Final Class Reflection

Overall, I really enjoyed this class. I loved how I had multiple opportunities to actively engage in constructing meaning from text. I have learned through this course about the importance of constructing meaning. I also learned that different literacy genres provide individuals with different reading experiences. Specifically, by taking this class I have learned about a variety of new literacy genres. Wordless picture books, graphic novels, mangas and historical fiction are just a few of the new genres I have learned about. Additionally, I enjoyed the numerous activities that were presented in class. Having a guest speaker come in to talk, taking a ‘field trip’ to the curriculum lab, blogging, glogging and having large and small group discussions really helped me solidify the concepts I have learned about children’s literature. Also, I really enjoyed learning about blogging and glogging. Education today is including more and more technology based tools to help engage students. I am glad I was given the opportunity to experience these technology aspects. As a future educator I plan on using these in my own classroom to help children make connections to literature in a new and exciting way. All in all, I am very glad I was given the opportunity to take this course, I have really learned a lot about children’s literature throughout the semester.

Love That Dog By Sharon Creech

I really liked this poetry book because it was so unique. Not only was the text written in blue coloring but the poems included in this book took different physical forms. Also, Creech included poems in the back of the book. I will definitely include this book in my future classroom library. Some students are self conscious about their poetry skills so many students will be able to relate to the plot of Love That Dog. Love That Dog follows a boy named Jack on his journey to developing a poetry self identity. In the beginning of this novel Jack did not enjoy poetry and when he had to write it he did not want any of his peers to know he was the author. By the end of the book Jack’s teacher helped him become a confident poetry writer and also helped him discover a new love for poetry. As a future educator it is one of my goals to provide all my students with a meaningful literacy experience. I believe this book will show students that everyone can write and enjoy poetry.

Where the Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstein

Personally, this is one of my favorite poetry books. Silverstein uses simple black and white illustrations to bring color and imagery to his poems. Each poem is unique and creative and includes a variety of topics. For example, Silverstein’s poem “eighteen flavors” is about an enormous ice cream cone that has a variety of flavors. With his simple descriptive wording, I can almost taste this giant ice cream cone! I enjoyed this collection of poems because the author talks about numerous things and each poem takes on a various form. I feel as though using this book in the classroom will show students that not all poems have to rhyme. I also believe that students will be intrigued by these poems because the author talks about numerous silly and creative concepts.

Fireflies at Midnight By Marilyn Singer

Personally, summer time is one of my favorite seasons. In my opinion, summer includes baseball games, hotdogs, bubble gum pieces and playing outside at night among the fireflies. This picture book includes a variety of poems about the numerous creatures that come out during summer. Singer includes poems about frogs, butterflies, foxes, fireflies and so on. Additionally, these poems are organized by when these creatures come out of their habitats. For example, the robin poem is included in the beginning of the book because it appears around dawn. I believe this book would be a great way to introduce poetry and nature in the classroom. Not only do these poems encourage children to read poetry, but these poems also encourage students to examine the aesthetic beauty of nature.

Stanza By Jill Esbaum

This picture book discusses poetry in a different perspective which gives children a different reading experience. Instead of just including different poems in this book, Esbaum created a character named Stanza. During the day Stanza and his rotten brothers cause trouble in towns. At night stanza writes poetry but hides it from his brothers so they do not make fun of him. One day, Stanza enters one of his poems in a poetry contest. At the end of the day Stanza wins the contest and all his friends and brothers realize how wonderful poetry can be. Stanza also becomes confident with his poetry talents and actively writes. Also, this book tells a story through poetry. Although the students probably will not notice, but the plot of this story is written in poetry.

Best Friends By Lee Bennett Hopkins

This book includes a collection of poems about friendship from numerous famous authors such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes. These poems address the many aspects of friendships. Some of the poems are about wrestling, sleepovers, telephone calls and sledding. This book also includes poems about the feelings individuals have when their friends move away or begin to change. For example this book discusses how some individuals have feelings of loneliness, how they miss their friends, and how they notice that their friends have begun to change as they get older. Although people go through changes, this book shows that it is normal to have all these feelings within a friendship.
All in all, this book includes many poems about friendship that all children can relate too. While reading these poems it made me think about my own childhood friends. Personally, I believe this book would be a great addition to the classroom library.

Danitra Brown Leaves Town By Nikki Grimes

This is a poetry book that takes on the form of letters written between two friends. This book discusses the negative and positive aspects of having a friend that either moves away or goes on vacation for along time. Zuri Jackson has a friend named Danitra Brown who is going on a summer vacation to visit family members in the country. This book address the negative aspects of having a friend leave town, such as the feeling of sadness and other emotions one might have. On the other hand, this picture book also shows the positive aspects when a friend leaves town. For example, these two friends began to write letters which made their friendship stronger and made new friends. Also, this book shows children that no matter where their friends go or move to, their friendship will remain the same and that they can still keep in contact with each other. I really enjoyed this book because it provides the reader with a diverse reading experiences. This book takes place in a city setting and in the form of poetry. I believe this book would be a great way to introduce to children how to cope with being away from friends.

So Far From The Bamboo Grove By Yoko Kawashima Watkins

So Far From The Bamboo Grove is a historical fiction novel that is told from the perspective of a Japanese girl named Yoko during World War II and post war time. Yoko and her family must leave Korea because Korean soldiers are killing anyone with Japanese connections. This novel paints vivid pictures of hope and determination with its descriptive text. While reading this book I became engrossed in the time period and felt as though I was traveling with Yoko. I believe that this book along, with the book entitled The Year of Impossible Goodbyes, would be a great set to include in the classroom. Both of these books represent a different view point of the war. Although I enjoyed both books, in some ways I enjoyed So Far From The Bamboo Grove More. Yoko is faced with many hardships such as death, injuries, hiding and other tragedies but she never gives up hope. I also liked that this book had a strong theme of family. My family has made me who I am today. Also, Yoko’s family is one aspect that helped her survive and gave her hope in a hard time. Although this book introduces controversial concepts I believe that it should still be added in the classroom. I believe that many students will be able to connect to the characters and also build an emotional connection to the time period and literature.

Animal Disguises By Belinda Weber

This book is a non-fiction book that includes fact about the many defense mechanisms and camouflage techniques animals use. This book also provides facts on everything from what camouflage is, counter shading, shape shifters, strips, spots, patterns, animal body structure and texture, and playing tricks on predators. Not only did this book provide fun, interesting facts but it also had a unique layout. As you open the book, the information and photographs take up the two pages. I also liked that the book included instructions for crafts with an animal theme. This is an interactive way for children to use the information they have learned about. All in all, I loved this book! This book provides a entertaining way for children to learn about factual information. I also believe it is important that children learn how to read non-fiction text. Different types of text provide different information and provide a different literacy experience.

