Poetry-Hidden

A. Bibliography:
Frost, Helen. (2011). Hidden. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books. ISBN: 9780374382216

B. Plot Summary:
Hidden is a verse novel written in two character perspectives which keeps the reader interested.  The book immediately starts off with a suspenseful tone that hooks the reader.  A young girl named Wren is at the gas station with her mom, and stays in the car while her mom pays.  She hears a gunshot and ducks down to the floor.  Just then, the car door opens, and a man starts driving her mom´s car.  From there, we learn that Wren hides in the man´s garage.  While there, his own daughter sneaks food to Wren and wants to help her escape. Wren escapes on her own and the man is soon arrested. 

Later on in their life, the two girls, Darra and Wren end up meeting at a summer camp.  They avoid each other at the beginning in hopes of not speaking of what happened years ago.  The two girls finally gather courage to speak of the accidental kidnapping, and then develop a friendship.  This novel, written for older students, brings up the ideas of friendship, forgiveness and understanding which are topics that many teenagers can relate to.

C. Critical Analysis:
This being the first verse novel that I´ve read, I found it to be a very easy read.  I was expecting a verse novel to include rhyming words at the end of the lines, but this book didn´t.  The line breaks made the reading a lot easier than most chapter books.  The use of line breaks created power and voice to the story, which then brought about a suspenseful tone.  I did not want to put this book down!  It hooked me from the first stanza, 
¨I´ll be right back, Mom promised.  
Leave the music on, I begged, 
so she left her keys 
dangling.¨ 
I was able to really create images and hear the narrator telling the story in my head due to Frost´s arrangement of lines and verses.  Frost created her own rhythm in this novel due to her verse style of writing.  There were times in the book where she simply wrote in traditional long line paragraphs, and I could hear the voice in my head change due to the lack of line breaks.  Who knew that this technique could change how I read and understood my own reading?  I really appreciated the verse style novels and look forward to reading more books like this!

This verse novel is written for older students as it includes physical abuse, some mature language (pervert) and other scary situtations. 

D. Review Excerpts:
**Booklist states "Like Frost's Printz Honor Book, Keesha's House, this novel in verse stands out through its deliberate use of form to illuminate emotions and cleverly hide secrets in the text.¨
**Kirkus Reviews states, "With care and precision, Frost deftly turns plainspoken conversations and the internal monologues of her characters into stunning poems that combine to present three unique perspectives on war, family, love, and loss.¨

E. Connections:

Students who enjoyed Hidden might enjoy other verse books such as Under the Mesquite by Gualalupe Garcia McCall or The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle.  Students can also experiment writing their own verse short story where they use line breaks to create feeling, tone and voice.

Poetry-Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year

A. Bibliography:
Lewis, J. Patrick. (2009). Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year. Ill. by Ethan Long. New York, NY: Little Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316020893

B. Plot Summary:
Lewis provides a collection of mostly humorous, along with some serious poems related to school and other topics, such as holidays weather, and geography in Countdown to Summer.  The book seems to be a favorite of teachers for a class read aloud for each day of the school year.  He begins the book with #180 A Sixth Grader Sees the Future which is about how even in a billion years, the student might or might not have his homework finally done.  From there, each page counts down until you reach #1 School´s Out!, a misleading poem about how the student is sad that it´s the final day.  The reader learns at the end of the poem that the narrator is crossing his fingers as he lists all the reasons he´s sad school is out.  Lewis features a variety of poem forms, such as haikus, couplets, acrostic, shape and free verse in Countdown to Summer.

C. Critical Analysis:
Countdown to Summer is a fun and silly poetry collection that will bring smiles to both students´ and teachers´ faces.  Students can relate to many of the poems in the book, ranging from the Tooth Fairy, homework, holidays, and birthday cakes.  There are many poems that are unrelatable, but just fun to read, such as Do Not Let the Goblins In! and Bigfoot.  Lewis´ language and Long´s illustrations set a fun and playful tone in the poems of this book. Lewis uses similes in his book such as the line ¨Pretzels twisted like an 8¨ in the poem Bad Pretzels. He uses onomatopoeia in several poems which adds to the humorous and silly mood (Kraken gurgled, ¨Zzookle-klottem!¨).  Students will be laughing almost daily with these poems.

Lewis uses almost every different form of poetry in this book, from free verse, couplets, A to Z, shape poems, chart poem, symbol poem, acrostics, riddles, haikus, and many more.  This is refreshing as the reader doesn´t know what to expect when they turn the page.  Many of his poems include rhyming words and repetition which create a steady beat.  

