Final Reflection of 7E:123

Wow, it's hard to believe the semester is at an end! Well, this class far exceeded my expectations on a variety of different levels. First off, I really liked how the class was set up. It was a very comfortable, open environment that encouraged everyone to participate in class-wide discussion. I really enjoyed working together in our groups, especially during "The Misfits" book. I thought it was extremely interesting and fun trading our elementary/middle school perspectives of how name calling and stereotyping effected us all on a personal level. Probably the most memorable activity I will take from this class was the day we worked on poetry - and had to read our designated poem out loud to the class. It gave us the opportunity to be goofy, creative, fun, and unique. It's amazing that just changing how we say the poem can alter its tone and the way others around us interpret the poem.

Aside from my in class experiences, I really thought this class as a whole was fantastic - especially for any student going into elementary education. My first presumptions about this class was "Great, what could there really be about children's literature that I have to learn - besides that it is super easy to read?" Reflecting back over the semester it is amazing how many different layers there are to great children's literature. Unlike novels, children's literature can utilize some of the most important tools of all, keeping students visually and physically engaged in their reading. I have seen many books that have pop-out additions, books with different sized fonts, different shapes, colors, types of illustrations, etc. It is amazing at the extent to how great children's authors construct their books. They are much more meticulous and methodical than I ever thought children's authors would be. From every single illustration to every single word, I have come to understand and appreciate children's literature for much more than my old stereotype of it. It is creative, intuitive, funny, and a whole list of other adjectives that I won't waste time listing. Overall, fantasic course. Nothing more need be said.

"Love That Dog" by Sharon Creech

Contrary to my minimal expectations of the story, I actually really enjoyed it. I think that many young kids can relate to Jack considering many young boys share the same perspectives he does about poetry. Jack exclaims that poetry is "Just for girls" and refuses to participate for a while. Finally, his teacher struck a chord with his emotions and Jack became inspired by a male poet to write a poem about his deceased dog. After Jack realizes he enjoys expressing how he feels about his dog, he has a new found perspective regarding poetry. I think this story is great to integrate into a poetry unit in any classroom. It helps break down gender stereotypes/barriers that may hold back other male students from participating, similar to Jack. Although I have taken a variety of Gender + Society classes, it still baffles me where these stereotypes come from. Obviously, the media and other traditional influences tell our society what is expected of each gender. However, I believe there are deeper roots than just the media that these stereotypes have been formed - and that we must look at the origins of "the traditional" American gender roles to start looking for patterns. These gender biases will always exist, but I believe it is our job as educators to help introduce a variety of literature and role models to help break down these stereotypes so all students feel comfortable to participate in any activity.

"Northern Lullaby" by Nancy White Carlstrom

This poem story has a very light-hearted calming tone all throughout the book. As the reader progresses through the book, the author is telling goodnight to all different aspects of nature, such as "mother willow" and "grandpa mountain." Obviously nature is a very large part of this author's life, and she illustrates it in such a way that makes the reader appreciate it with her. Illustrations seem to emphasize shading and realism, as well as uses very soft colors. The author's inspiration for these pictures come from the Alaskan winter environment, as the reader can observe through vast snow and warm winter fires. These soft colors help contribute to the poem's smooth and calming tone. Although there seems to be nothing special about this picture poetry book, I believe it would be a great book to read to a child before they fall asleep.

"Quilt Alphabet" by Lesa Cline-Ransome

This poem picture book would be fantastic for kindergarten students. Each of the two adjacent pages is dedicated to a letter from the alphabet, followed by a large picture of what the poem talks about. For example, on page "D" there is a large picture of dolls, and there is a very short 4 line poem that talks about what the image is. One aspect of the poem book that I thought was interesting was that the author never actually mentions on each page what the designated word actually is. So for letter "D," the author never says the word doll, thus the student is supposed to deduce from the picture and text what word the author is talking about. This can make for a fun activity in the classroom with your students, and can easily keep them engaged and wanting to participate. Obviously since kindergarten students are unable to read very well at this point in school, you would have to read them the poems. But you could ask questions like "So what is this a picture of? What word do you think the author is talking about?" The illustrations are created from watercolors, and attempt to give a somewhat realistic portrayal of what it is trying to convey.

"Come With Me: Poems For a Journey" by Naomi Shihab Nye

In this poem picture story, each of the two adjacent pages are dedicated to a short poem along with collage-based illustrations that are rather colorful. Each of the two pages' poems talk about random topics that little children participate in all the time, such as observing others, being physically active, telling/keeping secrets, etc. When I read these poems, I compare them to the little motivational quotes that are seen on posters and in other forms of literature. Honestly, I did not really care for this poem book - all of the poems were arbitrary and there was no consistent subject/topic.

"How We Are Smart" by W. Nikola Lisa

This is a poem book that has eight different poems that talk about different influential historical figures that all have different skill sets they excel at. One page is separated into the poem of the famous figure, and the other side of the page is a water-color based illustration of the person. One aspect of the story that I really liked was that right below the person's poem on each page, it gave a mini biography about the famous person. This is beneficial to students who are not knowledgeable regarding the famous person - in that they are able to read and gain background information about this famous person. Each poem talks about how these different historical figures are unique and skilled, and at the end of each poem it asks "Are you smart like _______?" I thought this is a great poem compilation for young children because it shows that even though everyone has their own personal things that they excel at. So if a student is not good at something like reading very well, maybe they excel at art. Thus, this book helps open up new role models for a variety of students with different skill sets.

"Harlem" by Walter Dean Myeres

"Harlem" has a relatively relaxing tone for a poem picture book. It talks about everything that Harlem had to offer for many of the diverse people that inhabited it. Throughout the poem, the author talks about the different things to do, people, places, etc. of Harlem, and how they were special to the town. The illustrator uses a variety of creative illustrative techniques such as ink and collage to construct the world he is trying to convey. Each illustration has rigid sides, so it is fairly obvious to tell that they are all constructed from different magazines, newspapers, etc. I think a book like this would be beneficial to students learning about diversity - and how different American towns across the country play a role in making American the ever changing melting pot it is today.