Destination Australia By Jonathan Grupper

Not only is this book fun for children to read but it is also fun for adults too. The vivid photographs are intriguing and engage readers of all ages. This book is created by the National Geographic Society thus, it has amazing pictures. Additionally, this book includes information on concepts ranging from ostriches to starfish. I love learning about animals and different places around the world. Similarly, I feel as though children will not only love learning about new facts but also love looking at the pictures included in this book. I believe that books can provide readers with trips around the world, allow them to enter a new world and adventure while turning each page. This book provides readers of all ages with a free and interesting trip to Australia.

Bold and Bright Black and White Animals By Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

This book includes facts and information about black and white animals. This book not only provides factual information but it also sends the message to children that great animals do not need to be giant creatures or very colorful creatures. This book sends the message that animals come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. I also loved the illustrations included in this book. Theses illustrations take up the whole page, have amazing shading and many details. This book includes facts about skunks, penguins, zebras, pandas, whales, cows, snakes, lemurs, butterflies and more. Another aspect of this book that I like is that the author asks the readers questions about the information they are reading. This actively engages the reader and also exercises the reader’s cognitive thought process. Lastly, I like that the author included an index of the animals talked discussed in the back of the book. I believe that this book sends the message that no matter if thing is black or white, small or big, colorful or not, that we are all individuals.

The Picture of Morty and Ray By Daniel Pinkwater and Jack E. Davis

This picture book is about two young friends, Morty and Ray, who stay up late one night to watch a late movie. This movie was about a handsome man who got his picture painted but for every bad thing he did, his picture turned ugly. Accordingly, Morty and Ray paint a picture of themselves and start doing bad things to their friends. For every name the two friends say, or every push they complete, their picture get uglier. This book sends the message that even though you can be beautiful on the outside, doing horrible things to others can make you ugly on the inside. I also like that their friendship remained after all the problems they faced. These children figured out on their own doing mean things to their friends was wrong and apologized. I also love the illustrations in this book. The illustrator used a unique black and white versus color contrasts that really made the message come alive.

The Experiments of Doctor Vermin by Tim Egan

This picture book is a little more challenging but sends a great message to children. Sheldon is a pig who is trying to find a cooking job on Halloween when his car breaks down. Sheldon then runs to the first mansion he sees because he is afraid of Halloween and wolves. Doctor Vermin is the man who lives in the mansion and conducts evil experiments. He wants to rule the world so he tries turning Sheldon into a controllable giant. Luckily for Sheldon, he was not brainwashed and runs to the next mansion where he finds two humans. Later that day, Sheldon discovers that the humans were really wolves! They were turned into humans by Doctor Vermin. In the end, Sheldon saves the day and turns everyone back to normal and sends Doctor Vermin to jail. Sheldon makes a self discovery that he is brave. He saved the day and over came his fear of wolves. I believe that this book sends the message to not judge someone based on their looks. Sheldon discovered that wolves are actually nice creatures. Additionally, Sheldon realizes that he is brave. I believe that this sends the message to children to have a self-esteem and a positive self image. I believe that it is important for educators to teach about self esteem in the classroom. When a child truly believes in themselves, they can accomplish their goals. Schools not only help students grow academically, but the education system also helps students grow as individuals.

The Year of Impossible Goodbyes By Sook Nyul Choi

The Year of Impossible Goodbyes is a historical fiction novel that follows a ten year old girl named Sookan on a life changing adventure. This book shows a Korean’s perspective on the Japanese’s occupation during Word War II. As Sookan was faced with the negative aspects of war such as seeing her mother work in a sock factory, being terrorized in her own home, dealing with death and other turmoil, she faced the challenge of reaffirming or developing a new self identity. I believe that this book would be an excellent book to include in the classroom. This book provides excellent text to connect to other text, to the self and to the world. The Year of Impossible Goodbye could be a great way to introduce a historical concept. Children reading this book could also relate to Sookan in some ways. For example, she is ten years old and also questioning her identity. Although this book many introduce controversial concepts, I believe that discussing concepts that The Year of Impossible Goodbyes will provide many benefits in the classroom.

The President and Mom’s Apple Pie By Michael Garland

This book takes place in 1909 when President Taft comes to a young boy’s small town. As soon as President Taft steps off the train he smells a delicious aroma in the air. Thus, the young boy offers to show him around town until he discovers what that delicious aroma is. The young boy and President Taft stop at numerous different ethnic restaurants. President Taft devours a variety of different food including Italian food, stir fry, ribs and finally the young boy’s mother’s apple pie. Accordingly, the young boy’s mother becomes a hero and the young boy is very proud of his mother. All in all, I found the illustrations in the book interesting. The illustrator seemed to use a digital technique that gave the pictures a technology accent. I have not read many historical fiction books and I liked that this was a picture book. I feel as though reading a book like this as a read aloud will bring history alive for the students. Reading this book would be a great way to introduce history into the classroom.

Wolf! Wolf! By John Rocco

After I read this picture book, it became one of my new favorite children’s story. Wolf! Wolf! is a modern story with a twist about the “boy who cried wolf” too many times. this book takes place within an Asian culture around spring time. I love the illustrations and the mixture of text and illustrations to tell the story line. Wolf! Wolf! is about an old wolf who is too old to catch any meat so he becomes a vegetarian and grows food in his garden. One day he hears a young boy yelling “wolf” and thinks the boy is inviting him to have dinner with him. Since the wolf’s garden in filled with weeds, he takes a walk to find the boy. Also, the boy has called out “wolf’ too many times so when the wolf really is around the villagers do not come to help save the goats. Accordingly, the wolf makes a deal with the boy; the wolf said if the boy sends one goat to his garden he will not eat the other ones. The boy agrees to give him a goat. Surprisingly, the wolf has found that the goat has eaten all his weeds which allowed his vegetables to grow. In the end the wolf and goat develop a unique friendship. I loved that this book sends the message that friends can come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. I believe that it is important for educators to teach their students to respect differences. Respecting differences will lead to a non restrictive learning environment.

The Snow Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The Snow Day won the Caldecott medal for capturing all the wonders of the first snow fall. This book is about a young boy named Peter who can not wait to go play in the new snow. Peter made snowmen, snow angles, tracks, tried to play with the big boys in a snow ball fight and played with his friends. Also, these illustrations seemed to be made out of construction paper, stamps of snowflakes. Personally, I would use this book in my classroom during the winter season. The Snow Day can show children all the wonderful activities they can do outside in the winter weather.

