Touchstone
Corduroy
Bibliography: Freeman, Don (1968); Corduroy. New York: Viking Press.
Grades: Pre-K through 1st grade
Genre: Fantasy
Theme/Subject:
- Dolls, Toys, Puppets
- Love
- Determination and Perseverance
- Friends and Friendship
Response:
Corduroy is a book about not judging something by the way it looks. Throughout this book Corduroy portrays a stuffed animal who may never get a home because he was damaged. He has lost his button and felt that no one would want a bear with something missing. Even the child’s mother said that they could find a better one that was not damaged. And though Corduroy had missing button the child loved him anyway. This shows children that it does not matter if a button is missing we should always give everyone a fair chance. Once children get older they will start to notice different things about people but after reading this book they will know that it is okay to be different. Children will look past the differences and get to know the person for who they truly are.
Critique:
Corduroy could have been improved by lengthening the book. The authors could have shown what they child said to the mother about why she wanted the bear and how she felt about his missing button. They also could have went into greater detail about the child giving Corduroy another button.
Additional Resources:
http://games.mi9.com/play_corduroy-blazer/
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21192/corduroys-birthday-games
http://hippyalabama.com/documents/library/CorduroyActivities.pdf
Discussion Questions:
Why did the child want Corduroy so much?
Was the mother wrong for telling her no at first?
Who does the child end up getting Corduroy?
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Overview: The lesson can be used with any story; however in this case, the story of Corduroy allows for a personal connection by having students interact with a stuffed bear and write about their own adventures with Corduroy.
Activity: Students will be given a layout of a picture book. They students will create their own adventure with Corduroy with words and illustrations. Students will share their book with the class. The teacher will display books in the library.
The Polar Express
Bibliography: Allsburg, C. V. (1985). The Polar Express. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Grades: K-3
Genre:
- Adventure
- Classics
- Fables, Folk Tales and Myths
Theme/Subject:
- Cleverness
- Creativity and Imagination
- Life Experiences
- Christmas
- Winter Themes
Response:
The Polar Express is a book based off of adventure. A little boy boards a train heading to the North Pole on Christmas eve. Once he gets their he meets Santa Clause and gets a present, a small bell. But only believers can hear the bell ringing. Once he gets back home he realizes that his mother cannot hear the bell. This story is portraying a child’s belief of Santa. As the child gets older he realizes his friends lose their belief, but he continues to hear the bell ringing. The illustrations throughout this book invite to the children into the story. The darkness of the night, the smoke of the train, and the ringing of the bell is all portrayed in the pictures.
Critique:
The only critique I have for this book would be that it is not suitable to read to your class if you have students with different cultures or religions. A students who is a Jehovahs Witness may be offended by this story, or a student who celebrates Hanukkah instead of Christmas.
Additional Resources:
http://www.dan-dare.org/FreeFun/Games/CMTVMore/AChristmasCarol/PolarExpress.htm
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338348/
Discussion Questions:
How did the child get to the North Pole?
Why couldn’t everyone hear the ringing of the bell?
Why didn’t the child every stop hearing the ringing of the bell?
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective: Students will be able to look into different cultures around the world and re write the story according to their different culture or a different culture around the world.
Activity: Students will research different cultures around the world and rewrite the story of the Polar Express to fit that culture. Once they have done their research they will create a e-book telling their story. The students will share with the class and then take their story home to share with their families.
Caldecott
Smokey Night
Bibliography: Bunting, Eve. Smokey Night. N.p.: Harcort., n.d. Print.
Grades: 3rd
Genre: Picture Book
Theme/Subject:
- Equality
- Love
- Coming together
Response:
Bunting addresses urban violence in this thought-provoking and visually exciting picture book inspired by the Los Angeles riots. Although they’re neighbors, Daniel’s cat and Mrs. Kim’s cat don’t get along. Nor do Daniel and his mother shop at Mrs. Kim’s market. But when their apartments go up in flames they must work together to find their cats. Proving that although the past has taught them not to ever work together that can make a change and do what is right.
Critique:
The only critique I have for this book id that it might be a little extreme for a children’s book. Children might not grasp the concept that is being portrayed.
Additional Resources:
Discussion Questions:
- Why didn’t Daniel and his mother shop at Mrs. Kim’s Market?
- Should the families work together?
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
- Discuss the importance of getting to know people who appear different from them.
Activity:
- Research the 1992 L.A. Riots.
- Have students research the causes of the riots, the events surrounding the riots, and the long-term impacts (what has been done since then to make things better). Students can present their findings through posters, writing, or other media
Multicultural/Global Literature
Wonder
Bibliography:
- http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11387515-wonder
- https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/feb/02/review-wonder-r-j-palacio-review
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
Students will be able to read, take away, and list important attributes of characters, in order to understand their impact on plot. They will also be able to infer and predict what a character might do, based on his/her personality.
Activity:
Character Map: Students will create maps of the characters traits, quote of kindness, and relationship to Auggie.
Batchelder
Soldier Bear
Bibliography: Tak, Bibi Dumon, and Philip Hopman. Soldier Bear. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans for Young Readers, 2011. Print.