"So Far From the Bamboo Grove" by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

I thought this story was a great alternative perspective from the traditional World War II stories told in the U.S. Most American depictions of WWII deal with the Western Conflicts, i.e. Germany VS U.S. and Europe, and America VS Japan, etc. We rarely ever hear about what goes on across the other side of the globe, and I thought this viewpoint was valuable. Yoko is a part of a Japanese family that lives in Korea because her father works for the Manchurian government. It is amazing at how much the author describes at what happens on the train. The depressing tone leaves little room for the reader to think of any hope at this point in the story, but compels the reader to continue reading. Unlike "Year of Impossible Goodbyes" I thought this story was definitely a lot more consistently engaging/exciting. There was not a single point in the novel where I thought there was a dull/boring point. Between disguising themselves in uniforms to getting injured, there is constant plot development. I especially liked how other characters mention events in Japan unfold (i.e. Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) throughout the novel, as it helps the reader understand where we are in the WWII timeline, and gives us some steady footing. Overall, I thought these two book comparisons would be fantastic for middle-junior high students - and I believe students would greatly benefit from these alternative perspectives of WWII.

"50 Ways To Save The Earth" by Anne Jankeliowitch

This is a relatively long chapter book with about 5 chapters, and ten different ways to help the environment in each chapter. In each of these chapters, there is a broad topic that talks about a variety of ways to be more eco-friendly, as well as a plethora of vivid photographs that are related to the ideas being conveyed. One example of a typical chapter is similar to Chapter 5, in that it talks about "Caring for Water" and discusses a variety of ways to be more eco-friendly with water such as: "Dont leave your water running while brushing your teeth, save/recycle water, clean up the river to help discourage river pollution, clean beaches, etc." This book, similar to the previous book, can easily be integrated into any elementary classroom that talks about environmental issues as a class. I believe in this day and age, it is imperative for our future generations to understand the issues we are to face in the near future regarding depleting of resources, pollution, and other global issues regarding the destruction of our ecosystems. By introducing these topics at a young age, children may be more likely to be more environmentally concious throughout their lives and take a proactive role in their society to be more environmentally friendly.

"Earth Lines: Poems For The Green Age" by Pat Moon

Going along with the whole concept of "Going Green" I thought Pat Moon's compilation of short poems would be an excellent addition to any unit covering environmentalism. Each poem discusses different topics regarding going green such as conservation of materials, recycling, maintaining habitats, endangered species, etc. Almost all of these poems have simple sketched illustrations next to them that have to do with the poem itself. The only colors used in any of these illustrations is the color green, which is very fitting considering all of the poems are about environmental issues. As I stated earlier, these poems would be a great way to introduce students to environmental issues. One educational lesson would be give each group a different poem from the story, and let them try to extract what the environmental issue is in the poem and how it pertains to the whole overarching idea of being environmentally friendly.

"10 Things I Can Do To Help My World" by Melanie Walsh

This is actually a Children's book and an educational book regarding simple things children can do at home to help become eco-friendly. The book is very interactive and short, each page giving a simple illustration following a sentence in how to become more environmentally conscious. For example, one page talks about turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth to conserve water, so it shows a sink with a little girl turning off the water with a toothbrush. This book is very fun and interactive because each page is designed to have little flip-up parts so the children can stay engaged throughout the story. One aspect of the story that I thought was extremely cool was the fact that the book said it was made from "100% recycled material." Thus, the construction of the book itself was environmentally friendly. Overall, this is a fantastic learning took for K-2nd grade to learn about simple things you can do to help the environment.

"Earth Day" by Mir Tamim Ansary

This is a very small, but simple story that talks about the history of "Earth Day." This story uses real photographs, rather than illustrations on each page to help give the student insight into what historical figure/topic they are reading about. The story starts off by talking about the history of environmentalism, and how no one used to take it seriously. It talks about major people that influenced environmental decisions in history to enforce new laws about global environmentalism. The author uses very simple vocabulary so grades 2-4 would easily be able to read this story and gain insight into the history of environmental education. Similar to the previous book, it has bolded vocabulary to help stress important preliminary words that students should become familiar with if they are to study environmental education. Each page consists of 2-3 short sentences discussing what the topic is, and its significance. The little book is constructed chronologically, so students read about the earliest history of environmental issues and it quickly transitions to modern day issues - and gives students a perspective of how far we have come in regards to environmentalism.

"Earth in Danger: Habitat Destruction" by Helen Orme

For these next five stories I decided to use some of my favorite stories from my Text Set study regarding environmentalism. This story is a non-fiction piece of literature that discusses different environmental issues. The chapters discuss topics such as "What is a Habitat" and the consequences of human pollution, and the detrimental effects it has on the environment. I think this book is extremely informative; the author integrates a variety of learning tools throughout the book. Orme uses bold words to highlight important definitions that students need to be aware of surrounding the environmental topic. Aside from bold words, each page has a "random fact" or statistic that has to do with the current chapter. The photography in this story is very detailed - and they are all hi definition photographs taken of different ecosystems throughout the world. Overall, this story is a great learning tool for any students learning about environmental science education.

"Year Of Impossible Goodbyes" by Sook Nyul Choi

I thought this story was somewhat depressing, but realistic. I was amazing at the drastic measures Sookan and her family had to take in order to get through Japanese occupation. The realism of the conflicts in the Korean area really sets in when Sookan describes the extent of which she had to go in order to blend into the Japanese. At one point, in Chapter 5, Sookan was sent to a Japanese school in which she would be punished if she spoke Korean. I tried to put myself in that situation, and I just can't even believe it. You are supposed to go to a school where you cannot speak your native language, or else you will be punished. It's just unreal. She even had to get called by an alternative Japanese name, and learn the Japanese anthem to recite in class. Aside from learning an entire different culture in order to blend, Sookan had unfathomable responsibility for a child of her age. Almost every decision she made weighed upon life and death. Overall, I thought this was a great book that really gave insight to eastern world conflicts.

