Reflection over the course

Jen,
As I have said in my first class reflection, I love children's literature! I am really excited that I have learned so much about all the different kinds of children's literature out there. I cannot wait to get into my classroom and use some of these books that we have talked about.

I know I will use children's books in a variety of ways in my classroom. I love the idea of opening a minilesson, author's study, literature study groups, or during shared reading. I want my students to love reading children's books and learn how to select the right book for them. I also really enjoy reading chapter books to the children as well because it is a good way for them to relax and just listen to a book.

I am glad that we created our own blogs because it is a way to look our classmates blogs and see what kinds of books that they recommend or did not like. Thanks for a great class!

Animal Dreaming

Mirri is a young boy from an Australian Aboriginal Tribe. They believe that long ago the earth was soft and had no form. Deserts, mountains, lakes, and prairies were created by the animals. Miri learns about his heritage, his people's past, and how the earth was formed, while learning the stories of animal dreaming.

I liked this book because it was an interesting view from a different culture. I like children's books from different cultures because a lot of the time, the children can relate how their heritage is somewhat like or dislike the heritage they are reading or learning about. I think it is important for all children to learn their heritage and learn about their families ancestors. There is a lot of fun activities that go along with a unit about one's heritage and I would use this book to help get the unit started.

Jane Goodall's Animal World Elephants

Elephants is a very informational book that answers any questions that a person would have about elephants. How do elephants live their daily lives? What do they eat? How do they raise their young? This book provides a close-up look at elephants.

I would use this book in my classroom only for reference use. I think that these series of books are great for the children to do their research. If they are writing a paper or making a book about elephants this would be a great research tool. I don't think that this book has universal usage in the classroom. I would not recommend this book for pleasure reading because it can be a little boring, especially if you don't like elephants. It is not like a picture book that the entire class might like. It would be great for the child to go to the library and find this book to do some research.

Safety on the Playground

Safety on the Playground is one book in a series about safety. There are topics in this book such as what to wear, broken equipment, safety on swings, safety on slides, safety during games, strangers, and climbing safety. I think these topics are very mundane and boring for children. The topics are very specific and I think that children will get bored with this book. Though the topic of playground safety is very important, I think as teachers and parents, we should come up with a more interesting and creative way to introduce this topic.

I would not use this book or series in my classroom. I don't think that reading a boring and mundane book about safety will ensure that kids will follow all the rules. I think it would be more beneficial if the class came up with their own rules would make the children be more creative and more likely to follow their own rules that they made.

Dolphins in the Wild

I love books about animals and I especially enjoy reading books about Dolphins because I think they are so cute and amazing! This book is in a series including true facts about different animals. Dolphins tells the readers about how they eat, grow, rest, hunt, and raise their young. There is also important information about the threats they face in the wild and also some important information about how we can help them to survive in the future.

I think having these books in my classroom would be beneficial to the kids because they would be able to look up and read about any different animal that they choose. These books are easy to read and have really awesome pictures. I think that the kids would like reading and looking up information about animals for their own use.

Harry the Dirty Dog

Harry was a white dog with black spots that liked everything.....except getting a bath. One day he hears the water running in the tub and decides to run away with the scrubbing brush. He buries it in the backyard and has a fun filled day getting dirty. He runs by the railroad, slides down the coal chute, and playes in the garbage yard with the other dogs. He comes home and his family doesn't even recognize him. All they see is a black dog with white spots. Harry finds out that getting a bath isn't so bad after all.

I like this book because it is about a dog. Many children love books about dogs. This is an older book that I think children will enjoy. I would like to have a section in my classroom library dedicated to different types and difficulties about dogs. I think that a lot of children would like to explore the different breeds and different ways to take care of dogs.

Peter and the Pigeons

Peter loves Pigeons. Peter's father takes him to the zoo to show him all the strange birds and wonderful animals that Peter hasen't seen before. He askes Peter which animals are his favorite. The entire time he tells his father that the zebra, hippo, polar bear, and lions are not his favorite animals. At the end he reaveals that the pigeons are his favorite animal. This just shows that Peter is familiar with the pigeons and is friends with them.

This is a sweet book about a boy that is friends with pigeons. It is an easy read and I enjoy the pictures.