Help! A story of friendship By Holly Keller

Help! is about a group of friends including a mouse, hedgehog, rabbit, squirrel and snake. One day Mouse herd a rumor that snakes are dangerous and are especially dangerous to mice. Mouse was so worried that he would run into Snake that he was not paying attention and fell down a hole. All of his friends tried to help him out of the hole but no one was successful; the only friend left to help was snake. In the end, Snake saved Mouse and Mouse apologized for listening to the rumors. This book is unique because it uses the space on pages differently. The pages were divided into section and each section had a different action. Also, some pictures were placed sideways thus, readers have to turn the pages sideways to see the pictures. I feel as though this would be a great book for younger children to learn about friendship. Children usually face the problem of rumors and how to keep friendships so this is a great book to show how to resolve these problems.

The Ant Bully by John Nickle

The Ant Bully uses pop art and includes unique boarders on each page. These colorful illustrations seemed very realistic and brought the story alive. This book is about a young boy named Lucas who gets bullied by a boy named Sid. Lucas takes his frustrations out on an ant hill by his house. One day the ants decided to retaliate. Accordingly, the Ant wizard shrinks him into ant size. The ant colony then made Lucas do ant jobs and his final task was to get they queen ant jelly bean. Thus, Lucas and his two ant friends go to Lucas’s house to look for a jelly bean. In the end Lucas saved their lives because his father almost killed them. In the end Lucas was turned into his normal size and no longer bullied the ants. Lucas learned many new aspects from the ant colony such as friendship, working together with a team and to be nice to all living things. I believe The Ant Bully would be a great book to use in the classroom because respect is a main concept in this book. Ant Bully uses a creative new way to discusses bullying and its negative affects. Additionally, I believe respect is a very important aspect to include in the classroom so a least restrictive environment is created.

PINKY and REX by James Howe

Pinky and Rex is a beginner chapter book. This series is about a young boy named Pinky and his friend, and neighbor, a young girl named Rex. These two friends are so close both in location and regarding their friendship that they have conversations through their windows. They visit each other daily and view Pinky’s stuffed animal collection and Rex’s dinosaur collection. One day Pinky, Rex and Pinky’s younger sister Amanda go to visit the museum. At the end of their visit they all visit the gift shop. In the gift shop Pinky, Rex and Amanda all want the same pink dinosaur. In the end, these three children come to a solution by all putting their money together and decided to share the animal. Personally, I enjoyed the moral of this story. Not only do the characters not fit into stereotypical gender roles, they also use problem solving skills to create a solution to their problems. As educators I believe it is important to teach students about respect and about critical thinking skills. Respecting others creates a safe and comfortable learning environment where all students can benefit from learning.

PINKY and REX and the perfect pumpkin by James Howe

This chapter book is about how Pinky’s cousin, Abby, and their grandparents come to visit to complete a family tradition. Every year Pinky’s grandparents take Pinky, Amanda, Abby, and Pinky’s cousin to a pumpkin patch to select a pumpkin. Although Rex has gone with Pinky and his family many years before, this year feels different for Rex. Rex felt left out when the children went pumpkin picking. After the pumpkin was picked and carved Rex overhears Abby saying that she did not want Rex to be in the ‘traditional picture’ this year because she is not part of the family. Consequently, Abby and Rex get into a fight. Later that day, Abby and Rex apologize to each other and their tradition of pumpkin picking remains a “family” event. I believe that the moral of this story is that no family is perfect and friends can be considered to be family. I believe it is important for educators teach their students about the diverse family structures in society. No family structure has the same traditions or structure thus, students should learn to respect differences.

PINKY and REX and the mean old witch By James Howe

Pinky, Rex and Amanda were playing monkey in the middle one day when their ball went into their neighbor’s yard. Pinky and Rex’s next door neighbor was an older lady who did not like children playing in her yard. Accordingly, the older lady yelled at them to get out of her yard. These children did not like being yelled at so they gave the older lady a nickname, “the mean old witch”. Since the group of children felt hurt by the old ladies mean gesture they decide to do a reciprocal mean act. Pinky was going to put goopey goo in his neighbor’s mail box but he looked into her window and noticed she was sad and looked lonely. Consequently, Pinky could not follow through with the mean act and had a talk with his dad. While talking to his dad, Pinky found out that the older lady’s husband had died. Pinky’s dad explained that maybe she forgot how to love. Pinky then decided to give his neighbor homemade cookies and that started the beginning of a great relationship between him and his neighbor. Although I have never had mean neighbors, this book sends a great message. This book sends the message that everything is not as it seems. Everyone has different life experiences that shape their personal identity. An important aspect that educators need to teach children is to dig below the surface value when learning about concepts. Children should read, analysis, and synthesis the material they read and learn.

PINKY and REX and the New Neighbors By James Howe

Mrs. Morgan, Pinky and Rex’s elderly friend is moving from the neighborhood. These two friends were very sad because Mrs. Morgan would always give them cookies and lemonade. Although Pinky and Rex was sad that Mrs. Morgan had moved, they were happy to know that Mrs. Morgan enjoyed her new home and planed on visiting her. On the other hand, Pinky was nervous that Rex would forget about him when the new neighbor came. In the end a younger girl who was the same age as Amanda moved in thus, Pinky and Rex stated best friends. I believe that this book sent the message that whenever one door closes another one opens. Throughout life, children will face many changes and be presented with many opportunities. I believe it is important that educators be role models and maintain a positive outlook while working.

PINKY and REX and the Just Right Pet By James Howe

During a family meeting, Pinky discovers that they will be getting a family pet. Although Pinky wants a dog, he gets outvoted and the family wants a cat. That day his sister picked out the cat and named it patches. Although Pinky wanted a dog, he begins to have a change of heart when the kitten comes to play with him and sleeps in his bed at night. After that night, Pinky becomes responsible and feeds the kitten and makes a play area for the cat. This book sends the message to not judge others based their appearance or previous misconceptions. Personally, I am a dog lover but I am sure if a kitten became a new member of my family, I would have a change of heart too.

Totally Joe By James Howe

This book follows a character from The Misfits named Joe. As previously learned from the Misfits, Joe is original spunky character who identifies himself as a gay man. During this book, Joe is told to write a “alphabiography” which examines his life through an alphabetic story. By the end of his assignment, Joe has written everything down and discovers that he is truly happy with who he is as an individual. Some individuals might consider this book to be controversial. On the other hand, I believe that this is a great novel that represents diversity. I also feel that teacher should incorporate an “alphabiography” in their own classroom. As a teacher, I would love to incopreate this assignment in the curriculum. This assignment will allow students to learn about themselves. Additionally, if the students feel comfortable they could share their work with their peers.

