This book explains why there is a need for all the different buildings, objects, and things in the city...for alligators of course! Personally I wasn't really interested in this book because from the beginning I thought in my head that the concept isn't realistic. However, trying to look at the book from a kids point of view I could see how this book would be fun to read. The text is set up in a joke style way, like "Why are there so many hot-dog stands in New York?" -answer: Alligators love hot dogs. Another example was: Why is smoke always coming up fromt the streets/sewers?" answer: Besides hot dogs, alligators love barbecue. It would be a fun lesson to do on Places and Cities. After reading this book outloud to the class, we could then go back to the text and find the real answers to these questions. When I read this book to two of my kids for my child study, they really liked the book and thought it was funny. However, they also picked up on the unrealistic idea that Alligators can live in the city. I asked them why they thought alligators could not live in New york, and *Nick responded by saying that "alligators need to live in warmer places". This shows that this book is interactive and allows kids to ask questions and make inferences based on their background knowledge.
After reading the letter from the author at the back of the book it made more sense why she was writing the book. She worked for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and always got questions from reporters around the world: Are there really alligators living in the sewers? There are stories of an alligator that was pulled out of a sewer in 1935. She also notes in this passage that the important thing to remember is that "nothing dissapears when you flush it down the drain, and everything is connected". From my opinion, I didn't really get that message from just reading the book and looking at the pictures. However, if we read this authors note during the preview of the book, that could maybe change the message of the story while reading it.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stinky by: Eleanor Davis
The only graphic novels I ever remember reading as a child were the Archie comic books. I always thought that most graphic novels were about super heroes and action packed fighting. Was I wrong! I picked out this book titled "Stinky" in the curriculum lab and I really enjoyed it. I previewed the book and thought that I would give it a try. While previewing, I noticed the illustrations were "kid friendly" or resembled something a kid would draw in their own notebooks. For example, on the inside cover there is a map of a swamp where a monster lives and everything is labeled from "possum tree" to "onion patch". On part of the map it shows where a little kid starts to cross paths with this monster. The novel is about a monster who is territorial and thinks he knows everything about kids. There is a new kid named Nick who starts exploring in the monsters swamp area and he decides this spot is perfect for building a tree house. Well the monster doesn't like this one bit and devises all these master plans to get rid of Nick. The monster is humorous in his attempts like for example, he dresses up as a ghost to try and scare nick away and he hides Nick's hat in a bottomless pit in hopes that Nick won't want to come around anymore. Eventually the monster realizes that Nick really isn't all that bad, and kids are actually really fun to hang out with. They become friends and co-exist in this swamp area.
This book is something I think little kids would really enjoy and connect with. The pictures and the text allow for alot of interaction and text to self connections. Kids can be territorial and judgemental and sometimes they need a good example like this to show them that they shouldn't make assumptions until they really know another person. Another reason I think this book is interactive is the monster asks many questions of what he is thinking outloud.... I think reading this book would encourage readers to say what they think the monster will do next, or what they think the answer is to the question.
This book is funny and that is always a great way to get kids interested in reading. I actually think I am going to use this book on friday with two second graders in my child study. I can just imagine all the things they will have to say about stinky, nick and the swamp! I would highly recommend this book to teachers.
This book is something I think little kids would really enjoy and connect with. The pictures and the text allow for alot of interaction and text to self connections. Kids can be territorial and judgemental and sometimes they need a good example like this to show them that they shouldn't make assumptions until they really know another person. Another reason I think this book is interactive is the monster asks many questions of what he is thinking outloud.... I think reading this book would encourage readers to say what they think the monster will do next, or what they think the answer is to the question.
This book is funny and that is always a great way to get kids interested in reading. I actually think I am going to use this book on friday with two second graders in my child study. I can just imagine all the things they will have to say about stinky, nick and the swamp! I would highly recommend this book to teachers.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
I WANT TO BE A COWGIRL By: Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
This book is about a dreamer. And little kids are big dreamers with so much imagination! I think this was such a fun book that little kids (and everyone) can relate to. Everyone dreams to be somebody or something, and I think it's so important for little kids to voice their dreams. This would be a fun book to include in a lesson of writing about "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I remember as a kid, writing about what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I'm sure kids still do it today.