Shibumi and the Kitemaker

As you can see from the cover, the illustrations in this book are amazing. I choose this book to read based on the cover illustrations. Mercer Mayer has beautiful illustrations and wonderful books such as The Rocking Horse Angel and East of the Sun and West of the Moon. This particular book is about a young princess that lives behind the walls of a beautiful garden in the palace. One day she peeks over to the town below. Much to her despair, the town is not as beautiful as she had imagined it. She sets out to convince her mother and father that things need to change. With the help of a kite maker dreams can come true.

I love the illustrations and the inspirational words that Mercer Mayer has given the reader. I really enjoyed reading this tale and I definitely would use this in my classroom. I also want to check out more books and illustrations by Mercer Mayer.

Get Out of Bed!

The main reason I read this book is because it is written by Robert Munsch. I absolutely love Munsch books. They are really creative and hilarious. I also love the pictures. Get Out Of Bed was a little bit of a disappointment. I did not really like this book because it didn't have a twist or different sort of ending much like the other Munsch book that I enjoy.

Get Out Of Bed! is all about a girl that won't get out of bed. Her brother, mother, father, teacher, and principal all try to wake her up but she stayed out too late the night before. She misses breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even goes to school in her bed.

As I said before, I love Robert Munsch books and I know I will have a large collection in my classroom. I enjoy these books and have read many with young children and I know they will enjoy them.

Daddy's Wedding

Daddy's Wedding is a poor attempt at explaining to children about gay couples. Nick is a 10 year old boy that lives with his mother and stepfather. He gets to be the best man in his father's wedding with another man.

The reason that I didn't like this book is because everything in this book was so happy and nothing was complicated. I'm not saying that it should be complicated, but Nick doesn't even ask any questions about his father and his roommate. They just all of a sudden show up and tell Nick that they are getting married and they want Nick in the wedding. I would expect Nick to ask a few questions about their marriage together and point out the fact that they are two men.

I would like there to be questions raised in this book, because I know a child in this real situation would want some questions answered. I believe that if this book answered a few of those questions then it would be more realistic for the reader and they could relate to it more. I would not use this book in my classroom.

Meet Tricky Coyote!

This selection of stories was originally told by Native Americans. Coyote shows us the values of being different, the advantages of being smart, and the dangers of being too proud. These Native American tales give us a familiar and interesting twist to the older American tales that we all know very well.

I would use this book in my classroom because it is a pretty easy read and the tales are not too long. I think that there is a clear moral at the end of each tale that the kids can relate to. I also like these tales because they are almost like our all too familiar American tales that we tell each other. I believe that the kids will be able to make distinctions between the two tales and maybe come up with some on there own!

Year of Impossible Goodbyes

I really enjoyed this book because it was very intense and it kept me reading to see what would happen next. Sookan is the main character along with mother, Inchun, grandfather, Kisa, and Aunt Tiger. She tries to escape the Russians in Northern Korea and make it to freedom below the 38th parallel with her mother and Inchun. The family is separated half way to the south. They are helpless and alone until the kindness of an elderly man helps them make it to the south.

I liked this book because the author used a lot of detail when she wrote. I like how she explains the way things feel, taste, and what she sees. I am glad that the family ends up together in the end. The story is about hope and love that kept the families going through the hardest of times.

I would love to have this book in my classroom. I liked reading So Far From the Bamboo Grove and this book one after the other because it gave me great insight into the two different lives of a Korean child and a Japanese child. I would definitely have my students read both novels and talk about the differences and similarities that the two girls had in common.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From The Bamboo Grove is a very powerful and amazing story of Yoko, a 12 year old Japanese girl in the middle of World War II. Her story is about the journey of her, her mother, and her oldest sister, Ko trying to make it to safety and not get captured by the Koreans. There were many points in this story that were so sad and depressing but it made me realize that these things actually did happen.

I think the main point of this story is that the Kawashima family is remarkably strong and they love each other very much. Mother just wants to get her girls to safety and try and find her son. I believe that she feels a sense of safety when they travel back to their homeland, Japan. She dies at the train station but I think she felt a little sense of piece knowing that her girls were safe and in school. Their family stays together despite the effects of war. The girls continue to show their mother great respect even while they are refugees. This shows that respect is a very important aspect to keeping a family together.