Reflection

I have really enjoyed the class reading and responding to children’s literature thus far. I have greatly enjoyed the amount of freedom we have in both discussion and in the choices of novels we pick out to read. Conversely, I also enjoy that we have been introduced to a variety of different genres of books. I enjoyed learning about wordless books, graphic novels, alphabet books, non fiction novels, historical books and so on. I also enjoyed learning about illustrations in picture books and how they are meaningful to the storyline. Additionally, I have learned about unique concepts about the history of picture books including the processes used in publishing and dye stamps. One of the main concepts I have learned from this class so far is that all individuals can read a book and extract different meanings from the text. Lastly, I like how we were asked to create a blog to write about our opinions. I have never seen, let alone created a blog before. Using blogs has expanded my knowledge about technology and also provided me with a new teaching opportunity to use in my own classroom.

The Misfits By James Howe

James Howe wrote in his book entitled The Misfits, “This business of really knowing people, deep down, including your own self, is not something you can learn in school or from a book. It takes your whole being to do it- your eyes and your ears, your brain and your heart”. I not only loved this quote but I also loved the whole book. Once I started reading The Misfits, I could not put it down. The Misfits is a clever story about a group of five friends who do not “fit in” with the “normal” student population. I love this book because it sends the message that everyone is different and there is no true normal way a person is suppose to look. Everyone is an individual and at one point in their life has felt out of place, self conscious or has been called a hurtful name. This book has an inspirational story that brings the characters alive and allows the readers to relate to the plot. In this novel the five friends start a campaign to stop the hurtful name calling that was going on in their school. Although this group of friends did not win the student election they made a lasting impact on the student body by creating a day where there was no name calling allowed. In reality, this book also impacts readers by sending the message to stop hurtful name calling.

King and King By Linda de Hann and Stern Nijland

This picture book took a classic fairy tale and put a controversial twist on it. The storyline of this book was about a Queen who wanted her son to get married so she could retire. The king met numerous princesses from all over the world but he was not interested in any of them. One day he met another king and it was love at first site. The two kings got married and lived happily ever after. I thought the illustrations in this book were great. These illustrations used a mixture of sketching, collages including newspaper clippings and bright colors. The technique used to make these illustrations reminded me of pop art. I did not find this picture book controversial. I believe that everyone has the right to be an individual. Love is not something that you chose or can hide. I believe that children should learn about the different family structures in our society.

Rose Blanche By Roberto Innocenti

This picture book was about a young girl named Rose Blanche living amongst the war and Holocaust without really understanding what was going on around her. One day Rose followed an army tanks to a concentration camp. She saw starving children behind barbed wire fences. Everyday after she found them she traveled into the woods and gave them food everyday. From my interpretation, Rose was shot and killed one day while visiting the concentration camp. The illustrations were very detailed and used dark colors until the last page when the author talks about how “the crocuses finally sprang up from the ground. The river swelled and overflowed its banks. Trees were green and full of birds”. Life had sprung from where the concentration camp was held. Additionally, Innocenti explains the significance of the title of this book; Rose Blanche was a group of young German citizen protesting the war. Every member of this group was killed. Personally I did not find this book controversial. I feel as though children need to learn about America’s history from multiple perspectives. This book was not gruesome and did not directly discus what the Holocaust was or about death. I believe that this book should be read aloud with the class and also hold a class discussion about the topics.

Way Home By Libby Hathorn

This controversial picture book is about a homeless boy named Shane. Shane faces numerous dangers including starvations, gangs on the street, vicious stray dogs and so on. Shane also befriends a stray cat and shows him around the city. While carrying his new friend, Shane introduces him to a prostitute and also a greedy fat cat who has a home and plenty of food. I enjoyed the illustrations of this book. The cover page looks as though it is crinkled trash and the bottom of each page looks as though it was torn off. The illustrations on each page seemed to use a sketch technique filled in with various colors. I feel as though this book was somewhat controversial. Although this book did hint at controversial subjects, the author did not directly discuses these topics. Personally, I do believe starvation, poverty and prostitution are issues in the United States. I also think that starvation and poverty should be discussed with elementary students. On the other hand, I do not think prostitution should be discussed in elementary school due to the age of the students. I would recommend this book to upper elementary students. I would also suggest that the educator reads this book aloud because the topics are not directly discussed in the book.

Arlene Sardine By Chris Raschka

This picture book is about a fished named Arlene who wants to become a sardine. Arlene has a short lived life because in the first few pages she is caught, dies on a ships deck and is processed. The illustrations in this picture book are unique because they take up the whole page. The illustrations also seemed to be created by using a watercolor technique. I did not like the font used in this picture book because I feel as though it could be difficult for young children to read. On the other hand, I liked how this book introduced fishing terminology and included definitions. Personally, I did not find this book controversial. This book discussed the topics of death and food processing. Although I love animals, I also love hamburgers, steak, chicken and so on. This book introduces the topic of meat processing in a subtle way. Raschka tells the viewers that it is Arlene’s dream to become a sardine. Also, after Arlene died, the author refers to her as though she is still alive. I feel as though this book is a good way to ease into the discussion of meat processing if the topic ever comes up in the classroom.

Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray

This picture book is about an adoptive dog named Walter who farts all the time. Walter passes gas so much that his family takes him to the vet to see if there is a cure to end his farting. Walter tries a variety of methods to end his farting issue but he finds no cure. Betty and Billy, the owners of Walter, tell their parents that they do not care that Walter farts and they want to keep him. Betty and Billy realize that Walter’s farts are what makes him unique and they still love him. At the end of this story, Walter’s farts are what save the family from burglars. This picture book also contained unique illustrations. These illustrations seemed to be created by using a computer graphic technique. These illustrations also included bright neon colors and many details. Personally, I did not find this picture book controversial at all. I feel as though farting is a funny topic to discuses but it is not a subject that is inappropriate. Passing gas is a natural body function and there are appropriate ways to handle a farting situation. This book had sends a great message to children. I really liked the book’s dedication which was “for everyone who’s felt misjudged or misunderstood”. I believe that young children would enjoy this book because it discuses a unique topic. I feel as though this book will teach children that body functions are natural and they should not be embarrassed by them.

The Giver By Lois Lowry

I loved this chapter book because it is very unique. This piece of literature opens the minds of it’s’ readers. Reading this book made me realize that some bad aspects of life are what make the good aspects so amazing. Living in a society where people are not allowed to make their own choices, feel pain and true love would not be a life at all. Without feelings, good and bad, life would have no purpose and no color. In addition, this book sends the message that being different is not a bad thing. The main character, Jonas, is one of the few individuals in his community that has pale eyes; everyone else in his community has dark eyes. Jonas also risks his own life to give people feelings. This book is very imaginative and paints visual images with written words. This book also reminded me of similar plots in A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. Both of these books are unique in their own ways but they all provide hypothetical situations that make readers appreciate life.