"How The Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Suess

Since the holidays are coming up, I thought it would only be fitting to do this last Suess review on "How The Grinch Stole Christmas." As crazy as it sounds, I have never read this story of Suess'. This story pretty much talks about how the Grinch disguised himself as Santa, and stole everyone's presents. However, he realized that on Christmas everyone still celebrated, despite being robbed of their presents. Similar to many of Suess' earlier children's stories, he uses only one or two basic colors in his story. In this particular story, he uses the color red, and in almost every page he uses the red in the Grinch's eye to symbolize his malicious intentions. However, by the end of the book the Grinch is so humbled by everyone's holiday spirit, that he, himself becomes overjoyed for the holidays.

Although this story is a holiday classic, I think it teaches children some great basic lessons. That is, you shouldn't need presents to be happy (many children may still argue that concept). But in all reality if you choose to read this to your class, you should be very careful what lessons you extract from the story, and how you introduce the story. Many students may not celebrate Christmas, so you want to make sure you somehow introduce the story in ways that every student can relate.

"The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Suess

I haven't read this book in over a decade, but so far this is my favorite new Suess book I can recall. It's amazing the different things you see in stories as you age, and gain new knowledge. This story is fantastic, in that it is about two different towns who "spread their butter on toast" differently, thus they are separated by a wall to stay away from one another. Throughout the story, they continuously threaten each other with newer and newer technology, until finally at the end of the book they invented a little weapon that would completely clear out the opposing town. At the end of the story, both sides are holding this "little weapon" over each others town, waiting to see who will drop these little magic eggs first.

Although this story was adapted to children's literature, it seemed almost completely paralleled to the Cold War. I checked the publication date, and it was in 1984 (which was still around the cold war). Obviously the "little eggs" in the story that could destroy each others' towns symbolized nuclear weapons, however, little kids would most likely not pick up on that concept. I think this story is fantastic to read in the classrooms because it shows the consequences of not negotiating and accepting others' differences. I thought Suess did an excellent job in adapting realistic global issues into a children's story to help teach children the importance of tolerance and negotiation.

"Bartholomew and the Oobleck" by Dr. Suess

This was an extremely bizarre story (as are most of Suess' stories). It talks about a young boy who comes to a kingdom, and a king is unhappy with only rain, snow, and fog coming from the sky - and wishes other things fell from the sky. Eventually, the king is so fed up with routine and sameness that he orders his magicians to conjure up something new to fall from the sky. Suddenly, green goo called "oobleck" begins to fall from the sky, covering everything and making everyone's lives miserable. By the end of the story, the king wishes it was gone - and he is forced to apologize to Bartholomew, even though it makes his skin cringe.

Even though this story was rather long and arbitrary, it teaches a few lessons. I guess the first lesson is "the grass is always greener on the other side." The king wanted so bad for change, but then realized when there was change, it wasn't change for the better. The change he wished for caused everything to go anarchic, and disturbed the environment. Although kids would not pick up this concept, as a teacher you could ask students their thoughts on the book. Also, at the end of the story the king did not want to apologize and admit his mistakes for bringing the oobleck to town. Eventually, he owned up to his mistakes - despite not wanting to do it. He believed that because he was the king, he should never have to apologize. This teaches students that even people in power make mistakes, and should be expected to own up to their mistakes (although in the real world many of them still don't).

"Fox in Socks" by Dr. Suess

"Fox in Socks" is another Suess book that encompasses the concepts of rhyming schemes and tongue twisters. Although it is similar to "One Fish, Two Fish...," "Fox in Socks" may be a little more difficult in that it uses a lot of the same rhyming schemes (such as words that use the letters "X" and "S" to rhyme interchangeably. I think students that were beginning readers would really enjoy this story, not only for its illustrations but for the tongue-twisting vocabulary. As a teacher you could challenge students to see who can read it the fastest without getting their tongue twisted in a knot. Or even, you as the teacher could read it to the class and progressively read it faster and faster, and show the kids how difficult rhyming words can sometimes be if read too fast. Students would most likely find it comical if the teacher was getting all twisted up in rhyming words.

The illustrations are very similar to those from "One Fish, Two Fish..." The story uses simple colors, nothing vibrant or extravagant. The story follows two fictional characters, a "Knox" and a Fox in socks. Throughout the story Fox is trying to teach the Knox tongue twisters, and the Knox is having trouble with them. Overall, this story is simple and comical, and if integrated the right way, it could be a very fun reading for students.

"One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" by Dr. Suess

For these next five posts I have chosen to do them all on my favorite all-time Children's author: Dr. Suess. This Suess story is typical of his many stories, in that there are many rhyming schemes and illustrations are very simple and engaging. He uses very basic colors throughout the story, nothing too drastic or vibrant. After reading this story I think it would be great for students who are in grades K-1, in that it helps reinforce new, simple vocabulary, as well as adjectives and verbs. It also aids to re-emphasize different colors (although by this point most children will know their colors). I think this story would be excellent in an elementary classroom in that the teacher can use it to teach what rhyming is to his/her students. Although most Suess books contain rhymes, this book uses very preliminary words - thus it would be easiest for students to comprehend the concept of rhyming if the most basic of words are used.

A/P/I - Chris Van Allsburg

I did my API study on Chris Van Allsburg. I chose Van Allsburg because I have always loved Jumanji and the Polar express, and I wanted to further investigate his past and where he gained his inspiration for his works from. After reading Van Allsburg's biography from http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/biography.html I had formed a greater appreciation for his works based on quite a few similarities I had with him. Similar to myself, Chris grew up in the midwest and was extremely interested and talented in math and science. Although he enjoyed both math and science, he had a great appreciation for the arts. After attending a Big 10 University and majoring in Sculpturing, he began drawing and writing in his free time. Not thinking of these drawings as anything more than his hobby, his wife and others thought they were extremely detailed and special. Thus, Van Allsburg began writing/illustrating children's books.