Another overlaying theme in the story is the relationship between the two sisters Yoko and Ko. Throughout their journey, Ko must take control and lead the family to safety. Right before their brother left, he told Ko to take care of the family. She takes the lead as Yoko's mother after mother dies at the train station. She keeps Yoko in school and does odd jobs in order to raise money.

One of the most interesting facts of the story is that Ko and Yoko had to dress like the enemy soldiers. They wore their uniforms and also shaved their heads to look like boys. I thought that this was very smart of them because it kept them alive. They were encountered by many men that wanted to rape them or harm them, but because they looked like boys, they were left alone. Also, the uniforms kept them from being killed because they didn't look like Japanese.

I really enjoyed this book and I know I will use it in my classroom if I teach older grades. I liked the story line and the devastation that the family went through is very relevant during a time like this. Our country is at war and the effects that the war has on others is a very important topic to discuss. I cannot wait to read Year of Impossible Goodbyes because the story perspective is from the opposite side of the war.

Fudge

I love dog books. When I was younger, all I ever read, drew, and dreamed about were dogs. I finally got a dog when I was 6 years old. I named him Buster and we were best friends. I really like this children's novel because it is about a young boy that loves his dog Fudge and in the end he gets to keep him too just like when I finally got a dog. I also love to visit the humane societies here and play with the dogs and cats.

This story is sweet and the cover of the book draws people in. Everyone loves puppies and loves to read about them. This would be a great book to put in my classroom because the chapters aren't too long and the print is not too big. The age range of this book would be about 5th to 6th graders.

My favorite part about this book is the end. Chad gets to keep Fudge and Leslie gets to keep bear despite the fact that her sister is allergic to animals. She ends up taking allergy medicine so that they can keep the puppy. I love happy ending books. Our female dog never got to have puppies so I enjoy reading with about them!

UPDATE

Jen,
First off, I was so excited to start this class because I LOVE children's literature. I am known to stay home and read picture books and watch Disney movies on weekends. I think I own every single Disney movie and most of the Dr. Seuss books. My mom and dad read to me all the time so I love going back to the books I remember as a child and rereading them and figuring out why I liked them so much.

I had no idea that I could analyze picture books the way we do in class. I loved the presentation from the librarian about "how to" look at picture books with a critical eye and choose the best ones for your class. I really remember the different ways to look at picture books besides just reading them. The whole book really does tell a story from cover to cover. I think that this would be a great lesson for my class some day. The kids can find different ways that picture books are interesting and figure out why they like the books that they like. Speaking of my future class, I think that this class is really important. I loved the genera studies because I didn't even know that some of these books were out there. I'm glad that we got a list of tons of good books that we can use in our classrooms.

Overall, I really enjoy blogging. I like the fact that we can personalize our blogs and really make them our own. As students, we have to write word documents all the time and they become routine. I think that blogging is much more personal and I can write how I really feel about the book. I also like the fact that we can read eachothers blogs. I always look on other people's blogs to see which books are good ones.

Mommy Laid and Egg

This book answers the question....."where do babies come from." The whole book the kids are telling the story about where babies come from instead of their parents telling them.

This book is hilarious but I don't think I would use it in my classroom. There would definitely be too many questions, especially concerning the page with some of the ways mommy and daddy fit together. Sex talk is a very hard thing to talk about with your children. I don't know how I will discuss it with my daughter when she asks. I think I will just let her think what she wants and explain to her when she is older. I think this book is good for explaining it to older children but I don't think that the page with the sex positions is very appropriate. I think the message would get through without that page.

The Un-Wedding

This book is about....divorce. There are two children that have to put up with their parents fighting all the time and never agreeing on anything. They decide that it isn't their fault and decide that their parents should be un-married and live in separate houses. In the end the two children are happy and so are their parents.

This book puts a different spin on divorce. I think it would be helpful to read this book to children especially because divorce rates are so high these days. This book addresses the fact that it is not the children's fault that their parents do not get along. It gives the children perspective that their parents just maybe better off "un-married". There are so many children going through divorce and I think that this book could be helpful. Not every book should end with happily ever after because that is not the way life is. I think children should be exposed to some realizations that not everything is happy in the end.