Knock Knock By Jan Wahl

I absolutely loved this picture book! Knock Knock begins as what seems to be just another ordinary fairy tale. As soon as you read past “once upon a time”, nothing is similar to the generic fairy tale. There are no pink puffy dresses or prince charmings. This picture book is about a young girl named Ella who whishes that someone would come keep her company. Ella is a witch with red hair and a down to earth personality. One day while she is spinning at her spinning wheel, a pair of enormous shoes come knocking on her door. Each time there is a knock at her door a, new body part comes in. On the last knock a big old Scottish giant wearing a kilt is sitting in her room. This book is great for boys and girls. The storyline is original and does not portray stereotypical gender roles. The illustrations are just as great as the storyline. The illustrations contain vibrant colors that make the story come alive.

The Happy Hocky Family By Lane Smith

This picture book is very unique. Instead of using plain white paper, the text is written on recycled paper with a brown tint. The book starts off by introducing everyone in the Hocky family. In this book there is a variety of stories. Each child from the Hocky family tells their own story. This book is also interactive. Smith invites readers to guess how many dishes can be made out of broken glass, to see how many items will survive the washing machine and asks the reader if they have ever had the same situations happen to them. This book also engages the reader by using illustrations that almost seem to have texture. The illustrator includes a variety of illustration styles. On some pages the illustration only takes up half the page, while on other pages there is no text and only illustrations. Although this book provides a variety of stories, the author brings it all together by providing some type of order. Smith begins and ends this book with baby Hocky telling his story. The author also provides a page that says goodbye to the reader that is written by the Hocky. I enjoyed reading this picture book because it sends the message to readers that each family can have fun in their own unique way.

One fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish By Dr. Seuss

Although I love books by Dr. Seuss, One fish Two fish Red fish Blue fish is not my favorite. This book is about a little boy and a little girl who go on an adventure and they see funny things everywhere. I did enjoy some parts this picture book but there were some aspects that I did not like. While this book provides very imaginative creatures, the plot was a little too random for me. One minute the author is describing a variety of fish and then on the next page is a completely different story about an imaginary creature. On the other hand, I did like how all the creatures were original. In addition, these illustrations fit perfectly with the storyline. Each character drawn fits the character being described flawlessly. I also like how the illustrator used simple coloring. The illustrations are filled with primary colors that make the black lining pop off the page. Dr. Seuss is very creative and it this is shown through his rhyming techniques and imaginary characters. Also, I love the message this book sends. The message of this book is that each day can be filled with a entertaining and crazy adventure as long as you use your imagination.

Captain Bob Takes Flight By Roni Schotter

This book is about a young boy named Bob who turns cleaning his room into a flying adventure. Bob uses his imagination and turns a chore into an exciting event. I like how some of the text wrapped around the illustrations in this book. I also enjoyed this book because the illustrations seemed to be created by using a sponge painting technique. The illustrations reminded me of a time in art class when children explore paint with their hands. Finger painting and sponge painting allow children to expand their creativity outside of the box. The character Bob in this picture book turns an ordinary cardboard box into an airplane. Bob lets his imagination soar similar to when children finger paint.

Two Scarlet Songbirds By Carole Lexa Schaefer

This picture book paints a picture into the past. Two Scarlet Songbirds includes history, music and two song birds. The main character of this picture book is a musician named Anton Dvorak. One day while sitting outside in Iowa, Anton is inspired to create a song when he hears two scarlet songbirds singing. This book sends the message to the readers that nature can inspire art. The illustrations in this book used bright colors and seemed to be created using watercolors. I like how the illustrator used this technique because the colors seemed to flow together. These illustrations also provide a calming sensation.

The Adventures of Old Bo Bear By Alice Schertle

I absolutely loved the picture book entitled The Adventures of Old Bo Bear. Both the plot and the illustrations for this book are marvelous an imaginative. This book is about a young boy who has a bear named Old Bo Bear. These two individuals go on many adventures and both get very dirty along the way. One day, the boy’s mother decides Bo needs to be washed. The young boy anxiously waits for Bo to get out of the dryer. As soon as the washing and drying process is done, the young boy notices that Bo is missing an ear and just didn’t smell “right” anymore. To fix this problem the young boy and Bo go on many adventures. The young boy and Bo battle pirates to being courageous cowboys all while getting dirty along the way. These illustrations are very vibrant and seem to pop off of the page. In addition, these illustrations can tell their own story. The illustrations in this book are action packed and seemed to be moving across the pages. I loved this book because it sparks the imagination of the reader. It is so whimsical that the reader almost forgets they are reading a story. While I was reading this picture book I felt as though I was going on adventures with the young boy and Bo. This book shows children that it is great to expand their creativity and go on imaginative adventures with friends or even imaginary friends. It is books like these that make children excited about learning. It is books like these that inspire children to learn to love learning. Books are tools that allow children to escape from their daily lives and go on an adventure with characters. While reading, individuals expand their knowledge and inspiration. The Adventures of Old Bo Bear has illustration from cover to cover and a plot that triggers inventiveness.

Crazy Hair Day by Barney Saltzberg

Crazy Hair Day promotes school spirit and close friendships that only develop in a classroom. This book has brightly colored illustrations and a genuine plot. This picture book is about a young gopher named Stanley who is so excited for “crazy hair day” at his school. Stanley’s mom helps him make a crazy hair-do. When Stanley gets to school he realizes that instead of “crazy hair day” it is actually picture day. This picture book reminds me of all the school experience that children have. Schools are institutions that not only shape academic growth but they also help children grow as individuals. Although some school friendships slowly fade, and other friendships last, the memories children create together in school always stay. It is simple group projects, simple games on the playground and simple school jobs that bring children from all backgrounds together. Simple acts of kindness that are learned and done in schools are aspects of life that children take with them everywhere. Crazy Hair Day turns a crazy hair day for one individual into a memorable happy ending for a whole class.

Cowboy and Octopus By Jon Scieszki and Lane Smith

This book is very unique and inventive. I have never read a picture book like this before. The author and illustrator of this book are also the author and illustrator of the books The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! and The Stinky Cheese Man. The illustrations are made by using pop art and lettering that resembles letters that are cut out from magazines. In these illustrations you can see pieces of tape to make it seem as though the images are being held in place. You can tell that the cowboy and octopus are illustrated to resemble cut out pieces. Also, on the back cover, you can see the silhouettes of the cowboy and octopus along with scissors and scraps of paper. This picture book provides seven different short stories all about a friendship between a cowboy and an octopus. I like this picture book because although there is text, the pictures are part of the story. These illustrations are part of the story. Without the illustrations, the story would not be complete and the readers would be missing part of the plot. I like this picture book because it sends the message that two completely different people can end up being friends.