Throughout most of Van Allsburg's books, he uses common themes throughout. Many of these themes manifest in the form of common illustration techniques (such as soft colors, realism, etc.). One of the things I have found fascinating about his works is his ability to convey a story through only the use of illustrations. This method of telling a story is unique in that it gives the reader the opportunity to openly interpret what is going on in the story. Thus, there may be a variety of ways different readers may interpret what is going on in the story, consequently making every reader's experience with his stories unique.

Midterm Perspectives of 7E:123

So far I'm enjoying this class more than I had originally anticipated. I especially like the fact that we are able to choose the books we review. This gives me the opportunity to read and reflect upon books that I had enjoyed as a child - that I have most likely not read for over a decade. As I was saying in one of my previous blogs, I just love the fact that everytime I read one of the classic stories I loved when I was a kid, the images are still imprinted in my memories. As cheesy as it sounds, viewing these old images from the stories of my childhood brings me back and almost makes me feel like I'm a kid again.

Aside from the book reviews, one of the biggest aspects of the class that I enjoy are the discussions. Our discussion of "The Misfits" was pretty fun, in that my peers and myself were able to discuss our different experiences with name-calling, and other concepts that we never really paid attention to as younger kids. It's pretty cool to be able to trade our adult perspectives and reflect upon our different childhood experiences. I also find it pretty ironic and convenient that many adaptations of children's novels are being transformed into hollywood blockbusters - such as "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs." Using the different strategies to analyze and interpret children's novels I have learned in this class thus far, it is interesting to review these movies in a different light - with a broader background in children's literature.

"The Misfits" by James Howe

Overall, I thought "The Misfits" was an excellent book in that it touched on many ideas that all of us have most likely experienced while we were in school. Many of the themes in the story were fantastic, in that they encompassed a broad variety of controversial topics, such as homosexual peers, name calling, and multiculturalism. Personally, I was able to relate to many of the experiences - and there were many parts of the book where I personally related. For example, in one part of the book Addie (a student of color) does not want to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. Consequently, Addie gets in trouble because the teacher perceives it as a sign of disrespect towards herself and her country. In my personal experience, I recall an Arab student in one of my classes not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance because of his beliefs that American government treated his people unfairly.

Aside from relating my own experiences to Howe's novel, I believe this story is essential in magnifying the consequences of name-calling in schools, and the detrimental effects it may have on the individual. I always found it interesting that some of the characters in the book nonchalantly name-called with no negative intentions - as they thought their friends didn't care. However, I am sure we all know as children that even if someone does not intend on hurting us with certain words, they can still bother us. This novel would be an excellent addition to any middle-school classroom. It covers many topics that children at that age are dealing with, as well as contains a multitude of characters that almost any child may be able to relate with. This story would be an excellent discussion tool in the classroom to spark conversations about name-calling, and their effects on their peers. If students are able to talk to each other on the same level about the same story, they may be able to be more sympathetic towards one another and be discouraged to use name-calling so casually.

"Daddy's Roommate" by Michael Willhoite

Similar to "Daddy, Papa, and Me" this is a story about gay marriage. However, this story is very different than the previous one I reviewed in that this one is very "in your face" about gay marriage. The story starts off with the father leaving the mother for a new boyfriend, and the child explains that he still has fun with his dad and his dad's new friend. The child then explains that he talks with his mother - and his mother actually uses the word "gay" to describe his father. She explains that being married and gay is the same as being straight and married, in that they both involve love, and that "Love is the best kind of happiness." The idea of the author using the actual rhetoric surrounding gay marriage is even more controversial than the previous story, in that it does not dance around the idea.

Aside from the controversial texts, the illustrations were actually very controversial as well. In one picture, it shows the father leaving the mother for his new boyfriend. On another page, it shows boyfriend putting lotion on the father's back at the beach, and the boyfriend and father sleeping together. Overall, I believe the author took a brave approach in putting these illustrations and words in your face, unlike many other controversial books that only touch on the concepts. I believe this story would be effective to read in a young classroom - after getting support from your principal of course.

"In The Night Kitchen" by Maurice Sendak

Staying on the topic of controversial Sendak books, it was only natural I should check out Sendak's most controversial children's book. When opening the first three pages of the story, it is fairly obvious why this book is controversial: the main character appears to be naked in some illustrations. Although there were no negative intentions by the authors, it is clear why some parents would be upset if this story was read aloud in class. Aside from the brief nudity, the illustrations in this story are rather creative - typical of Sendak's stories. Whenever the bakers or the main character say something - there is a giant word bubble coming from their mouth to express the tone in which it is said (whether it be very loud, or quieter).

Reflecting on this story, I really couldn't figure out why Sendak decided to make the main character nude in a few pictures. Obviously, parents have become more vocal about controversial aspects in literature over the past few decades; however, it is understandable that some would be a bit upset. If this was read in a younger classroom, I could forsee many students giggling and cracking jokes about the main character being naked - so I wouldn't reccommend reading it in a younger elementary classroom. Overall, this controversial book is a fun, simple story that would be good for 1-1 parent to child reading, but if read in the classroom I believe it could become a bit distracting to younger students.

"Where The Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

Since the movie adaptation of "Where the Wild Things Are" just came out, I figured it was only fair that I a book review on it (considering it is one of my favorite children's books of all time). Although I haven't read this story in over a decade, everytime I see Sendak's illustrations it brings memories back. I absolutely love Sendak's stencil-like illustrations - and how he doesn't use too virbrant of colors. Any time an author dedicates an entire page to pure illustrations, I'm pretty content. It gives myself (and students) time to observe, think, and reflect on what is going on in the story, as well as relating their experiences to Max's. I don't know why some people consider this story controversial - except for the fact that Max "runs" away - thus some parents may think it is encouraging their children to rebel. Aside from that, I believe the movie did a fantastic job of adapting the story onto film.