The illustrations by Ethan Long are simple and remind me of the basic illustrations in Shel Silverstein´s popular poetry collection.  The illustrations match the laid back and fun mood to the book.

D. Review Excerpts:
**SLJ states "The selections feature a range of topics, including food, pets, school and teachers, and the natural world. Many are quite silly, though a few are serious. Cartoon illustrations keep the mood light and breezy. This collection may be most appreciated by teachers, who'll find it an appealing and accessible introduction to whimsical wordplay.¨
**Kirkus Reviews states, "Some verses are long, some short, some thought-provoking, some laugh-provoking. Long's penciled spot art provides an agreeable visual accompaniment, but this book's best application is as a read-aloud. As a no-pressure, just-for-poetry's-sake tool to start the day in the classroom, it could be a teacher's best friend.¨

E. Connections:

Countdown to Summer would be a great daily read aloud. Students can write their own poetry collection, such as Countdown to Christmas, where they write Christmas poems, or Countdown to Summer, where they write poems for the last two weeks of school.  Since this book features so many forms of poetry, teachers can have students experiment writing these new forms of poems they´ve been exposed to.

Poetry-Heroes and She-roes

A. Bibliography:
Lewis, J. Patrick. (2005). Heroes and She-Roes. Ill. by Jim Cooke. New York, NY: The Penguin Group. ISBN: 0803729251

B. Plot Summary:
 In his book Heroes and She-roes, J. Patrick Lewis writes about well-known heroes and she-roes such as Rosa Parks and Gandhi.  He also writes about much less known heroes such as Iqbal Masih, a child laborer from Pakistan who escaped after five years of servitude.  Under each poem, Lewis includes a short paragraph with facts about each hero, which gives additional information to contribute to the reader's background knowledge.  

Lewis begins Heroes and She-roes with an introductory poem which highlights the great qualities of heroes.  He then ends the book with the same concept of describing the heroic attitudes of these figures.  The range in his poems gives students ideas of how different poems can look and sound.  Lewis includes acrostic poems, rhyming poems, short four line poems, narrative and free verse poems in his collection of heroes. Each poem features different poetic techniques   

C. Critical Analysis:
Heroes and She-roes presents a collection of poems to honor well-known and some less known heroes around the world. The reader will read about Martin Luther King Jr. as well as unknown heroes such as the journalist Ida Wells-Barnett.  When I picked this book up, I was thinking it would feature all the traditional heroes that we see in our Social Studies books at school.  I was pleasantly surprised to read about heroes that I´ve never heard of before.  This book combines both poetry and nonfiction.  It features poems and an informational paragraph underneath each poem.  The best feature of this book is Lewis´ author´s note on the last page.  He writes about one of his heroes, his childhood school janitor who always spread his happy attitude with everyone at school.

I like how Lewis provided an introductory and closing poem.  It provides a nice transition into his collection of poems.  Heroes and She-roes invokes a sense of pride in the reader.  Since Lewis writes in different poetry forms in this book, the reader can see a variety of poetry techniques, such as rhyming words, free verse and couplets as he uses in the Joan of Arc poem.  Although he features different techniques, the reader doesn't feel a strong connection to these poems as they don't really flow like poetry usually does.  This includes the poems that rhyme as well.  Even when Lewis uses rhyming words, the poems don´t have much of a rhythm, such as the poem The Firefighter.

Even though this is a poetry book written for children, a young reader probably would not be able to connect with these poems.  This is due to the mature language that would be difficult for young readers to understand (¨the factory owner chained him to a carpet loom¨, ¨and burned the soldier at the stake, an innocent for heaven´s sake¨.  One of the poems also tells about Lady Godiva, who paced naked on a horse to lower taxes in England and features an illustration of her partially nude.  This book is more suitable for older students.  

The illustrations by Jim Cooke are smooth and provide a range of emotions.  He pairs each illustration perfectly with each hero in the book.  Helen Keller appears serious in the illustration. Albeiro Vargas seems joyful as he cares for the sick and elderly in his Colombian community. The schoolteacher looks confident as she stands in front of her classroom.

D. Review Excerpts:
**School Library Journal states "This is an important title that will inspire young people and perhaps encourage them to look more deeply into the lives of others as well as their own."
**Kirkus Reviews states, "The 21 poems about heroic men and women unfortunately do not sing and sometimes do not even hum sweetly. These very short verses—16 lines at their longest—are each followed by a short paragraph giving some more information about their subject. "

E. Connections:

Heroes and Sheroes would be a great addition to a Social Studies unit on heroes.  Students can create their own poetry collection about heroes around the world or in a specific state.  This book can be compared to Dark Emperor by Joyce Sidman in that it features poems and informational paragraphs on each page.  