Found Alphabet By Ramon Shindler and Wojciech Graniczewski

This book introduces the letters of the alphabet by showing illustrations that are made out of random objects that can be found in daily life. Each page provides a rhyming passage that engages the reader to the wording and the illustrations. In addition, some of the text wraps around the found objects drawing extra attention to the illustrations. I like this picture book because it reminds children that concepts do not have to be learned in a dramatic way. On the cover of this book it states “the ordinary becomes the extraordinary”. I loved this book because it symbolizes what teaching is all about. Teaching is about educating individuals but also in an exciting memorable way. Although not all concepts taught in school can be made into a fun way, it is the teacher’s job to give children tools for their own success. When a child learns how to reach their full potential on their own, a teacher has done their job. I also liked how the illustrators used soft blue and yellow tones to make the illustrations pop off the page.

An Edible Alphabet By Bonnie Christensen

This book is a concept book and the purpose is to teach the letters of the alphabet. An Edible Alphabet describes the alphabet by providing edible items for each letter of the alphabet. Christensen provides fruits, vegetables, plants and berries found around the world for each letter of the alphabet. This book provides a tasty way to learn about the alphabet.
I like this book because of the illustrations. These illustrations seemed to use a woodcarving technique. I also like these illustrations because they include a boarder. This book also introduces diversity because it provides plants from all over the world. I also likes that the author included an index of the plants in the back of the book. This tells the reader what the plants are how to use them in cooking. I also like that this book includes the upper and lower cases of each letter. I did not like some aspects of this book. This book is a concept book. An Edible Alphabet does not have a plot, it just lists edible plants. Some of the plants the author included are very hard to pronounce and not used in daily life.

Rebound By Yuriko Nishiyama

While reading this graphic novel I became overwhelmed. Not only is each page filled with many illustrations and text, readers also have to read from right to left. This graphic novel belongs to the Manga series. Rebound is the seventh novel of the series. Readers have to read these novels in chronological order. I do not recommend this novel to children. This novel would be age appropriate for some students in high school and adults. I would not recommend reading this book to anyone. I disliked a lot of aspects about this book. This book uses swear words, derogatory language and uses negative imagery towards women. This novel is about a big high school basket ball game. In addition, one of the basketball players, Nate, goes on a date with a girl named Tomomi. This novel also seems to include “commercial” pages. In random parts of the book, pages are added in order to promote other graphic novels. One of these “commercial” pages included illustrations of half naked women in bikinis. Readers can see right through these bathing suites and actually see the female body. Not only were these girls in revealing bathing suites, they were all seductively positioned. On a positive note, this novel provided an immense amount of detail in illustrations and provided a play by play for the basketball game. The majority of this novel was about the basketball game. I did like that at the end of the game the two teams showed some good sportsmanship. Also, two boys that were on opposing rival teams discovered that they could be friends. These two boys discovered at the mall they both shared a love for Michael Jordan. Lastly, I liked that Nate was respectful to his date, Tomomi. Although I did not like Rebound, learning how to read a graphic novel was an interesting experience.

Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal by Barbara Park

I like this chapter book because even though it belongs to a chapter book series, each chapter book provides its own story. Readers do not need to read this chapter book series in chronologic order. Junie B. Jones is a spunky, spying, loud, speaks her mind type of six year old. Junie has two best friends, Grace and Lucille. Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal is about how Junie spends the night at one of her friend’s rich grandmother’s house. This adventure began one day while Junie and Grace are riding on the school bus. After they see Lucille and her rich grandma in the school parking lot, Junie invites herself over for a sleepover at Lucille’s grandmother’s house. When Junie arrives at Lucille’s grandmother’s house she states it looks like a castle. There, her and her friends play dress up, sing, dance and have tons of fun. At one point in the night, the activities take a turn for the worse. Junie is somewhat clumsy and ends up breaking the grandmother’s glasses, spilling chocolate ice cream on an expensive couch and much more. After the sleepover is done, Junie realizes that no amount of money could compensate for the amount of love she receives from her own grandmother. Park uses language and describes behavior that a typical six year old would. The author cleverly and creatively uses slang language and humor to bring her characters alive. Although this book’s main character is a six year old, Junie captures a wide range of readers. Upper elementary readers will be engaged by the use of humor. Reading this book reminded me of sleepover memories I have when I was younger. Weather sleepovers take place in a castle like house, in a tent in the backyard or on the couch in your own living room; they produce sleepless nights full of laughter.

Martian Rock by Carol Diggory Shields

Martian Rock was poetic, creative, clever, unique and all around magnificent. Martian Rock is action packed from cover to cover. This picture book is about a group of aliens that travel the solar system looking for other forms of life. Instead of using the planets actual names, Shields uses creative names for each planet while incorporating actual facts about the solar system. Also, on the back page of Martian Rock, the author provides the “Martian name” for the planet and the “Earth name”. Thus, this actively engages the reader by giving reader the opportunity to participate in discovering facts about each planet. As the group of aliens traveled to each planet they discovered new surroundings, smells and sites. When the aliens were just about to give up they decided to visit Earth. While at Earth the aliens do not find human beings but cuddly, cute penguins. In addition to a great storyline and descriptive wording, Martian Rock also contains great illustrations. These illustrations painted creative depictions of the solar system and aliens. The aliens drove a spaceship that looked like a car symbolizing that these aliens were almost human. These illustrations were created using a cartoon technique. The cartoon technique combined with a solar system theme makes me ponder about the infinite amount of creativity and potential each child contains.

The Absolutely Awful Alphabet by Mordicai Gerstein

The Absolutely Awful Alphabet is not just another alphabet book. Gerstein cleverly and creatively describes each letter of the alphabet in one streaming sentence. Gerstein takes the simple concept of writing about the alphabet and turns it into a detailed, expressive flow of alphabet creatures. Gerstein also uniquely makes the descriptions of each letter flow into the description of the following letter. The title of this picture book, The Absolutely Awful Alphabet, oxymoronically describes the quality of the storyline and illustrations. This book contains magnificent illustrations that truly capture the descriptive wording provided for each alphabet letter. Each illustration took the form of a letter of the alphabet. Within the outlines of each letter of the alphabet contained a humorous, detailed creature. Each illustration contained an immense amount of detail intertwined with bright colors. The technique and colors used in these illustrations remind me of fun loving imaginary friends most children have. They are all unique, fueled by imagination and originality. These illustrations are truly wonderful.

