all because of one "ordinary" girl.

Although it may be a children's book, everyone should be encouraged to read Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. Being an adult, I experienced a personal connection to the book and would recommend it to anyone at any age! When reading the book, I felt empowered to be a kinder, more patient person. Now I want to make a difference, to change the world one small deed at a time! There are a lot of people in need out there, and something as small as a smile or hug can brighten their day. It shows us how far a small deed can go and that ANYONE can change the world. I think the book has the ability to inspire children to be nicer to one another and to understand that even 'ordinary' people can do great things.

The book also encourages us to stop and take a look at ourselves, to think about the world in which we live. We are living in a time where people are so caught up in their own lives that they forget to be kind to strangers and to have empathy for others. In the book, kind deeds reached out to people all over the world. A woman gave money to a man who could not afford groceries, a boy bought a homeless woman some lunch, a businessman helped a woman carry her luggage, etc. The characters are all very believable, "ordinary" people and anybody who reads it will find a character that will be self relatable.

The book is written from a third person's point of view. It has a neat font appropriate for children and is written in a way that makes the page look "clean". It has elements of repetition throughout the entire story that I know children love. For example, they keep repeating the word "ordinary" to emphasize that one does not need to be outstanding in any way to make a difference in someone's life. It also repeats the same sequence of events: someone acts kind towards an individual, that individual is inspired and in turn does something nice for five more people, each of whom does the same, and so on. The book keeps repeating in this fashion, until it comes full circle and Mary herself receives an act of kindness because of the trend she started. The style, in this sense, will be predictable for young readers who will have fun predicting what kind deed will happen next. The writing also has elements of figurative language that children tend to like such as: alliteration: "This made Mrs. Bishop berry, berry happy, so she baked a big batch of blueberry muffins..." and rhyme: "Oh yum, yum, yum, he ate every crumb". The writing also plays with a lot of emotion. There are moments when you want to laugh: when the paper boy no longer throws his papers in the bushes; moments when you want to cry: when a homeless woman finds a wallet but returns it instead of keeping it; and moments when you feel inspired to take initiative and change the world. So in my opinion, the book is written beautifully and should be able to interest anyone who hears its inspirational message.

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed is illustrated by Fumi Kosaka and I think that she did a great job. The illustrations are both amazingly simple and quite colorful. Kosaka uses a lot of round lines and shapes which imply a "warm" and "happy" environment. The pages have a 'gritty' look which emphasizes a lot of texture in the pictures, allowing us to imagine the feelings of grass, the different types of hair (curly, straight), the graininess of wood, etc. Most pictures do not take up the full page, leaving a lot of white space. I believe she does this to emphasize (without taking attention away from) the important message of the accompanying text and to avoid giving great detail to parts of the story that are not as significant, such as what is in the background. It directs our thought and attention to the part of the text that has great meaning. The white spaces allow us to concentrate on what is important because the illustrations are not too "busy" or filled with unnecessary illustrations that would take away from the powerful images created through the words on the page.

Example:

Classroom connections:

I believe that this book helps introduce the themes of generosity, giving, citizenship, having sympathy, and learning to be empathetic. Teachers can use this book in the classroom in an endless number of ways by developing a unit on one of the above themes for example. There are also connections to multiple subjects that can be made. For example: citizenship (social studies), relationships & generosity (health), and even math:

Above is a photo of two pages near the end of the book that show if everyone continued the cycle by doing five kind deeds to five more people, within 15 days the entire population would be a happier and more loved place!

As a final thought, after some research, I found that people all over the world have been inspired by Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. Below is a video from the author herself and various links that will take you  to websites devoted to showing how Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed  has impacted classrooms all over:

 

http://www.ordinarymary.com/index.php

http://ordinarymarysextraordinarydeed.blogspot.com/