Poetry-Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

A. Bibliography:
Sidman, Joyce. (2010). Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Ill. by Rick Allen. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 9780547152288

B. Plot Summary:
 In her book Dark Emperor, Joyce Sidman presents a collection of dark and mysterious lyrical poems about nocturnal creatures.  Sidman not only includes poems, but also informational paragraphs to go along with each poem.  Dark Emperor covers many creatures of the night, ranging from owls to spiders.  Each poem features descriptive language which create imagery of gloomy nights and mysterious nocturnal creatures.  

C. Critical Analysis:
Dark Emperor is quite a unique poetry book about nocturnal animals.  It combines both poetry and nonfiction.  The book features poems and nonfiction text features such as a table of contents, bold words, glossary and an informational paragraph on the opposite side of each poem.  Readers can appreciate the creative language of the poem, but also the factual paragraph related to each poem.

Sidman uses vivid language in her poems.  One example is from the poem 'Moon's Lament': "Where are the pale scarves of clouds?  Where are my ghostly shadows, my pools of molten silver".  Her language sets a dark and mysterious tone for this collection of poems.  On the opposite page, Sidman presents facts about the moon, "The moon does not make its own light; it is like a big mirror."  This is a good introductory book to nonfiction text. She uses repetition frequently in her poems, "I am the baby porcupette. My paws are small; my nose is wet.  I am the baby porcupette. I cannot climb up branches yet."  The use of repetition creates rhythm in her poems.

The illustrations by Rick Allen are dark, somber and earthy.  He pairs his illustrations perfectly with the tone of this poetry book.  The reader almost feels like the illustrations are a puzzle because it is difficult to find some of the creatures in the illustrations.  A lot of the illustrations blend together.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Horn Books states "From the opening poem, "To all of you who crawl and creep, / who buzz and  chirp and hoot and peep, / who wake at dusk and throw off sleep: / Welcome to the night," Sidman celebrates the world that comes alive after dark."
**Publishers Weekly states, "Spiders offer advice, porcupettes pirouette, and the moon laments the dawn, all illuminated by debut talent Allen's detailed yet moody prints, which  encapsulate the mysteries and magic of the midnight hours . . . In Sidman's delicious poems, darkness is the norm, and there's nothing to fear but the rising sun."

E. Connections:

This would be a great book to read around Halloween.   Dark Emperor can be used when teaching about nocturnal animals since it features informational paragraphs.  This book would be helpful when comparing/contrasting the genres of poetry and nonfiction. Students can write their own version of the book by creating poems of other objects/nocturnal creatures of the night.  They can also change the topic of their book by writing about the morning.

Traditional Literature Review- Rapunzel

A. Bibliography:
     Zelinsky, Paul O. (1997). Rapunzel. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN: 0525456074

B. Plot Summary:
Rapunzel is a unique retelling of the classic fairy tale.  A husband and wife are expecting their first child.  The wife has a desperate longing for the herb rapunzel from the sorceress' garden. The husband manages to grab some for his wife, but she wants more.  The second time around, he is caught by the sorceress and agrees to give his child to her in exchange for rapunzel.  The sorceress cares for the baby, named Rapunzel and brings her to a high tower at the age of twelve.  

Rapunzel is kept alone for years until one day a prince calls down for her hair.   Surprised and flattered by the prince's compliments, she agrees to marry him.  Rapunzel soon learns that she is pregnant and is scolded by the sorceress.  Her beautiful hair is cut off and she is sent to live alone in the wild country.  The prince returns to the room in the tower and encounters the sorceress.  He falls to the ground and is blinded.  He searches and finally finds Rapunzel a year later by hearing her beautiful voice.  They reunite, along with their twin babies and return to his kingdom. The tale ends with its own version of the classic fairy tale ending Happily Ever After: "There they lived a long life, happy and content."

C. Critical Analysis:
The crisp illustrations in Zelinsky's Rapunzel will take your breath away. Many of the intricate illustrations are ones the reader would expect to see in an art museum.  I felt as if I were standing in a large, quiet museum analyzing the elaborate details on each page in this fairy tale.  The landscape, folds in the clothing, water, peacocks, and architecture are beautifully illustrated.  Zelinksy creates emotion in his illustrations of the characters' facial expressions.  There is no doubt as to why this book was chosen as a Caldecott Medal winner.