Grade: 5-8th
Genre: Historical Fiction
Theme:
- European History
- World War II
- Resourcefulness
Response:
This book is based on a real series of events that happened during World War II, Soldier Bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in Iran. The soldiers raise the bear and eventually enlist him as a soldier to ensure that he stays with the company. He travels with them from Iran to Italy, and then on to Scotland. Voytek’s mischief gets him into trouble along with way, but he also provides some unexpected encouragement for the soldiers amidst the reality of war: Voytek learns to carry bombs for the company, saves the camp from a spy, and keeps them constantly entertained with his antics. It is a great story for children in middle school, and brings light to an unbearable situation.
Critique:
One critique I have is the reading does not flow very well. Probably lost in translation, but should be edited.
Additional Resources:
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
Students will be able to read and take away information from this story.
Activity :
Use an atlas to locate where events in the story happened. Draw or copy a map that includes all the countries where the book takes place, and then draw arrows to show where the characters traveled.
Challenged Books
Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket
Bibliography: Park, Barbara, and Denise Brunkus. Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket. New York: Scholastic, 2000. Print.
Grades: 2-5
Genre: Comedy
Theme:
- Confronting and Resolving Fears
- Elementary School
- Farm and Ranch Life
- Field Trips
Response:
Junie B Jones has a definite place in every library for children. Barbra Park has created a character that children adore and this has allowed her series to continue for more than 40 volumes. Junie B Jones books are filled with humor that children like. Junie B is not a goody two shoe. She is not a great role model. She talks back to adults and is quite rude. True to how Kindergarteners talk, the book is filled with her dialect. This means there are many instances where the sentences are incorrect grammatically.
Critique:
The only critique I have for this book would be the grammar used. I understand that is how a child talks but it should be grammatically correct in a book.
Additional Resources:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXtNr-hH5L0
- https://www.buffalolib.org/vufind/Record/1061312/Reviews
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective: Students will practice using meaning clues (e.g. pictures, picture captions, title, cover, headings, story structure, story topic) to aid comprehension and make predictions about content.
Activity: Keep a list of Junie B. Jones behaviors. Keep a list of Junie B. Jones words and phrases. The students will retell the story and act it out.
Graphic Novels
A Game For Swallows
Bibliography: Abirached, Zeina, and Edward Gauvin. A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe, 2012. Print.
Grades: 6-8
Genre:
- Autobiography
- Comic Books
- Graphic Novels
Theme:
- Wars
- Middle East
- Siblings
Response:
It’s a sweet story and it gives the reader a bit of perspective on how everyday citizens dealt with an ongoing civil war in their own backyards. The artwork will definitely draw comparisons to the now-classic graphic memoir, Persepolis, with its bold, black-and-white illustrations. It is, however, stylistically different and well-suited to the story it tells
Critique:
The one critique I have for this book is that it is not very compelling to the reader.
Additional Resources:
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
-
The student will be able to compare and contrast an audio documentary and a book in ways they are similar and different.
Activity:
- Using a documentary and book, A Game for Swallows: To die, to leave, to return, students will make comparisons and similarities to the stories told in each. They will use supporting facts to from the text and documentary.
Pre-1990 YA Books
A Summer to Die
Bibliography: Lowry, L. (1977). A Summer To Die. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Grade: 6-8th
Genre:
- Pre-1990 YA novel
- Children’s Juvenile novel
- Realistic Fiction
- Death
Theme:
- Character and Values
- Culture and Diversity
- Friends and Friendship
Response:
- This is a realistic fiction story that takes us on a memorable journey about 2 sisters that have distinctive interest and personality. I would recommend this book to everyone as it enlightens us on the nature of life and the ways to overcome obstacles that stand in our way.
Critique:
- I don’t think their is much to critique about this book. This was a cleverly written book. Besides the emotional connection, it had a motivating moral for those who have lost someone, or those who are sometimes let down
Additional Resources:
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
- Students will be able to determine what the main theme is in a novel.
Activity:
- Personal identity was a main theme in this book. Where does this theme appear and how does its inclusion in the novel shape the course of the plot? Provide examples from the book.
Common Core Exemplars – Informational Text
Lincoln: A Photobiography
Bibliography: Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. New York, NY: Clarion, 1987. Print.
Grades: 3-5
Genre:
- Informational
- Autobiography
- Biography
Theme:
- Civil War Period and Reconstruction
- American Civil War
- The Presidency
- Historic Figures
- Leadership
- Responsibility
Response:
- Well-written, informative, and fascinating. I loved seeing pictures of Lincoln’s life. It gave me a whole new perspective on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
Critique:
- The actual photographs really enhanced the biography by making it relatable to the reader. Having actual black and white photographs instead of kid friendly illustrations, expresses the actual time period and presents it as an event that actually happened.
Additional Resources:
Lesson Plan Sketch:
Objective:
- The students will be able to determine the tone, main idea, and genre in a photo biography.
Activity:
- Students will determine
What is the main idea?
What is the genre?
Why did the author write this?
What is the tone?
Is the scope narrow or broad? Explain.
How is the text organized?
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