In the movie, the director was able to creatively integrate Max's experience with monsters, to fit Max's personal experiences. Thus, when he went to "Where the Wild Things Are," the wild things represented people in his personal life - and his experience with the monsters reflected those with his family. I could see the movie being considered "controversial" by some parents, mainly because Max's mother is depicted as single working mother - opposed to the "typical" American family with a working father and a household mother. Overall, I believe the music in the movie, as well as the special effects and ideas expressed perfectly expanded on an already-classic children's short story to make it a phenominal movie.

"Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" by William Steig

This story is about Sylvester (a donkey) who discovers a magic pebble and begins wishing for random things. At first glance, one would be confused how this book is considered controversial. As one progresses through the book; however, there is a scene where Sylvester's parents are desperately looking for Sylvester and end up going to the police. Since every character in the story was an animal, one could only guess what animal the police were: pigs. This is the sole reason that this book is most likely considered controversial, in that it depicts police as "pigs." As everyone knows, pop culture and society has coined this term for police, thus painting police in a negative light.

Overall, this was not a bad book - and I wouldn't consider it controversial (in my perspective at least). This story has fun cartoonish illustrations, that use very soft colors. I see no problem reading this book in a K through 2nd classroom, considering 99% of the students wouldn't pick up the "pig" metaphor, let alone correlate it to something negative.

"Daddy, Papa, & Me" by Leslea Newman

The first controversial book I read was "Daddy, Papa, and Me" by Leslea Newman. This story is obviously pinpointed controversial from a conservative standpoint based on the notion of having two male parents. This concept of gay marriage in children's books has become increasingly prevalent in the past two decades. As elementary school curricula continues to become more liberal, there are still many parents who frown upon reading such books regarding gay parents.

I think this short story is a short and simple way to bring up the idea of gay marriage to younger children. As you read the story to the children, they will notice that one of the parents is wearing an apron, and they both partake in roles regarding the typical "American" family. However, children will soon be asking "Why are there two daddies... where's the mommy?" After children ask this question, the teacher would carefully be able to explain that many people have two mommies or two daddies, and that it is perfectly normal. Teaching these concepts at an early age is a great way to raise awareness of gay marriage to children at a young age, so that they may be more tolerant of such family structures in society.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry

The last time I recall reading this novel was in 7th grade literature. I never enjoyed literature, but I do recollect this was one of the few novels I enjoyed reading. One of the main reasons I enjoyed reading this story in 7th grade is because it created a realistically painted world in which everyone lived in a Utopian society. Such concepts regarding utopiastic societies sparked much debate in my classroom. Questions would arise such as "Can a society be truly Utopian, or no matter how hard we try will society always be socially unequal?" These questions and many more give middle school children the opportunity to use higher level thinking skills in order to fantasize and predict the consequences of different themes represented in Lowry's novel.

I thought Lowry does a phenomenal job in raising important questions regarding society and human nature - as he does it in such a way that makes it easy for students to comprehend. Other issues Lowry expresses through his novel regard how this attempt for social perfection/equity has not come without its consequences. Family life and the emotions that go along with our perception of typical human nature are actually atypical in this fictional society. In order to suppress these emotions labeled "stirrings," people take pills that essentially desensitize themselves.

One of the more interesting aspects of the story that intrigued me was the power that the Council of Elders had. It raises the question that the graphic novel "Watchmen" raised, which is "Who watches the watchmen?" This meaning, who oversees the decisions made by the men in power in order to keep them in check? Overall, I believe there are limitless discussions an educator could have with his/her student regarding the broad spectrum of themes in "The Giver." Thus, I believe this story should be emphasized in almost all middle school literature curriculum, as it covers a variety of unique themes regarding human nature and society.

"A Pig Tale" by Olivia Newton-John

This is another story that has an underlying eco-friendly plot throughout the story (although it was actually very hard to pick up until the last page). The story concerns a piglet named Ziggy - who constantly gets scrutinized by peers because his grandpa collects garbage. Throughout the story, his grandfather accumulates more and more useless garbage, which consequently makes their house look unattractive. However, towards the end of the book Ziggy finds out that his father was using all of this garbage to create a balloon. On the very last page, the author makes a note to recycle and "protect our dear earth." It would have been beneficial to the story's main plot if there were a bit more references to environmentalism throughout the story.

The text throughout the book was usually arranged in short sentences in rhyming patterns. I never really found much educational value in this story, aside from the last page where the author advocates a cleaner more eco-friendly earth. The illustrations were colorful, but there was nothing that "popped" out in my face about them. Overall, I thought this was an o.k children's book, definitely would not be my first choice if I had to pick a story to read to my students.

"Hot Hot Hot" by Neal Layton

This story about two prehistoric mammoths depicted in the changing seasons combines comedy with some factual information for children. Obviously, this story wasn't intended to be literal, but it does teach some preliminary science concepts. Throughout the story, two mammoths are struggling to find a cold climate as summer approaches. They travel all around, and are irritated by their inability to live comfortably in the ever changing climate. Interestingly enough, the last page of the story is dedicated to non-fictional information regarding the ice-age, so students that were interested in the story can read those facts regarding the Earth's history.

The use of bold and repetitive text in this story is fantastic. For example, if a Bee is buzzing, the words "Buzzzzzzz" will make a curved line following the bees path. Also, if the author wants to emphasize a certain word or phrase, it may progressively become more bold or larger depending on the tone he is trying to set. Overall, this is a fun fictional and informative story for children from first to forth grade.

"The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Suess

I haven't read Suess' popular "Cat in the Hat" recently until now, and it just reminds me at what a creative author Suess was. Interestingly enough, the version of the story I checked out had both Spanish and English text, which is excellent for bilingual students. Since Suess uses simplistic rhyming schemes and small words, this is an excellent children's book for young ELL students to learn English. In contrast, if English children want a challenge they may attempt to correspond which English words go with each Spanish word.