While the story is beautifully told, I can envision some elementary students being afraid or confused by some of the plot events, such as the baby being taken away from the man and his wife.  In a different scene, Rapunzel states "My dress is growing so tight around my waist."  The reader can infer that she is pregnant.  This fairy tale is definitely targeted toward the older grade levels.  At the end of the book, Zelinsky features an author's note about the history of Rapunzel.  I was surprised to learn that the Brothers Grimm version strayed far from the folk origin in France.  Zelinsky decided on the setting of Italy for his version due to the beauty of Italian Renaissance Art.

The theme of Rapunzel revolves around freedom.  Rapunzel is alone in the tower for years and agrees to marry the first man that she has ever met.  This version of Rapunzel really hits the emotional aspect of the classic fairy tale.  

D. Review Excerpts:
Kirkus Reviews states "Exquisite paintings in late Italian Renaissance style illumine this hybrid version of a classic tale.  Suffused with golden light, Zelinsky's landscapes and indoor scenes are grandly evocative, composed and executed with superb technical and emotional command."
**Publishers Weekly states, "Zelinsky does a star turn with this breathtaking interpretation of a favorite fairy tale. Daringly--and effectively--mimicking the masters of Italian Renaissance painting, he creates a primarily Tuscan setting."

E. Connections:

Students who enjoyed this story would also enjoy other classic fairy tales such as Cinderella. Students can also read different versions of Rapunzel and compare and contrast settings, character traits and events in the story.  Readers might enjoy Zelinksy's other Caldecott winners: Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, and Swamp Angel.

Traditional Literature Review- Anansi and the Talking Melon

A. Bibliography:
     Kimmel, Eric A. (1994). Anansi and the Talking Melon. Ill. by Janet Stevens. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN: 9780823411047

B. Plot Summary:
Anansi and the Talking Melon is a West African tale retold by Eric Kimmel.  The tale begins in Elephant's garden, where he is taking care of his melons.  Anansi the spider, loves melons but is lazy and willing to grow and take care of them himself.  Anansi squeezes inside of the largest, ripest melon and eats until he's full.  When it's time to come out, he realizes that he's become too fat to escape.  To pass the time while he waits to get thin again inside the melon, Anansi, a trickster, decides to play with Elephant's mind and act like a talking melon.

Elephant instantly believes that his melons can talk and decides to take it to the king at once.  Anansi fools all of Elephant's friends as they travel with him to the King.  When they arrive at the King's place, Anansi decides to be even more of a trickster and remain mute as the King tries to talk to him.  The King grows impatient and is done with the "stupid" melon.  Just then, Anansi talks and accuses the King of being stupid.  The angry King throws the melon back to Elephant's house and it bursts.  Anansi, continuing his pranks, climbs into the banana tree and calls out to Elephant as if he is a banana. 

C. Critical Analysis:
Anansi and the Talking Melon features a beloved character from West African and Caribbean culture.  This is not apparent from reading the story though.  This fact was presented in the author's section.  I would have liked to see more illustrations or vocabulary from these cultures in the book. 

This trickster tale is humorous from beginning to end.  I enjoyed the different personalities of each character in the story.  Anansi, the trickster, is funny and keeps the reader laughing with his sassy rebuttals when the characters don't believe him.  Elephant, the gullible, yet lovable protagonist is so hopeful that others will believe him.  The characters really make this book a page turner.  The teasing between characters will keep kids laughing and wanting to read this tale over and over again.  This is another book with detailed illustrations, in particular the animals and melon.  The line work and shading of the various animals is spectacular.

This is one tale that does not appear to have a theme to it.  Even after Anansi tricks the Elephant the first time, he decides to trick him again at the end of the book.  Anansi does not have a character change in the story.  

D. Review Excerpts:
**Daryl Grabarek of SLJ states, "A talking melon? Elephant can’t believe his ears, and insists on taking his extraordinary find to the king. But unbeknownst to Elephant, his entourage, and the ruler, the duplicitous spider is inside the fruit, ready and eager to make fools of his friends. Exuberant spreads filled with comically expressive details portray a gullible group."
**Kirkus Reviews states, "Stevens's funny animals are delightfully expressive, while Anansi's spider-level perspectives provide generous close-ups of melons, a hippo, a warthog, et al. Good-spirited tomfoolery, with storytelling that reels along with the ease of a seasoned prankster."

E. Connections:

Readers will enjoy Kimmel's similar texts Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock and Anansi Goes Fishing.  I can see students enjoying other trickster tales, such as Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears 0r The Boy who Cried Wolf.  This book can be a fun reader's theater play!  I've even seen this tale featured as a production at theaters for field trips.