The book is about a girl who lives in the city, and all she really wants is to be a cowgirl! This girl is different from all the other girls because she doesn't want to do what the general society expects of her. She doesn't want to sit and be a girly girl, or cook and clean in the kitchen. Instead she wants to go on an adventure and live the life of a cowgirl breaking broncos and sleeping under the moon. The text is large and simple and the illustrations are colorful and fun, which makes this book appealing to the younger kids. Another thing I noticed about the illustrations is the character imagines all these different settings and places where she could be a cowgirl, but you can faintly see the buildings and sky scrapers in the background in which she currently lives. I thought this was interesting, because maybe she is not ready to leave home or the city just yet.
This girl has got an imagination and big dreams of some day being a cowgirl. I want to encourage kids to figure out what their dreams are and help them see that they can be anything and do anything they put their mind to! I would definitely use this book in my class of 1st or 2nd graders.
The book is about a girl who lives in the city, and all she really wants is to be a cowgirl! This girl is different from all the other girls because she doesn't want to do what the general society expects of her. She doesn't want to sit and be a girly girl, or cook and clean in the kitchen. Instead she wants to go on an adventure and live the life of a cowgirl breaking broncos and sleeping under the moon. The text is large and simple and the illustrations are colorful and fun, which makes this book appealing to the younger kids. Another thing I noticed about the illustrations is the character imagines all these different settings and places where she could be a cowgirl, but you can faintly see the buildings and sky scrapers in the background in which she currently lives. I thought this was interesting, because maybe she is not ready to leave home or the city just yet.
This girl has got an imagination and big dreams of some day being a cowgirl. I want to encourage kids to figure out what their dreams are and help them see that they can be anything and do anything they put their mind to! I would definitely use this book in my class of 1st or 2nd graders.
Rain Makes Applesauce By: Julian Scheer and Marvin Bileck
"Rain Makes Applesauce" is a Caldecott book and I think it is because the pictures are so intricately designed and fascinating to look at. The text is simple and also imaginative but it doesn't really make sense unless you use your imagination. This book has different crazy statements such as "My house goes walking everyday","Rain makes applesauce","Monkeys mumble in a jelly bean jungle" and "Monkeys eat the chimney smoke". These lines are so abstract and unreal that it was hard for me to like it the first time I read it. Then I read it the second time and put more focus on the pictures... and it really does require an imagination. The pictures are really awesome, but I don't think I would pick this book to read to my entire class. Some kids that are more creative and imaginative would probably really enjoy these fun pictures, and perhaps even make up there own stories to these illustrations. Other than the pictures being elaborate and fun to look at, I don't really have much to say about the book.
Magpie Magic. A Tale of Colorful Mischief By: April Wilson
By far, this is one of my favorite books! There are no words, just pictures! The illustrations are so rich that you can understand and interpret what the author's message is without text. The book is about a child who starts using his colored pencils and he draws a crow. The crow comes to life! Then he draws cherries for the crow to eat. The crow watches... and starts his own mischief...
As the story goes on the crow understands how to draw different objects himself. The bird draws a fire that comes to life. The child decides to draw a cage for the bird so that the bird cannot draw anything else that will get them in trouble. The bird is very clever and finds his way out...but I don't want to give the whole story away so that YOU can find out what happens for yourself and come to your own conclusions of what you think happened. This picture books leaves you smiling at the end.
This book would be great for any elementary aged student. I think some kids would be able to personally connect with this story because the crow gets into trouble and sometimes kids like to see what they can get away with. This book would allow for a great group discussion because students would be able to make their own interpretions of what happened and share with their peers what they experienced when reading this story.This book just goes to show that people can say things in different ways and use multiple sign symbols without using actual text.
As the story goes on the crow understands how to draw different objects himself. The bird draws a fire that comes to life. The child decides to draw a cage for the bird so that the bird cannot draw anything else that will get them in trouble. The bird is very clever and finds his way out...but I don't want to give the whole story away so that YOU can find out what happens for yourself and come to your own conclusions of what you think happened. This picture books leaves you smiling at the end.