King and King

King and King is about a Prince that cannot find a Princess to marry. He is introduced to many different prospects but cannot find one that he likes. They all show him their many talents, but none are good enough. Finally, another prince comes with his sister who is going to try and marry the prince. It is love at first sight. The two princes get married shortly after and they live happily ever after.

This book is a very modern version of a fairy tale. I understand why some parents might be angry if this book is available for their children to read in the school library. However, I am totally up for teaching students about what is in the real world. When they grow up they will not be sheltered from things such as gay couples. The parents of these children need to realize that they cannot shelter and "protect" their children forever. They will be exposed to it sooner or later. I would read this to my own daughter because I think that it teaches us that not everyone is the same and we need to accept others for who they are.

William's Doll

William's Doll is about a very young boy that wants a doll to love, cuddle, kiss, and take care of. His father doesn't want him to have a doll because boys do not play with dolls. Instead his father buys him "boy" toys and will not get him a doll. William's grandmother ends up buying him a doll in the end.

This story is controversial because William isn't supposed to play with dolls and the only reason he wants to play with one is that he is gay. I don't think that this story is trying to portray that William is gay at all. I think it is just about a young boy that likes other things besides the steriotypical boy toys.

I would read this story in my classroom to tell others that not always following "the norm" is an ok thing to do. Not all boys play with trains and basketball. I know some little boys that like barbies and dolls and that doesn't mean they are gay. This story can be interpreted any way that the reader chooses.

Rose Blanche

Rose Blanche is a book about a young girl experiencing the Holocaust without understanding it. Throughout the book she is walking to a Concentration Camp and bringing the Jewish prisoners food to eat. She brings it to them but never really understands why they are there. At the end the American soldiers are comming and freeing the prisoners but Rose gets shot.

I understand why this book may be controvercial in some schools. It is a very deep story about the war. Young readers may n0t understand the book's meaning. The book is interesting because it is not from the perspective of a little girl inside the concentration camp but from a little girl witnessing all the horrors happening. I would not use this book because it could cause some controversy and might be hard to explain to little children.

The Misfits by James Howe

Part one of the Misfits was unlike any other book I have read that is geared for young children. At first it was hard for me to understand what is so controvercial about it. I think it was hard for me because I have been exposed to a lot of different people's livestyles and Joe's character wasn't all that different from some of the kids in my grade.
Junior High is a hard grade for almost every child. When you are that age, you are trying to fit in while also trying to find out who you are. The characters in this book are very steriotypical to what misfits in Junior High would act like. When I was in Junior High I was quiet because I didn't really know where to fit in.
The main characters in this book seem mature for their age. Especially when Joe came out and told his two friends that he is gay. That is a little unrealistic for me because most Junior High kids are not mature.
An important message from this book is that children should be comfortable and accepted for who they are. They should not be afraid to express themselves in school no matter what the other kids think about them.
It could be very challenging to teach this book in Junior High or even High School because of the names the children get called and Joe's character. I would love to teach this book because it is a great example of friendship, finding yourself and accepting who you are, and standing up for yourself.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs is a really funny and neat way to tell a well known fairy tale. The wolf tells the reporters that he did not mean to blow the houses down and eat the pigs inside. All the wolf wanted was a cup of sugar for his Granny's tea and he also had a cold himself. He went over to his neighbor's houses and tried asking them for sugar but sneezed and their houses fell in. The little pigs died and he didn't want to leave a perfectly good ham just laying there so he ate it.

The story is neat in the way that it is told from a perspective never told before. It is a parody like Shrek where the characters in the story don't always do the things that they normally do. I think that writing a parody would be a great exercise to do with your older students. They would enjoy it and would have a good experience.

The Hello, Goodbye Window

The Hello, Goodbye, Window is a book told from a little girl's perspective about the adventures she has while she is at her Grandparent's house. They do a lot of things together involving the window in the kitchen. She loves the window because they look out at the stars, say hello to eachother when she comes, and say goodbye to eachother when she leaves.