Traditional Literature Review-The Three Little Pigs

A. Bibliography:
     Watts, Bernadette. (2012). The Three Little Pigs. New York, NY: North-South Books. ISBN: 9780735840584.

B. Plot Summary:
This version of The Three Little Pigs begins with a poor widow pig who asks her sons to find their fortunes in the world.  Each pig encounters a kindhearted man who donates the supplies to each of them to build their home.  As with the traditional tales, the wolf comes along and blows the first two pigs' homes down.  When the wolf comes to the third pig's home, he cannot blow down the bricks. The wolf declares that he will come down the chimney in the morning.  Unlike the original tale, the wolf is not eaten, but instead gets smoke in his eyes from the chimney fire.  He then runs to the forest and is never seen again.  Finally, the mother and her pigs all move in together and live happily ever after.

C. Critical Analysis:
The Three Little Pigs by Bernadette Watts is a happy and feel-good version of the story.  This adaptation does not have much of a variation from the original tale, with the only two exceptions being that the wolf is not eaten at the end and there is a kind man in this version.  This gives Watts' book a traditional "happily ever after" ending.

The major highlight of this version is Watts' elaborate and delicate illustrations.  The beautiful sunsets, small forest animals and homes are striking.  The reader can see the details in Watts' brushstrokes. Her illustrations create movement on the pages where the homes are being blown down.  One improvement that I would've liked to have seen is for the kindhearted man to be incorporated into the end of the story.  It felt as if he didn't really fit into the entire story.  If he had appeared at the end of the story, the reader could have identified a clear theme.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Booktopia states, "It's power to the pigs in this fairy-tale favorite! Bernadette Watts brings one of the most beloved fairy tales to life with her colorful and delightfully detailed illustrations. Retelling it with all of the pluck and charm of the classic tale, Watts ensures that all ends happily and no one gets eaten! In addition to the adorable pigs and the expressive big bad wolf, a bevy of endearing animals befriends the little pigs and adds enchantment to this story time favorite. "
**Kirkus Reviews states, "A candy-colored version of the classic tale completely lacks teeth and claws. Sunny colors and lots of cute details make for pleasant page-turning.  Devoid of energy, but greeting-card pretty. "

E. Connections:
There are many variations of The Three Little Pigs that students can read to compare and contrast.  There are versions from the wolf's perspective, such as The True Story of the Three Little Pigs written by Jon Scieszka, which is a good lesson for point of view.  Students can also use this story to retell the book using their own animal characters, or write from the antagonist's perspective.

Traditional Literature-Review of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

A. Bibliography:
     Taback, Simms. (1999). Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, NY: Viking-Penguin Group. ISBN: 0670878553

B. Plot Summary:
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a tale by Simms Taback, of Jewish background.  The tale is an adaptation from a Yiddish folk song called, "I Had a Little Overcoat".  The story begins with a man, Joseph, who is wearing a noticeably worn coat.  As you turn the page, the reader notices a cut out on the page.  When you place the cut out page on the first page, you see that now the overcoat has been cut out into a jacket worn by the main character.  Each piece of clothing gets old and worn.  As you read the story, the garments get smaller and smaller, until finally it is a button.  Joseph loses the button and comes to the realization that even though he has nothing, he can make something out of nothing.  So he creates a book about his overcoat and what he's made out of it.  

C. Critical Analysis:
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a very original tale about a man who uses his creativity to reuse his piece of clothing over time.  Each time, the clothing gets smaller and smaller.  The reader finds himself curious to see what Joseph will create on each page.  When first reading it, I thought the book was damaged!  It turns out that these were die cuts showing Joseph's new clothing creation.  

The combination of collage, die cuts, watercolor and ink demonstrate why this was a Caldecott Medal winner.  I found myself taking a couple of minutes to read each page, so I can read some of the small newspapers on the page, look at the collage cut outs of the characters in the background and read some of the themed messages displayed throughout the book.  The theme is one that many people can benefit from "You can always make something out of nothing."  

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Author's note in the back of the book.  This is where I learned that the book was adapted from a Yiddish song.  The next page of the book features the song lyrics and song melody to "I Had a Little Overcoat".  The reader can find the song and video to the book on Youtube.  This is something to definitely share with students.  One area that could've been improved was the interaction between characters.  Since it was adapted from a song, there was not any dialogue between Joseph and other characters.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Publishers Weekly states, "This diverting, sequential story unravels as swiftly as the threads of Joseph's well-loved, patch-covered plaid coat."
**Sharon Grover and Lizette Hannegan of SLJ state, "In this work based on a Yiddish folksong, Taback’s spirited, well-paced narration lets the illustrations shine.  Playful sound effects extend the humor, while the Klezmatics’s rousing music reinforces the focus on Jewish culture." 