As always, Suess' illustrations are phenomenal at keeping any reader of any age engaged. Unlike other of Suess' books, he uses very minimal color in this story. However, he uses this to his advantage to keep the reader focused on the main aspects of the illustrations (i.e. the assortment of things The Cat in the Hat is juggling). I also love Suess' unique way to create expressions on each of his characters, whether it be a fish or a "thing." Overall, I see why this wild and crazy story has become a children's favorite - and the fact that it is in two languages adds an educational aspect to the story.

"Applebet Story" by Byron Barton

This is a creative alphabet story created to aid kindergartners in learning their letters. Each page has black and white images corresponding to a specific letter. The aspect of this story that makes it creative, is that a red apple is somehow transferred to the next page based on the word given to represent the letter. The apple is easy to follow, as it is a red color while all the images around it are black and white. The idea that children can easily follow the red apple from page to page helps them stay engaged in learning each and every letter, as they are anticipating where the apple will be on the next page. After studying alphabet/number genre books, I believe this book is an effective and engaging tool in teaching the alphabet.

"Kitten in Trouble" by Maria Polushkin

This story is a great easy read for children in kindergarten and first grade that are just learning how to form words with letters. The illustrations are fun, as they are comprised mainly of water colors outlined in a dark black marker to help the colors "pop out." As the story progresses the child constantly following the story of a little mischievous cat, who can't seem to stay out of trouble. Although many of the words are very short and easy for children to learn, some of the words may be a bit too complex for kindergartners - so teachers may need to aid them in reading. Children stay actively engaged in the story, as they are expected to anticipate the kitten's next mischievous move based on previous pages. The concept of repetition throughout the pages helps children stay active in the plot progression, and give them the opportunity to jump in at any time and read with the teacher.

"Watchmen" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

"The Watchmen" started as a comic and has recently been reprinted into a graphic novel. It has recently inspired a movie to made based off of the original comic, but nevertheless has always been a superior piece of literature. In this novel, Moore has created an alternate universe where superhero's emerge in the United States, thus making the U.S. a fearless and seemingly indestructible force. However, over time the "watchmen" or superheroes receive scrutiny, and are eventually disbanded.

The imagery throughout the novel is very graphic (go figure) and entails quite a bit of fight scenes. The illustrations are typical of the DC universe comic book genre, thus imagery is similar to other graphic novels/comic books such as V for Vendetta, etc. Aside from some violent imagery, the storyline helps build the dark tone in this alternate universe. Many of the themes throughout the novel may not be appropriate or understood by young teens - as much of this book relies on some previous knowledge of American history in the 80s. Overall, I think this book is ideal for mature students in high-school and above.

"The Day the Babies Crawled Away" by Peggy Rathmann

I thought the illustrations in this story were uniquely done. Throughout the entire story, both pages when flipped open created one single large landscape, which is cast in a shadow throughout the entire story. As the reader turns the pages, the babies go up and down shadowy hills - in perfect synchronization with the landscapes from the previous pages. The fact that this stories illustrations are constantly ongoing and in sync with the previous pages, may help keep children constantly engaged. I also enjoyed the contrast of the black shadows on the babies, and the beautiful gradients of the sky (most likely created digitally).

Aside from the illustrations, the text throughout the story is less emphasized. It is kept simple with short sentences, in that young children should be able to understand what is going on. The author also uses rhyming to help emphasize certain words in the story. Similar to many of the other books I have previously read, this story relies heavily on their illustrations to maintain the readers' attention - which is essential for children's books.

"The Stupids Have A Ball" by Harry Allard & James Marshall

This story is a fantastic book to keep every single one of your kindergartner through second grader's attention. It relies primarily on the typical humor that children share amongst each other. The word "stupid" is constantly thrown around in a comical fashion, which adds to the intended "comical effect." Children will not only find the text funny, but they will also find the illustrations amusing - as they are perfectly paralleled with the text. One example of this humor is expressed when the family throws a costume ball, and the grandfather dresses up as a bunny and constantly exclaims "ho, ho, ho!" as if he is Santa Clause. The illustrations seem like they are sketch-like, and are filled in with some water colors. Overall, I thought this was a fun story to use if you want your students to laugh.

"Me Hungry" by Jeremy Tankard

This is the first new book that I read that I had a fun time reading. This book uses illustrations created from ink combined with digital media - and combining these makes unique artwork. Every page had bright vibrant colors, rather than stale slate colors that are typical in winter stories. Also, the shading on all of the characters' faces add a pseudo-realism feeling to the illustrations. Similar to Eric Carle, Tankard has his own creative perceptions of what some prehistoric animals looked like.

Although this book has very little text - this book focuses primarily around it's illustrations. Every two pages is coupled together to create one giant illustration scene, with a few simple words. Aside from being visually appealing, I believe that pre-k through kindergarten children would benefit from learning some short words and how to spell them, such as "me" or "eat." As I stated before, the illustrations make this book, and it has been by far my favorite illustrated story I have read thus far.

"Snow" by Uri Shulevitz

Everyone knows children love snow: so why not make a book about it? This story is a simple story about a young boy who goes around telling everyone that he sees snowflakes, so he has high hopes that it will snow. However, the townspeople he interacts with says it will not snow - based on weather predictions. At the end of the book, it begins snowing crazily and the little boy is ecstatic (as to be expected). I really enjoyed this author's illustrations - he had created a large town square with houses lined up on one side, and a giant street in the middle.

It is my belief that this author is expressing life in a different country, based on the large street - that coupled as a sidewalk. I think this book is great for children from pre-k to kindergarten, especially for the holiday season. Words like "snow" are very common all throughout the book, and there are little to no long sentences - just sentence fragments. Overall, I thought this was an o.k. book, but the illustrations really made it fun for me.

"ZigZag" by Robert D. San Souci

I thought this children's story was very creative in the illustrations. It seems like the illustrator had filled in each character each with different plaid designs, making each character in the book have unique traits. Aside from the visual aspects of this story, many children may be able to relate to the main character "ZigZag" in the way that he is teased by his peers for being different. Throughout this story, ZigZag is told that no one will ever love him because he is different, and constantly gets scrutinized by other dolls that are more aesthetically appealing. Eventually, ZigZag meets a young girl who loves him for who he is.

