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/



Reading Log

Here's a list of children's literature I have read throughout the semester:

• Adler, David A., and Ritz, Karen. (1993). A Picture Book of Anne Frank. USA: Holiday House. 
• Ajmera, Maya, Nakassis, Magda and Pon, Cynthia. (2009). Faith. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.
• Bouchard, Hervé and Nadeau, Janice. (2009). Harvey: How I Became Invisible. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.
• Ellis, Deborah. (2001). The Breadwinner. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.
• Demi. (1997). One Grain of Rice: A mathematical folktale. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
• Gurth, Per-Henrik and Bellefontaine, Kim. (2002). ABC of Canada. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press Ltd.
• Kajikawa, Kimiko. (2008). Close to You: How Animals Bond.  New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
• MacLachlan, Patricia. (1985). Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York, NY: Harper Trophy.
• Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. (1991). Shiloh. New York, Ny: Yearling.
• Numeroff, Laura and Munsinger, Lynn. (2004). Beatrice Doesn't Want To. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
• Numeroff, Simms. (1998). If You Give a Pig a Pancake. China: A Laura Geringer Book.
• O'Neill, Alexia and Huliska-Beithe, Laura. (2008). The Worst Best Friend. New York, Ny: Scholastic Press.
• Pearson, Emily. (2002). Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.
• Prelutsky, Jack and Cushman, Doug. (2006). What a Day It Was At School. China: Greenwillow Books.
• Schertle, Alice and Mathers, Petra. (2009). Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes by Alice Schertle. New York, NY: Harcourt Children's Books.
• Scieszka, Jon and Smith, Lane. (1995). Math Curse. New York, NY: Viking.
• Sendak, Maurice. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. US: Harper & Row.
• Silverstein, Shel. (1996). Falling Up: Poems and Drawings by Shel Silverstein. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
• Taback, Simma. (1999). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, NY: Viking.
• Watt, Mélanie. (2001). Leon the Chameleon. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.
• Watt, Mélanie. (2009). Scaredy Squirrel at Night. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.
• Wiesner, David. (2006). Floatsam. New York, NY: Clarion Books.
• Williams, Margery and Spirin, Gennady. (2011). The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real. NY: Marshall Cavendish Children.

Introduction

Hi everyone!

My name is Amy and I'm a forth year student at Memorial University of Newfoundland, currently completing my B.Ed (primary/elementary). I created this blog for my Education 3322 class (Children's Literature) to fulfill one of my class requirements: a reading journal. Here I will be reflecting on children's literature read throughout the semester. I decided to create a blog for my reading journal as opposed to the traditional journal format because I feel as if there are more opportunites to be creative by using all that technology has to offer. I am no expert with regards to technology, but I believe as a future educator is it important to never stop learning.

Hope you enjoy!