Tiger on a Tree by Anushka Ravishankar

I greatly enjoyed reading Tiger on a Tree! This book used simple coloring and rhyming which resulted in detailed illustrations and a creative plot. Tiger on a Tree is about a tiger who is enjoying his day roaming through the tall grass, swimming by moonlight and climbing trees. One day a group of tribal men catch the tiger and do not know what to do with him. This rhythmic riddle ends well and all are cheerful. I loved the illustrations because the only colors used are black, white and orange but these pictures were all very detailed. Using these simple colors made objects, shapes and lines jump off the page. In addition, the illustrations seemed to be made by using a woodcut style or engraving technique. The way the illustrator used these techniques reminded me of cave paintings which really captures the mood of this book. These illustrations and techniques used reminded me of ancient times, artifacts and the smell of museums with lingering aroma of knowledge still out there to gain.

The Someday House by Annie Shelby

The Someday House picture book has a very creative storyline and sparks imagination. The storyline of this book is about a bunch of children that discus what their dream houses look like. The houses the children dream up reminded me very much of tents and cardboard boxes I use to play with when I was younger. I use to imagine these tents made out of blankets and box forts were magical rooms in far away places. Every child is an individual with their own distinctive imagination. Some children can turn a stick into sword preparing for battle, others can turn a playground into a miraculous kingdom but every child can read to spark imagination. The Someday house is one picture book that is relatable to children and uses illustrations and descriptive wording to ignite creativity found in children. Also, these illustrations were detailed and used soft colors. The children drawn in this picture book were cartoons with simple coloring and use of lines. These simple illustrations that contain many details reminded me of how simple objects in life can lead to so much amusement and enjoyment.

Widdermaker by Pattie Schnetzler

Widdermaker was about a cowboy named Pete trying to tame a bull named Widdermaker in a rodeo. Widdermaker is so wild he escapes the rodeo and Pete and his trusty horse chase Widdermaker across Arizona deserts. Although I enjoyed the illustrations in this book I did not like the wording and language used in this picture book. Slang language, misspelled words and difficult words most upper elementary students would not understand were used in this picture book. The use of informal language and misspelled words could confuse students and also takes away from the storyline. For example, “That bull’s plumb loco,” is one phrased used in this picture book that I believe did not fit cohesively into the storyline. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the illustrations. They were unique and spicy. These illustrations were created by using hot colors that reminded me of shades you would find in sizzling salsa. The colors and drawing techniques captured the wild essences and dry beauty that is only found along the desert. These illustrations also included big cowboy hats, spontaneous saddles, crazy eyes and contagious cacti. Lastly, these fun, exaggerated illustrations take on a cartoonist from reminding me of silly, creative, spontaneous times only found out in the wilderness.

Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures: The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery by Jeff Brown

I really enjoyed this chapter book series for many reasons. Initially, the author re-introduces the charters in each novel thus you do not need to read the books in order. Flat Stanley is a boy who got flattened by a bulletin board therefore he can fit into an envelope and travel by mail around the world whenever he desires. This book also started with talking about French toast, bacon and a letter from someone needing help with an archaeological project in Egypt. Personally, French toast and bacon is my favorite meal and I find anything about Egypt interesting so this book had me hooked at the beginning. I also liked this book because it is relatable to children. Stanley has a younger brother Arthur, thus there are two viewpoints to this story. The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery was about how flat Stanley flew to Egypt hoping to help someone. When he got there he soon realized the man that asked for help tricked him and was actually a pyramid thief named Sir Hawara. This book includes a clever adventure with museum mischief, pyramids, snakes, bats and more! Flat Stanley represents children as adventurous, polite, and eager to learn about the world around them. Flat Stanley allows children to join him on his adventures around the world by simply reading this series. In addition, Brown provides facts about each place Stanley visits at the end of the book. I love this series because it is educational and exciting.

A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman

Experiences, situations, beliefs and values are a just a few aspects that make up personal identities. Children can come from different cultures, have different hobbies, likes and dislikes. Children are just as diverse as adults. Freeman presents different cultures, personalities and identities in his book A Pocket for Corduroy. Although the character Corduroy belongs to a picture book series, I greatly enjoyed the plot and uniqueness of the characters in this book. I also enjoyed the author’s representation of children and creativity. A Pocket for Corduroy is a story about a young girl named Lisa taking her teddy bear to the Laundromat. There Corduroy discovers the concept of a pocket and wants one of his own. Corduroy then begins to wander the Laundromat for fabric to make a pocket. Wandering the Laundromat turned into an adventure. Corduroy turned a bag full of damp clothes into a cave, a box of laundry chips into snow and looking at laundry swirling in a dryer as inspiration for art work. Personally, I believe that Corduroy symbolizes that children are creative and free spirited. In addition, I loved the variety of characters which included an authentic artist, a spunky Spanish speaking friend, and a loving little girl. Including a variety of characters with different personalities represents that children, as well as adults, are all unique.

Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Suess

Horton Hears a Who! is another picture book that I greatly enjoyed. This picture book sends a message that everyone is a unique individual. Horton the elephant who has great hearing ability was able to hear a small community of “whos” living on a speck of dust. Horton makes a promise to save the whos by carrying the speck of dust to a safe place. Horton sends the message that “a person is a person no matter how small”. I believe Horton symbolizes the innocence and caring side of children. I also enjoyed the illustrations in this picture book. These illustrations included simple shading and coloring but had an immense amount of detail in sketching. I also liked how Dr. Sues uses repetition, alliteration and rhyming to capture the reader with a creative storyline.

Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Suess

Horton is a very gentle and caring elephant. He is a picture book character that always makes morally correct decisions. In the book Horton Hears a Who! Horton defends a village of miniscule “whos” who can not been seen with the naked eye. Similarly, in Horton Hatches the Egg, Horton defends a small egg even though others laugh at him. The plot of Horton Hatches the Egg includes a lazy bird named Mayzie who tricks Horton into taking care of her egg while she goes on a vacation. Mayzie made Horton sit on her egg for months, even in snow and ice while she was tanning on the beach. Horton is so loyal that he does not care about the weather and continues to take care of the egg. At one point in time hunters threaten Horton with riffles but Horton would not move because he made a promise to take care of the egg. Horton sends a message to children to do the right thing, to say what you mean and be faithful. Although Horton is an enormous elephant he is very gentle and kind. Personally, I believe Horton symbolizes a representation of children. Even though Horton is large he is also clumsy just like children and has a big heart like most children do. I really enjoyed this series and the message it sends to children. Horton shows children that if you do the right thing, you will get rewarded in the end.

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Madeline represents the daring, carefree, curious and adventurous side of children. She is the smallest child out of twelve other girls that she lives with. The picture book Madeline is relatable for all children. Some of the girls in this picture book are obedient while others are mischievous. Although this picture book presents a variety of personalities the author still indicates that all children need comforting and direction from adults. The book Madeline is about a young girl who is very brave but had to get rushed to the hospital due to problems with her appendix. I loved the character Madeline because of her spunky personality but I did not particularly enjoy the plot of this picture book. On the other hand, I thought the illustrations were great. Instead of using typical sketches it seemed as though the illustrations were made using water colors.