This book is a great book for children in first and second grade, as it teaches them the negative effects that teasing may have on peers. Also, one of the underlying messages of this book is that being different is not a bad thing. The story helps show that each character has different perceptions towards ZigZag - other dolls thought he was weird looking, while the little girl thought he was perfect. Stories that deal with tolerance and embracing difference are always great for young children - the earlier children learn to embrace difference the better they will treat peers throughout their lifetime.

"Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

Although Steinbeck's 100 page novel "Of Mice and Men" may seem short, don't let this be deceiving. This book dives into a multitude of topics that parents may perceive as controversial, including graphic language, rape, death, etc. Other themes that were prevalent throughout this story was the aspiration towards a dream, and the many difficulties that may lay ahead. Aside from dreams, lonliness seemed to be another theme that was expressed through one of the main characters - and how he deals with it.

Even though this novel has won a variety of awards, teachers should use caution whenever they assign decide to assign this book in their classes. I believe that this book is most beneficial for students in high-school considering the controversial themes and Steinbeck's more advanced rhetorical style.

"Animals Animals" by Eric Carle

From the same author as "The Hungry Caterpillar," Carle again uses his unique artistic illustrations to create a compilation of stories regarding a wide variety of animals. In this story, every page (sometimes two) is dedicated to Carle's unique depiction of a specfiic animal, followed by a different author's short poem talking about the animal.

This book is phenimal for young children who are interested in animals, in that the illustrations help draw the children into reading each poem about every animal. Most of the rhetoric in each poem either comprises of alliterations or rhyming schemes. These different literary techniques help keep chidren interested, as well as makes it easier for them to familiarze themselves with certain words that appear similar. One of the only complaints about this book is that it seems very reptative. However, Carle's pleasureable and distinctive imagery from the animal kingdom keep this story interesting.

"Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Suess

I haven't read this book in a long time, and I must say reading again as an adult was even more enjoyable than reading it as a child. This book is one of my new favorite Suess books, hands down. This book can be applicable to children and adults of all ages, with the overarching life-lessons it teaches. There is not much to say about the imagery, except that there are the typical creative Suess-like images throughout the novel. He always does such an excellent job in his stories setting an immediate tone, page by page. If he wants the reader to feel vulnerable, he will use dark colors followed by somewhat eerie imagery. Similarly, on pages he wants the reader to feel upbeat and hopeful, he uses brighter colors and enlightening images.

This story helps express a multitude of lessons throughout the book. It helps explain how children may feel in their upcoming journey throughout life. Suess expresses that there were be many ups and downs, people who disagree with you, etc; but ultimately, you will find your way through the world. One of the main lessons he teaches is that we must follow a path that satisfies us, and to follow whatever dreams we may have - despite all the obstacles.

"The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister

Another popular children's book about a unique animal is "The Rainbow Fish." This story is fantastic, in that it not only has vibrant imagery, but it teaches children an important lessons. Throughout each of the pages, the Rainbow Fish's scales are reflective, so they appear to shimmer in light. Children seem to absolutely love images that are unique and metallic-looking. In every two pages adjacent to each other, one page was dedicated to text as the other two surrounded the text in oceanic scenery. This integration of the environment into both pages helps keep children visually and auditorily engaged in the story.

Aside from unique imagery, this story tells a great story with a fantastic lesson at the end. All throughout the story, the Rainbow Fish had many beautiful scales, which he refused to share with any other fish. Throughout the story, however, he tried to figure out why none of the fish wanted to play with him. Ultimately, he discovered that if he shared his scales, other fish would befriend him. Consequently, he is left with only one scale, but he seems happier since he now has friends. The moral of this story to young children highlights the importance of chairity and sharing and expresses the importance of selflessness.

"Clifford the Big Red Dog" by Norman Bridwell

Every young child knows or has heard about "Clifford" books. I took a look at the original "Clifford the Big Red Dog" story to dive into the origins of Clifford. From a child's perspective, this book is a fun, easy-to-read and engaging story. Each page is separated into a large illustration, typically followed by two easy-to-read sentences. All of the illustrations in this story were vibrant, and Clifford's red fur helped emphasize Clifford's unique character.

If one wants to look at a particular "message" throughout the book, it is that being unique/different can be a positive thing. Throughout the story the little girl explains how much fun she has with Clifford, considering the fact that he is different than all other dogs. This difference makes Clifford fun and unique, unlike the small generic-colored dogs. All in all, this is a short, fun book for young readers between first and second grade.

"World War II" by Simon Adams

"World War II" is one of the first non-fiction children's books I have read. There are many facets of this book that I enjoyed, including a wide array of realistic imagery and descriptions behind it. Throughout the book, the author gives the student a first hand look at many of the weapons, posters, and technology used throughout World War II, with descriptive definitions of each. The author keeps this book organized by chronologically going through each period in the war, and describing the various turning points through the use of direct of retrospective photography.

This book is excellent for students in 5th grade and above, in regards to studying World War II in social studies/history class. Aside from being very enlightening, one of the few negative aspects of this book is certain pictures may stray the student away from the big picture. Unfortunately, there are no sections that tie the entire war together for a wholistic perspective, rather just the bits and pieces explained. I believe this book would be most effective for at expressing the technologies of WWII, rather than a more unifying perspective towards the war.

"Found" by Margaret Peterson

"Found" is a popular series book that made me curious as to what 6th graders read nowadays. In my practicum class from last semester, the designated reading book for my students was "Found." Lucky enough for me, I was able to listen and participate by asking the students to describe what was happening throughout the story. It was clear in the students' summaries that they loved the book, which seems rare when it comes to assigned readings.