This book would be great for any elementary aged student. I think some kids would be able to personally connect with this story because the crow gets into trouble and sometimes kids like to see what they can get away with. This book would allow for a great group discussion because students would be able to make their own interpretions of what happened and share with their peers what they experienced when reading this story.This book just goes to show that people can say things in different ways and use multiple sign symbols without using actual text.
This Next New Year By: Janet S. Wong
The narrator of the story is a little boy who explains the new year in his own Korean culture which is called the Lunar New Year. This is the day of the first new moon. The text is very simple and explains the Chinese New Year by giving examples of different traditions they do such as cooking duk gook, getting Thai food to go, and stuffing envelopes with money. Many different cultures celebrate the Chinese New Year in different ways. Some people light fire crackers at midnight, some go to he parade and see big beautiful dragons that people make. The little boy talks about his luck and how he has a fresh start on the new lunar year.
This book definitely is a fun, colorful book that explains another culture and what some other cultures do to celebrate the Chinese New Year. I think it would be a great book to bring into the classroom if you are teaching kindergarten or first grade. The words are simple and would be easy enough for the kids to understand most of the story. Its a great way to introduce another culture to your class too. The pictures definitely were the coolest part of the book though, very bright and fun to look at. The little ones would enjoy this read!
This book definitely is a fun, colorful book that explains another culture and what some other cultures do to celebrate the Chinese New Year. I think it would be a great book to bring into the classroom if you are teaching kindergarten or first grade. The words are simple and would be easy enough for the kids to understand most of the story. Its a great way to introduce another culture to your class too. The pictures definitely were the coolest part of the book though, very bright and fun to look at. The little ones would enjoy this read!
Ruby and Bubbles By: Rosie Winstead
Ruby is a little girl who feels SO big. She definitely has an imagination as she narrates her own story and explains how she has twins, her own talk show, and a bully named Bratty Hatty. Ruby decides to not let these mean neighbors get her down so she decides to get a sitter and go shopping. (In actuality she doesn't have any kids, she is probably 9 or 10 years old with a big imagination). So on her shopping trip she buys a bird and names him Bubbles! This is her bestfriend. Mean Bratty Hatty makes fun of Ruby and her bird Bubbles because he can't fly. However, Ruby reads through a bird book and realizes that not all birds like to fly...for example, ostrich's or penguins!) Ruby loves her best friend Bubbles and doesn't care that he doesn't fly, she loves him just the way he is!
Ruby's character does a great job of not letting this bully get to her, and she shows Bratty Hatty that she doesn't have the time of day for her! I think this was such a cute book that could be used in a classroom full of little kindergarteners, first or second graders. At that age, kids are trying to figure out how to develop friendships and sometimes it takes having a doll or a bird as a friend to build that confidence up. This also teaches a good lesson about being nice to people. At the very end Bratty Hatty and her friend get pooped on by birds, and that goes to show, if you are not nice to others, someday another person may not be nice to you!
How the characters were illustrated really demonstrated each characters persona in this book. Ruby had such an imagination and she wore these wings that you could see she had made herself. As for Bratty Hatty and her friend Mean Maureen, their shirts said "Who Cares" and "Bug Off". The story was cute, and I think little kids would enjoy it and maybe even learn a good message too!
Ruby's character does a great job of not letting this bully get to her, and she shows Bratty Hatty that she doesn't have the time of day for her! I think this was such a cute book that could be used in a classroom full of little kindergarteners, first or second graders. At that age, kids are trying to figure out how to develop friendships and sometimes it takes having a doll or a bird as a friend to build that confidence up. This also teaches a good lesson about being nice to people. At the very end Bratty Hatty and her friend get pooped on by birds, and that goes to show, if you are not nice to others, someday another person may not be nice to you!
How the characters were illustrated really demonstrated each characters persona in this book. Ruby had such an imagination and she wore these wings that you could see she had made herself. As for Bratty Hatty and her friend Mean Maureen, their shirts said "Who Cares" and "Bug Off". The story was cute, and I think little kids would enjoy it and maybe even learn a good message too!
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