E. Connections:
Students who enjoyed this story would also enjoy There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback. He uses the collage style in this book as well.  There are many other musical read aloud books, such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.  One activity that can be done with students is have them create their own version of the book, where they all start with an overcoat.  Throughout their retelling, they create die cuts and pages with various objects created out of the original coat, similar to the book.  The concept of reusing objects and clothing is valuable for students to recognize and practice to take care of our planet.

Fiction Review of Watch Me Throw the Ball!

A. Bibliography:
     Willems, Mo. (2009). Watch Me Throw the Ball! New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN: 9781423113485

B. Plot Summary:
Watch Me Throw the Ball! is a playful story about two friends who view throwing a ball from two different perspectives.  Elephant is an expert ball thrower and can throw from far distances.  Piggie, on the other hand, does not have any skill.  Elephant takes this sport very seriously and emphasizes that skill and practice are essential when learning to throw a ball.  Piggie thinks the only thing important about throwing is fun.  Even though Piggie does not throw far at all when it's his turn, he states that it's okay because he had fun.  This reaction has an impact on Elephant who learns to loosen up when he throws the ball.

C. Critical Analysis:
This easy reader is sure to make its way to early childhood classrooms with its fun and playful story.  The interactions between the Elephant and Piggie are comedic and explain the relationship between true friends.  The use of word repetition and big print in this easy reader encourages young readers to develop vocabulary and word recognition. At the end of Watch Me Throw the Ball!, Elephant learns that the secret to throwing a ball is to have fun.  Although this book seems to be just a funny story, there is a key theme that readers of all ages can connect to: To not take life too seriously and enjoy every moment.  Older students will enjoy the fun story, but will not help them develop an advanced vocabulary.

Mo Willems' illustrations have a distinctive look to them.  When you see it on the shelf, you know it's a Mo Willems book.  It's almost to the recognition level of Dr. Seuss books.  The use of mostly white space helps the reader focus on simple drawings.  The reader does not get lost in the book.  Willems' bold lines and simply colored illustrations create his signature look in books.  After reading so many Caldecott winners, the illustrations were a bit mundane in comparison.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Cooperative Children's Book Center (2010) states, "Elephant and Piggie return in another beginning reader showcasing the relationship—sometimes at odds—between this pair. Dialogue bubbles convey the entire brief text, while simple, expressive line drawings work in tandem with the words to tell a story that magnifies emotions and humor."
**Kids' Book Review states, "Elephant and Piggie are back in this ball-throwing romp, part of the Elephant and Piggie series in which Piggie gallantly undertakes the task of lightening Elephant up a little."
**Booklist states, "Accessible, appealing, and full of authentic emotions about what makes friendships tick, these titles will put a contemporary shine on easy reader collections."

E. Connections:
Most of Mo Willems' books are feel good, funny stories, so majority of his books are relatable.  Readers who enjoyed Watch Me Throw the Ball! would enjoy other books in Mo Willems' series Elephant and Piggie Books. The two characters seem to be opposites in this book, which is a concept taught in Kindergarten.  One character is very serious and the other is focused on fun.  The different uses of punctuation and text appearance (all capital letters) bring up a good discussion about author's choice of in how print affects language and tone in a story.  Students can practice using the different text appearances and punctuation marks in their own writing.  Example: use all capitals to show shouting words, use ?! to demonstrate surprise.

Fiction Review of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

A. Bibliography:
     Steig, William. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.  New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781416902065

B. Plot Summary:
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a tale of a young donkey named Sylvester who enjoys collecting pebbles.  One rainy morning, he finds a shiny, red pebble.  Sylvester gets tired of the rain and casually wishes for it stop.  To his amazement, the rain immediately stops and the stormy clouds vanish.  Sylvester begins to suspect that maybe the red pebble was a factor in his wish coming true.  Therefore, he holds the red pebble in his hoof and wishes for the rain to come back.  The storm instantly comes back.  Sylvester is so excited to share the news with his friends and family.  But on the way home, he is stopped by a lion.  Sylvester panics and wishes to become a rock.  The problem with the lion is resolved, but now Sylvester has a bigger problem.  He can't hold the magic pebble and make a wish to be a donkey again.  Over the next few seasons, both Sylvester and his parents worry.  His parents seek help from the entire community to no avail.