This is a special and cute book that is all about the memories and love she shares with her Grandparents. I like the fact that this book is told from a little girl's perspective. She has a great, big imagination and discovers many different things through the window. I think this book would be great in a classroom because it can generate many different ideas that children can write about. I would use it in my classroom before a writing workshop day and maybe the kids could write about what they see through their window.

Big Bad Bunny

This book has a really cute and unique way of telling the story about Baby Boo-Boo mouse. There are two stories going on at the same time. Mama mouse is tucking her little children into bed and cannot find her baby Boo-Boo. All the while there is a big, bad, scary mouse that is stomping through raging rivers and knocking down forests with his claws. Finally, through about the middle of the story you find out that the bunny that mama is looking for is the same big, bad, scary bunny that is terrorizing the land.

This book is a cute book that makes the reader keep guessing. It is meant for little children so it will be fun for them to try and guess who the big, bad, scary bunny is. I would read this to a younger class and we could write our own stories that twist together like this one does.

Eddie's Kingdom

Eddie's Kingdom is about a young boy that lives in an apartment building. One day he decides to draw his building and everyone that lives there. He walks around the apartment building and knocks on every door. Everyone he talks to is very mean and crabby at him. They blame him for noises, smoke, and screaming in the building. He apologizes for the interruptions even though it is not him playing his music really loud, grilling in his living room, or having a screaming baby. While is is there drawing everyone, he helps them to be less annoying to his neighbors. He opens the window in the smoky apartment and gives the man some headphones. After he is done drawing everyone he shows them his drawing and everyone laughs and loves it. Eddie has drawn them as animals! From then on they get along.

I like this book because it is more realistic than other children's books. It doesn't have as much of a middle class feel to it. The children that don't live in regular houses or condos can relate to this book more. I live in an apartment and really related to this book because I thought of all my crabby neighbors and the ones that are too loud. I think this book is a great get to know you book with your students because it will help them open up about where they live if they are shy.

That New Animal

That New Animal is a very cute book about adding a new member to the family. There are two dogs that are almost forgotten by their owners when a new baby arrives. They do not like the new baby because they aren't getting enough attention. Soon Uncle arrives and tries to pick up and play with the new baby. The dogs do not like a stranger touching their "animal" and need to protect him. They find out that the new animal isn't so bad after all.

This is a really cute book with neat pictures. I think it would really help an older sibling understand a new little brother or sister. They might get left out but the new baby needs extra special attention because he is new. I think that this book would work better in a family home rather than a classroom. If the child's mother reads them this book vs. the child's teacher, the mother reading it would mean more. I might read it to my daughter when I decide to have a new "animal".

Love That Dog

Love That Dog is different from any other novel I have read. I loved the fact that the whole book was poem writings from a student named Jack. In the beginning of the book he did not like poetry. He writes about not liking poetry and doesn't realize that he really is writing poetry. Throughout the book he struggles with writing what he thinks should be poetry. He doesn't realize that poetry doesn't have to rhyme.

I love the parts about his dog Sky. He writes poems about a dog that he adopts from the shelter. He really loves playing with his dog and adds in different poems from the previous poems his teacher has read them in class.

He also struggles with letting his classmates look at his poems. He doesn't think that what he writes is good enough for his classmates to read. Eventually he is inspired by Walter Myers to write a poem that he lets the class read. It is also cool that Walter Myers actually came and spoke at their school.

As a future teacher I really enjoyed the process that this kid went through. In the beginning he said he hated poetry. He kept trying and his teacher did not push him. Instead she just read her class examples of different poetry that they could try and write. Eventually, Jack was inspired by an author and he actually comes to the school. I think this kid really ended up loving poetry because his teacher helped him realize that poetry can be any piece of writing!

The Polar Bear Son

This book is a sweat book about family. An old Eskimo-Inuit woman adopts an orphan polar bear cub that she finds in the snow. He provides food for her and the others in the village while growing up. Some hunters get jealous and decide to kill him. The woman finds out and sends the polar bear away. After some time she reunites with the polar bear whom is now fully grown. They fish together every morning but the polar bear lives in the wild and not with the woman.

This story is a good example of a woman who "adopted" a son. This shows children that love can come from anywhere and anyone. There are many types of families and each one is no different than the other when it comes to love. I would share this with my young readers in my classroom because I think it had a good moral.