Madeline and the Cats of Rome by John Bemelmans Marciano

Madeline is still presented as the same curious, brave little girl in the book entitled Madeline and the Cats of Rome. In addition, there are the same twelve little girls in this book along with the same caring Miss Clavel. Madeline and the Cats of Rome is about how Madeline, Miss Clavel and her twelve friends visit Rome in the spring time. On the other hand, some new characters are introduced in this storyline. Miss Clavel, Madeline and her friends take a trip to Rome. While in Rome Miss Clavel decides to take photographs of all the sites they visit. Miss Clavel was getting ready to take the last photograph for the day when a small child named Caterina stole the camera. Madeline and her dog chased after the thief only to find her hiding in an abandoned building full of cats. Caterina gives Madeline the camera back even though Caterina said she stole so she could feed her numerous cats. Madeline scolds Caterina for stealing because stealing is wrong no mater what the reasoning is. Personally, I believe that children were being presented as wide eyed and curious just like the cats that were included in this picture book. I did not like that this book sent the message that things are only seen as right and wrong. Many moral decisions are not simply right or wrong. On the other hand, I liked how Madeline forgave Caterina for stealing and helped her take care of her cats.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

The picture book Corduroy is one of my favorite books. This book was first published in 1968 and is still a classic among today’s generation. This picture book is about an adorable teddy bear named Corduroy. Corduroy is waiting at a toy department store for a child to adopt him and bring him home. One day a child tells her mother that she wants to buy Corduroy. When the mother looks at Corduroy she realizes that the teddy bear is missing a button. Thus, the mother tells the young girl that she can not purchase Corduroy. After hearing this Corduroy goes on an adventure around the store looking for a button.
I would recommend this picture book to any child. Corduroy sends the message to children that everyone is different and should be accepted as individuals. I really like this picture book because of the plot. When no one is watching Corduroy comes to life and goes on an adventure. Corduroy is a lovable teddy bear that can spark imagination and creativity in children.

3 Magic Balls by Richard Egielski

Colorful, creative and curious are three words that begin to describe the picture book 3 Magic Balls. The plot of this book contained a parade of descriptive wording and spontaneous events. 3 Magic Balls is about a boy named Rudy who works at his uncle’s toy shop. One day a curious old lady sells three magic balls to Ruby’s uncle. While Rudy’s uncle went out of the shop, the three magic balls begin to talk to Rudy. Rudy lets the balls out of the box and the four of them go on an adventure around the town. From bouncing high in the sky to saving the day, this picture book provides a series of exciting events for children to read about.
I enjoyed this picture book because it has an imaginative plot with amazing illustrations. All of the illustrations in this book are action packed. Each time I look at these illustrations I find new details. I would recommend this book to any child. I also like this picture book because it sends the message to children that imagination can turn the most boring job into a fun adventurous activity.

Zoo-Looking by Mem Fox

Zoo-Looking is a picture book about a girl named Flora who takes a trip to the zoo with her dad. While at the zoo she gets to visit many animals. Some of the animals she saw included a black panther, a baby monkey, elephant, yak and more.
What I liked most about this picture book is the media used to create the illustrations. This book seemed different from the other picture books I have read because the illustrations were created by using a collage technique. Instead of using simple drawings the collection of illustrations contained soft colors and shading.
Although the main character of this book is a girl, all children can enjoy the plot. Also, a variety of animals are included in this picture book so children can look for their favorite animals. I recommend Zoo-Looking for children in kindergarten and older. I liked how the author included rhyming and repetition to engage the reader. This creates a fun beat for the sentence structures.

Silly BIlly by Pat Hutchins

When children go to school they are propelled into a new surrounding with many different people. Children are put into many different situations and their interactions with others are important. At school children learn to take turns, share toys, make new friends and so on.
Silly Billy is a picture book that sends a message to children to be nice to others, even if that person is their sibling. The main character of this picture book is a young goblin named Hazel. Hazel keeps getting distracted by her younger brother during play time. Her parents tell Hazel to play games with her young brother Billy. Even though Billy accidentally knocks over her building blocks and doll house, Hazel is patient and lets him play with her.
This picture book is appropriate for children in kindergarten and up. I like this picture book because it includes bright colors and has a few sentences on each page. Some children like to look at pictures while reading so this book will engage children with the illustrations on each page.

The Berenstain Bears and The Spooky Old Tree by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Summer nights, hide and seek, and tree house meetings. Reading The Berenstain Bears and The Spooky Old Tree reminded me of childhood activities I use to partake in. This book describes an adventure that three young bears take visiting a spooky old tree. While in this tree they come in contact with multiple mysterious creatures. These three bears travel a twisty trail and find things that give them goosebumps.
I really enjoyed The Spooky Old Tree because of the plot and the illustrations. This picture book included magnificent illustrations with amazing details. The illustrations included small details such as a small mouse hiding in the floor boards, bats hanging from the ceiling and alligators swimming in the pond.
I also like this book because the authors used repetition and questions to engage the reader. In addition, this picture book sends a message to children to try and overcome their fears and take an adventure. By going in the old spooky tree, these three bears had the opportunity to see many interesting animals and artifacts. I would recommend this picture book for children in first grade and up. I would take note though that some pictures in this book could scare younger children.

Weird Wolf by Margery Cuyler

The children’s novel, Weird Wolf, is about a red headed nine year old boy who comes from a family line of werewolves. This novel incorporated references to McDonalds, baseball and supernatural events, all items I enjoy. The main character of this novel is a young boy named Harry Walpole who discovers he has inherited his grandfather’s curse of being a werewolf. Harry hides his secret from his parents fearing rejection and looks for support from his friend Tim. During this confusing stage of his life, Harry not only finds support from his friend Tim but also from an unexpected character, Abby, a classmate crush.
I liked this novel because the author included very descriptive wording and interesting situations. For example, Harry’s cravings for McDonalds were catalysis for embarrassing moments such as streaking around his neighborhood. I also enjoyed this novel because the character Harry is always upbeat and seeks to find a solution to his werewolf problem on his own. This sends Harry on an adventure and meanwhile he makes new friends and even hits a homerun during a baseball game. This novel sends a message to children to try and make the best of each situation.
I feel as though this novel could be appropriate for children in second grade and up depending on their reading level. The detailed pictures, witty conversations between characters and an adventurous plot makes this a very enjoyable novel to read. The Weird Wolf includes everything from a competitive baseball game to moonlight madness to a romantic love story.