When summer returns the next year, Sylvester's parents decide to go on a picnic to distract them from their worries.  They settle on the rock where Sylvester transformed earlier in the book.  The dad finds the pebble and puts it on the rock, thinking it would have made Sylvester happy.  As they eat, Sylvester wishes to be his real self again.  The rock transforms back into Sylvester instantly and the family reunites happily.

C. Critical Analysis:
While reading Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, I was brought back to my own childhood because Sylvester is able to go out in nature and explore without any worries.  I was drawn to the title of the book because it seemed to have a fantasy spin to it with the magical pebble.  This book follows a typical fiction plot with the rising action, conflict, falling action and resolution.  This tale emphasizes the importance of family and the theme of "Be Careful What you Wish For".  Toward the end of the book, the reader can pick up on the author's idea of mother's intuition.  The mother donkey states, "I have the strangest feeling that our dear Sylvester is still alive and not far away."  The use of advanced vocabulary for young children will bring up great discussions as teachers and parents read this story to children.  The one aspect of the book that could be a bit scary for children is the concept of parents worrying over their missing child.

William Steig's illustrations are simple and cartoonistic.  The pages covering the seasons changing are particularly striking.  This Caldecott winner is a book that stresses the importance of being with family and never giving up hope.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Horn Book states, "A remarkable atmosphere of childlike innocence pervades the book; beautiful pictures in full, natural color show daily and seasonal changes in the lush countryside and greatly extend the kindly humor and the warm, unself-conscious tenderness."
**SLJ states, "That strange little story of magic, loss, and recovery strikes a deep chord in the hearts and minds of children and parents everywhere."

E. Connections:
Students who enjoy keeping a collection of some type will like this book.  Sylvester and the Magic Pebble includes great vocabulary, such as ceased, aimlessly, embraces, gradually, fetlock, extraordinary, inquiring and gratified.  Teachers could do a vocabulary unit where students write their own fiction tale while incorporating these terms.  The story occurs over many seasons, so it can be related to science and the changes in the four seasons.

Fiction Review of Finding Winnie

A. Bibliography:
     Mattick, Lindsay. (2015). Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear. Ill. by Sophie Blackall.  New York, NY: Little Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316324908

B. Plot Summary:
Finding Winnie is the true story about how Winnie the Pooh came to be.  It begins with a mother sitting at bedtime with her son, Cole.  He requests to hear a bedtime story about a bear.  She begins telling the tale of a veterinarian named Harry Colebourn, who is on his way to care for the soldier's horses in the war. While on a train stop leaving Winnipeg, Harry stumbles upon a man and a baby bear.  Thinking that the man is a bear trapper, Harry decides to rescue the bear and carry him on his adventures with the soldiers.  Harry names the bear Winnie, after Winnipeg, so the soldiers will always feel close to home.  The Colonel and soldiers all grow close to Winnie as she was just as part of the army as them.  After some time, Harry makes a tough decision to bring Winnie to the London Zoo because he doesn't want her to go to the battle in France.

The story then transitions to a young boy who is struggling to find a name for his stuffed bear.  He travels with his father to the London Zoo where he meets Winnie.  He instantly feels a connection to Winnie and therefore names his stuffed bear Winnie the Pooh.  We then learn that they boy is the famous Christopher Robin from the Winnie the Pooh stories.  We're left with yet another surprise, the young boy Cole is named after Harry Colebourn, who turns out to be the mother's (Lindsay Mattick) great-grandfather.

C. Critical Analysis:
Children will pick up Finding Winnie in a heartbeat due to the cute bear on the cover.  When they learn that it is the true story of Winnie the Pooh, they won't want to put it down.  The storytelling from Lindsay Mattick is immaculate. There really are three different parts to the storytelling.  The interactions between the mother and son are fun, playful and heartwarming.  The discussion about veterinarian and vegetarian puts a smile on the reader's face.  The camaraderie between Harry Colebourn and the soldiers gives a nice spin to usual war stories.   Lastly, the relationship between Christopher Robin and Winnie gives the reader hope that hard decisions can work out for the better.  The three different scenarios keep the reader interested in the interwoven storyline.  The many surprises at the end of the book fill your heart with joy. The photo album at the end was an added bonus that really connects the reader to the story.  Finding Winnie is a book that instills the message of making responsible decisions when caring and rescuing animals.