Beware of the Frog

Beware of the Frog is a fun but weird fairy tale of a pet frog that protects an old ladies house. The old lady lives on the edge of a big, dark, scary wood. Throughout the book scary monsters come out of the wood. They each try and do different things to her. The first monster tries to steal all of her shiny things. When he comes to the door the frog eats him. The next monster tries to move into the old ladies house by stinking it up. He comes to the door and the frog eats him. The last monster tries to eat her and the frog eats him. At the end of the story the frog convinces the old lady to kiss him and she turns into a frog. She is angry and ends up eating the pet frog.

The end of the book is a little weird but funny. I read this book to my second graders and they thought it was hilarious. We made up our own creatures to protect our houses that were funny and ironic. I would use this book in my classroom because it is creative and helps the children to generate creative ideas to write about.

Sacagawea

This is a bibliography of Sacagawea. Sacagawea was born to the Shoshone Tribe. She was captured by an enemy tribe and made a worker. She soon married and gave birth to a son at a very young age. The rest of this book is about her journey with Louis and Clark and her two month-old son.

I really enjoyed this book because it breaks down the timeline of the journey or Louis and Clark. Anyother books that I have read about Louis and Clark are very dull and boring. This picture books brings the journey from Sacagawea's point of view which is interesting.

An Apple for Harriet Tubman

This is about Harriet Tubman’s journey out of slavery. It starts with her as a young child working on a plantation in the South. One of her jobs as a young girl is to pick apples from the orchard but is forbidden to eat one. Just as she thinks she is alone to take a delicious bite, she is seen and whipped without mercy. She vows that she will be free one day and eat as many apples as she wants. She soon grows up and escapes to the North. Harriet Tubman was a very brave woman that helped thousands of Africans escape from slavery during her lifetime.

I enjoyed reading this book because it tells a story that doesn't have much recognition. I did not know the apple story with Harriet Tubman. In an authors note in the back of the book it states that the author heard this story from Alice Brickler who was Harriet's great-niece. Alice had been told this story from Harriet herself. I also did not know that Harriet's original name was Araminta "Minty" and she changed it.

Stars! Stars! Stars!

Stars! Stars! Stars! is about.....well you guessed it....stars! This book was neat because it told us facts about all nine planets in our solar system. The pictures were great and the book was easy to read. I also liked how the text curved around the pictures! The last couple of pages in the book explain each planet and some facts about it. The last page tells the reader about different stars in our solar system. We have the star, a constellation, the sun, gravity, moon, asteroid, a shooting star, and it tells about the galaxy.

I would use this book in my science classroom because it is very informational for the reader. It is easy to read and enjoyable. I actually learned a lot from reading this book on my own. It will encourage self learning. There are also books by Bob Barner like Bugs Bugs Bugs and Dem Bones that would be informational and fun to read!

The Lorax

The Lorax is my absolute favorite Dr. Seuss book! I love the pictures and the animals in this book. It is about a young boy that comes to the house of the Once-ler. The pictures in the beginning of the book are very dark and sad looking. When the Once-ler takes the boy back to telling him the story of the Lorax the pictures are beautiful and bright with Truffula Trees. Then slowly the once-ler comes and starts making all sorts of things with the Truffula Trees. All these products require him to keep cutting down the trees.

Sadly, this makes all the Swomee-Swans, the Brown Bar-ba-loots, and the humming fish leave to find food and shelter because the Truffula Trees are dwindling. All through the story the Lorax keeps warning the greedy Once-ler to stop chopping down the Truffula Trees but he doesn't until the last one is gone. Also, throughout this book the background pictures are getting duller and smoggier to show that the trees are no longer there to keep the air clean. Finally, the Once-ler leaves because there is nothing but a big gross mess where the once beautiful animals lived in the Truffula Trees. At the end of the story the Once-ler gives the boy the very last Truffula seed to plant hoping that the Lorax will come back with all of his friends one day.

I love this story because it is a reality about what is happening to our trees and animals as we make way for new businesses and housing developments. If we don't conserve our trees and nature then it will be gone also like the Truffula Trees and the Lorax. I would most certainly use these Dr. Seuss books in my classroom because they are super fun to read and all have great morals to the story!