After reading the story, I now see why my practicum students enjoy this book. One aspect that is always appealing to stories is the ability for the main characters to relate to the children reading the story. Throughout the novel, the main characters Jonah and Chip are just regular kids that become immersed in a large mystery, after receiving mysterious letters. Peterson does an excellent job of giving the children just enough evidence to create their own theories, without the story becoming too complicated. As a science-specialization student, I believe mystery books like "Found" are phenomenal - as they promote critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills that many other books do not. There is no doubt in my mind that Peterson's ability to write creative mystery novels will keep students craving more.

"The Magic School Bus: Inside The Human Body" by Joanna Cole

"The Magic School Bus" is a popular children's series, that eventually became a TV show. These books by Cole are all educational non-fiction stories, in which they teach children different science vocabulary and concepts. This book is definitely meant for older children, in that many of the words throughout may be new and difficult to pronounce. Throughout the book, students go on the bus and journey through the human body - as Ms. Frizzle teaches the students all about the digestive system, blood cells, etc.

Cole uses cartoonized non-fictional illustrations to portray what inner-parts of the human body may look like. This is fantastic, because children become intrigued when they see the vibrant images of what their bodies may look like inside. One of the best aspects of this story that I like is the quiz at the end of the story. On the last page, there are True-False questions that the teacher can ask to ensure his/her students understand the concepts that were taught in the story. This is perfect for teachers that want to check for understanding, as well as keep every student constantly engaged and thinking about the knowledge they had just learned. Overall, I believe "The Magic School Bus" is a fantastic educational series, but one should use caution if they intend to use it for students below 4th grade - considering the more complex vocabulary and concepts.

"The Napping House" by Audrey Wood

One story that I have heard was excellent was "The Napping House." At first glance, nothing looked special about the cover of this book - except for the gold sticker signifying it won an award for best illustrations by the New York Times. Now I'm interested... This is an extremely creative book, in that on every new page - a new character is added in which they sleep on the next. This creates a tower of cats sleeping on dogs, which are sleeping on humans, etc. Ultimately, a small flea that is sleeping on a cat wakes everyone in the room.

I thought the images were extremely creative in this book. Each page on the right was the same, showing the same bed - except for the new animals/insects sleeping on top of each other. Children would love this - because they are constantly seeing the new animals that sleep on top of each other move around the bed. Eventually, when everyone wakes up, the dark schemed colors turn bright - considering it is now morning and all the room is illuminated. Although this story does not have any underlying lessons, it is still a fun/engaging story for young children from Pre-K through 1st grade.

"The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka

As a child, I recall loving this book. Every kid hears the original "Three Little Pigs" story, but this new book showed an alternate perspective of the wolf's encounter with the pigs. This story did not use very flat and plain colors, thus creating a somewhat retrospective tone. I think children get such a kick out of this book, because this interpretation of the story shows the wolf as being "the good guy" and how the pigs were the mean ones. Throughout the story, the wolf justifies reasonably why he ate the first two pigs, and what caused their houses to be blown down. He then exclaims that he was framed, and that the last pig was truly devilish and selfish, thus he had to retaliate.

Aside from the surface story, I believe the author does a creative job into integrating important lessons into this story. Children are exposed to two sides of a story, and they must evaluate and choose which side they believe, whether it be the pigs' or the wolf's. These lessons that teach children there are always two sides of an issue are critical to understand, especially as they grow up and interact with peers. If children can understand these concepts at a young age, then they may be more able to question their knowledge and be able to formulate their own perspectives towards an issue after hearing both sides of a story.

"The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper

Similar to Suess' "Green Eggs and Ham," Piper's classic "The Little Engine That Could" is a favorite among parents and children alike. Although this story has been published multiple times with different illustrations, the base story continues to stay the same throughout the decades. This story is fantastic for children because it teaches them a critical value that should be instilled in all children, which is no matter what difficulties or roadblocks may come in life - anything is possible with one's intrinsic determination. This book helps push children to believe they can be anything/do anything they want in this world - with enough hard work and motivation. After reading this story, teachers can ask their young students of a time where they faced difficulty, and how they were able to overcome it with their own inner strength - similar to the engine. As I stated before, this story is optimal for children from Pre-K through 1st grade.

"Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Suess

As I stated before, Dr. Suess is one of my favorite Children's authors. Although he wrote many books concerning big issues, many of his books also help educate children by teaching them important values and concepts. "Green Eggs and Ham" is another excellent children's book, in that it has overwhelming illustrations, while his text stays concise and to-the-point, with perfect rhyming schemes. Aside from Suess' unique imagery, the story teaches children the importance of trying new things, even if they are skeptical.

Throughout the story the main character continuously refues to eat Sam-I-am's green eggs and ham, because they do not look tasteful. His friend constantly bugs him all throughout the novel, while the main character constantly turns his offerings down. Eventually, the main character tries them and realizes that he actually likes green eggs and ham. As I stated before, children may be encouraged to break down their stereotypes of whether they like/dislike certain things, and be more eager to try new things. Overall, this classic still seems to be popular amongst young children and their teachers.

"Strider" by Beverly Cleary

One book that I recall enjoying when I was younger was "Strider." This book tells the story of a young boy who finds a stray dog and decides to keep him and name him 'Strider.' As the story evolves, Leigh (the main character) faces many problems that young boys and girls alike can relate to - such as divorce, crushes, and finding their niche in school.

Throughout the novel, Leigh begins to evolve as a young boy into an adolescent as he learns the importance of responsibility of taking care of Strider. I believe this book is fantastic for young boys from grades 4-6 as it teaches the importance of responsibility. As I stated before, this book touches on the divorce of Leigh's parents, and the different emotions he feels, and how he copes with them. With children going through similar problems, this book may be a phenomenal piece of literature - giving them hope that everything will turn out o.k. This story also brings up the idea of "crushes" in school, in which almost every child can relate to. Also, this story encourages the participation in extracurricular activities, considering Leigh becomes interested in joining the track team. Leigh's enjoyment of running may inspire other children reading the novel to begin pursing different activities they enjoy, while becoming more involved with school. Cleary's ability to create a piece of literature young children can truly relate to makes "Strider" a fantastic starter novel for young children.