Sophie Blackall's illustrations range from smooth, bold, subtle, earthy, delicate, and elaborate.  I found myself reading the words and then spending several minutes studying the illustrations.  The reader can feel the emotion between the characters in each illustration.  This Caldecott winner is a book that teachers, kids and parents will want to read over and over again.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Lolly Robinson of Horn Book states, "Then there is Finding Winnie. At the end of the book we learn that author Mattick is actually Harry Colebourn’s great-granddaughter, which probably gave her a leg up on finding primary source material. She structures her story in a way that allows the gaps in our knowledge of Harry and Winnie to become organic."
**SLJ states, "This sweet tale of the black bear that inspired the legendary children’s book character Winnie-the-Pooh will resonate with readers...A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn’s great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually."

E. Connections:
Students who enjoyed this story would be interested in the classic Winnie the Pooh picture book series by AA Milne, who surprisingly was Christopher Robin's father.  I never knew that!  Students interested in being a veterinarian will enjoy the discussions between the mother and son, as well the story of how well Harry Colebourn took care of horses and Winnie the bear.  A related text is Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie the Pooh by Sally M. Walker.

Fiction Review of Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

A. Bibliography:
     McCloskey, Robert. (1941). Make Way for Ducklings. New York, NY: The Viking Press. ISBN: 9780670451494

B. Plot Summary:
Make Way for Ducklings is a story about a family of ducks looking for a place to settle down and raise a family.  The ducks fly to Boston and spend the first night in the Public Garden pond.  Just when they think the Public pond is the place they want to stay, they almost get run over by city kids riding their bikes in the park.  Therefore, they search for other suitable places for their family to settle down.  The ducks choose the Charles River to stay and start their family.  They meet a policeman named Michael who looks over them each day.  While they're in their new home, the mother duck raises their eight ducklings, and the father duck explores the other side of the river.  When the ducklings get a bit bigger, the mother duck takes them on a walk that creates a big scene on the road.  The policemen stop the traffic in order for the ducks to cross the street.  The ducks return to find their dad, who is waiting for them at the Public Garden pond.  Now that the ducklings are bigger, the family has become brave and decides to make the pond their permanent home.

C. Critical Analysis:
Make Way for Ducklings is a book that could easily be skipped when browsing through a collection of picture books.  The cover of the book is plain and almost colorless.  Today's children might turn away from this book because it is not so appealing at first glance.  It is not colorful like most picture books.  When you open the book though, the illustrations blow you away.  The drawings of Boston scenery-buildings, parks, old fashioned cars from the 1940s are so detailed. Even though the illustrations are colorless inside, the author and illustrator make up for it with the shading, linework and attention to detail.  No wonder that it won the Caldecott Medal.

I have to be honest.  The first time I read the book, I was not too impressed with the storyline.  Yeah sure, a family of ducks crossing the street is always cute, but why was this such a classic tale?  So, I read it a second time, which is when the theme stuck out to me.  Make Way for Ducklings is a tale about taking care of your family, even before you start that family.  The beginning of the story is all about finding a secure place for their future ducklings.  In the end, the mother duck becomes brave and crosses her ducklings on the street in order to reunite with the dad duck.  She protects them against the angry drivers.  This story shows that a family would do anything to protect their young.  Parents and children both can relate to this tale.  When I found out that they have the statues of these ducks in Boston, I fell in love with Make Way for Ducklings even more.  I cannot wait to share this story with my children and experience the excitement when visiting Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack in Boston one day!

D. Review Excerpts:
**Shoshana Flax of Horn Book states, "The book still isn’t flashy. It still isn’t colorful, it still doesn’t rhyme, and given today’s attention spans, it’s definitely still long. But none of those things hinder Bostonians’ devotion. Their enthusiasm is rewarded with plucky, astonishingly detailed ducks and a wealth of beloved Boston landmarks. When they take the time for this book, they’re rewarded with a duck’s-eye view tour of their hometown."
**Penguin Random House states, "Seventy-five years ago, a family of ducks waddled off the page and into the hearts of readers everywhere. The brilliantly illustrated tale of mallards on the move received the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished picture book of the year, and has been a favorite of generations of readers."

E. Connections:
Students who have moved or are moving can connect to Make Way for Ducklings.  This book also is a good read for discussing community and how people work together to solve problems.  Bostonians probably feel a lot of pride when they read this book, so I bet it is a popular read aloud and Best Seller in Boston.  One main theme of the story is taking care of your family.  An activity that can be done with students is to have them think of the various ways the ducks took care of their ducklings, including before they hatched.  Then students can think of ways that their parents take care of them.   This can bring new perspective to children as they reflect and think about how parents provide for their family.