The Popcorn Dragon

This story is about a young dragon that learns to blow smoke. He runs around blowing smoke around all the other animals and makes them mad. They tell him to stop showing off but he cannot. The other animals tell him that he cannot play with them anymore. He gets sad and goes by himself into a cornfield. He finds out that his hot smoke makes the corn into popcorn. He makes popcorn for his friends and they all get along again.

I didn't like this story very much. I would not use it in my classroom. The moral of the story is too predictable and doesn't teach very much. I do like the pictures though. The story is generic and the author doesn't use very clever language so the result is that the story is a little boring. The end is a little original but I didn't even want to read that far.

The Hound from the Pound

This is a cute rhyming story about a woman who is lonely in the beginning of the story. She goes to the pound to try and find a friend. She sees a basset hound and takes him home. She did not know he was the leader of the pound and he barked, "Ah-rooooooo!" and all his dog friends came racing into the ladies house. She realized that she could not keep them all unless they were trained. The dog trainer came and trained them all and then the man and woman fell in love.

This is a cute and easy to read story about finding love and friendship. It is a good book to share with students about finding friends. Also, it is definitely for all the dog lovers out there who have gotten at least one dog in their life-time from the pound!

Batman: Exploring the World of Bats

This is a chapter book all about bats. In the first chapter of this book, Merlin discusses how he came to love bats. His father worked with all kinds of different animals so he grew up around them. All through elementary, Merlin loved saving and raising all types of animals he found. In high school he moved to Tennessee where they lived 2 miles from a bat cave. By the time Merlin graduated from high school he had completed three studies of bats that were published in scientific journals. Soon after Merlin Tuttle earned his doctoral degree with honors from the University of Kansas. The 2nd chapter is mostly about the characteristics of all different kinds of bats. There is information on what they eat and how they hunt. In chapter 3 Merlin discusses that he is getting a positive response to his pictures and began to take more. The photos helped the public to understand that bats are becoming extinct. The last chapter is about conserving the bat caves and getting people to learn about bats.

I would use this book in my classroom for the children to read during their free time. Before reading this book, I didn't really care about bats and I always thought that they carried diseases. Merlin does a good job discussing the issues why people think bats have no use in our world. The pictures were very interesting and fun to look at because Merlin took most of them himself.

Through My Eyes

This book is the real story of Ruby Bridges in the 1950's while school integration is being implemented. The story starts with Ruby as a kindergartner going to school in an all black school. Once she reaches 1st grade it is a law that all schools must be integrated. Her parents decide to enroll her in a neighboring all-white school. She is one of 4 other girls that attend. The crowds gather around to protest and poor Ruby is basically put through hell her entire 1st grade year. The parents of that school remove their children and blackmail the school. Consequently Ruby is the only girl in her class.

Ruby wrote this story herself in order to tell the famous story of integration through a child's eyes. Her journey was amazing and inspiring. She was the foundation for full school integration. The pictures in this book are the real life thing. There are pictures that are extremely detailed....like it shows the white mothers actually screaming at Ruby and protesting. I love that this story is told from a little girls prospective. I would definitely use this book in my classroom to teach my children about how hard times were. The pictures really help to paint a vivid picture in your mind. This story is heartbreaking and sad but also inspirational. To know that one little girl can make a difference teaches your students that they can also make a difference.

It's a Butterfly's Life

This book is a very unique and creative way to show the life of a butterfly. The life of a butterfly is suprisingly complicated. This book takes you through the whole metamorphasis phase. The pictures are surrounded by the text so the reader can get a better understanding of which phase the butterfly is going through. There are also cute little side notes of what is happening to the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly.

I would use this book in my classroom as a science lesson. This book will help the children get a clear picture of what process the butterfly is in. The pictures are child friendly and so is the text.

Puff the Magic Dragon is a classical children's song. I was excited to read this book because it takes the song and makes it into a story book. There are versus in this book that are added. The whole book rhymes and while I was reading it I noticed that I started to hum the tune to the song.

The thing I like most about this book is the amazing pictures! I could look at them all day. Eric Puybaret is definitely an artist that I will look up.

I read this book to my daughter and it also comes with a sing-along CD. I don't know if I would use this book in my classroom unless I was teaching very young children.

Walter the Farting Dog

This is a hilarious and fun book by William Kotzwinkle. The story of Walter is very heroic....and smelly. Walter is a dog that no one wants. He finally finds a home with two small children but there is only one problem....Walter farts. The children try all sorts of funny and interesting remedies to cure poor Walter from his farts. But everything they try just makes him fart more and more. Poor Walter must go back to the pound tomorrow. But miraculously in the middle of the night two robbers try and rob the house but Walters farts ironically capture the bandits.

This book is great for kids! Children already think farting is hilarious so adding a story line with it is awesome. I love the neat pictures in this book and the story is very cleaver. It teaches children that not everyone is perfect and sometimes people can be misunderstood. This book also teaches children to accept everyone....even if they have gas.

Martha in the Middle

By now I realize that I chose children's books to read if they have a certain connection with me. There is one reason that I chose to read Martha in the Middle. You probably guessed, I'm also in the middle. I have two sisters and I am the luck middle child.

Throughout this book, I can relate to a lot of problems that Martha has due to her being the middle child. She is the "peacemaker" between her other two siblings. She always seems to get looked over by her parents. Martha decides that she cannot take it anymore so she runs away. She meets a frog who talks about some of the best things in life that are in the middle- seeds in a sunflower, sweat peas in a pod, and the juiciest part of the watermelon. Martha realizes that she doesn't have it so bad and goes back to being in the middle.

I really enjoyed this book because I could relate it to some of my "middle syndrome" problems. I think everyone that is stuck in the middle like myself and Martha should read this book and appreciate being the special middle child!

Purplicious

As I have already stated in my welcome message and in the title of my blog....I love purple!!! I saw this book in the library and just knew that I had to read it!

I was surprised when I opened the book and saw that the book was about a girl named Pinkalicious. She is teased at school for liking the color pink. Finally, she reformes and hates pink. At the end she meets another girl who likes the color pink because when mixed with blue, pink makes purple. The two girls are friends in the end.

Purplicious is a book that follows the Pinkalicious books. The story is easy to relate to because everyone gets teased in their lifetime for being a little different. I can definitely see the little girls in my class loving this book!

The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy

First of all, I chose this image because I love stories about puppies! When I was younger all I wanted was a puppy for Christmas so I drew pictures and read as many books as I could about puppies. This book is for all little children particularly from ages 3 to 6 and for anyone who loves animals.

Petey, the puppy in this book, wants a boy for his Christmas present. His mother suggests that he ask other dogs if they are willing to give their boys away. All through the story Petey asks many dogs politely if they will give their boys away but none will. At the end of the book he ends up at a boys orphanage and all the boys there want to keep him!

This book is a very cute, unique Christmas story. Instead of a boy wanting a puppy for Christmas, a puppy wants a boy for Christmas. I really enjoy the pictures and I like looking at all the different kinds of dogs. The end of the book is predictable but it is still really cute!

Peppermints in the Parlor

This children's story was first read aloud to me by my 4th grade teacher. She had a tendency to stop reading right when the best parts were coming up. I remember praying that she wouldn't stop reading and leave us in suspense. As I was reading it many memories came flooding back to me. I found that I could not put it down until I had finished it. My memories of this book have not changed since 4th grade.

The story starts with Emily Loccock, a young girl, traveling on a train to live with her beloved Aunt and Uncle Twice because she had lost her parents in a terrible accident. She is very excited to live in beautiful Sugar Hill Hall, a huge mansion that she had visited once when she was a very little girl. When she arrives she discovers that the once beautiful mansion has been taken over by two horrible women. The mansion had been turned into a home for unwanted old people. Emily is forced to be a slave trapped and lonley. She desprately needs to find answers to many agonizing questions- Where was Uncle Twice? Why were the peppermints put in the parlor to tempt everyone? What happens in the Remembrance Room where you go if you steal a peppermint?

This is an awesome book that is great for 3rd graders all the way up to college students. I greatly enjoyed this book in 4th grade and I think I enjoyed reading it even more now. It has a gread story line and will not let you put it down! Reading aloud to your students is a great time for them to relax and enjoy a story. I will definitely be reading this story to my students! Maybe I'll even hand out peppermints at the end!