Book Trailer: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

https://youtu.be/Ra5SRGZXjWY

Here is the link to the book trailer I created for Charlotte’s Web! I hope you enjoy this trailer, and that watching it motivates you to use this book with your students in your own classrooms.

Book Talk: Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

https://youtu.be/NFofq6r61v4

Here is the link to my book talk on the Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton! I hope you will pick up this book and read about this heartwarming story based on the childhood of singer/songwriter Dolly Parton.

Book Blog #10: Rumpelstiltskin by The Brothers Grimm, Adapted by Paul O. Zelinsky

Rumpelstiltskin

Written by The Brothers Grimm, Illustrated and Adapted by Paul O. Zelinsky

Puffin Books; Reprint Edition, Copyright 1996

Traditional Literature

Plot Summary:

Once upon a time lived a miller and his daughter. They were happy, and lived a good life. One day, the miller met the King and had a conversation with him. The miller was so proud of his daughter, that he began to boast of her abilities. He added that she could spin straw into gold, which she could not. The King believed him, and ordered that the girl be taken to the castle and provided with all the straw that he had. The miller's daughter was asked to spin the straw into gold, like her father said she could. The girl is worried, for she cannot actually spin straw into gold! She fears for her life, when suddenly inside her chamber, a little man appears. Who is this little man? Can he help the girl with her problem? Will there be a price to pay? Find out by reading Rumpelstiltskin. 

Illustrations: Paul O. Zelinsky gives a new life to this classic fairy tale by using oil paintings with warm hues to illustrate the story of Rumpelstiltskin. The warm hues of blush red, blue, and golden yellow give realistic characteristics to the people, places, and events happening in the story. The pictures almost seem as if they are "glowing" in order to emphasize that, while including characters that are lifelike, this story is fantasy. 

I would use this book in a 3rd-4th grade reading lesson. This book is a good example of traditional literature in that it is a story passed down from generation to generation, with some varieties in different versions of the story told (or heard of) by different authors. I could introduce the genre of traditional literature to my students by showing them other examples of this story and how it varies from what we read. This story also has some good moral lessons in it. For example, the girl learns what happens when she makes a promise that she has to keep, and Rumpelstiltskin learns what happens when he is too proud and cocky-assuming that he has "won." My students will benefit from reading this book in that they will learn about the genre of traditional literature, and be engaged in reading a classic fairy tale.

Book Blog #9: A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

A Light in the Attic

Written and Illustrated by Shel Silverstein

HarperCollins Publishing, Copyright 1981

Poetry

Plot Summary:

This book of poems by Shel Silverstein includes silly stories that allow the reader to look at ordinary objects and people in a different way. Meet Backward Bill, Sour-faced Anne, and many more wacky characters and become enraptured by how the rhyming words are used to tell their stories.  Read A Light in the Attic to find out about some wacky, silly, and sometimes crazy characters in Shel Silverstein's attic!

Illustrations: Shel Silverstein also illustrated this book. The drawings are portrayed using a single-stroke technique, with no color. Many of the drawings are very detailed, and like the characters you meet in the book, sometimes wacky and out of place. Many of the illustrations are the kind of pictures where, if you keep looking, you will start to see more and more details than you saw when you looked at it for the first time. This is true when reading Silverstein's work also, because as you read the poems a second or third time, you might notice something that is said that you didn't notice the first time you read it. The illustrations give life to Silverstein's words that portray the exact kind of wacky image that comes to mind when reading how he describes each character. 

I would use this book in a 4th-6th grade reading lesson. I could use this book to teach on the topics of rhymes, rhyming words, theme, and author's purpose. Shel Silverstein often has a habit of writing poems or stories with hidden meanings, so it would be useful to ask my students to read and try to decipher why Silverstein wrote each specific poem: Was it just to be silly? Or did he have a reason for writing? I also believe that my students would benefit from seeing a different writing style such as Silverstein's. Exposing children to different types of writing styles will assist them in developing their reading skills!

Book Blog #8: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising

Written by Pam Munoz Ryan, Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Scholastic Publishing, Copyright 2016

Historical Fiction

Plot Summary:

Esperanza loved her life. She lived on a beautiful ranch in Mexico with her Mama, Papa, and Abuelita. She wore fancy dresses, and lived in a mansion! One day, her father was tragically killed by bandits. This event threw Esperanza's life into chaos. Esperanza and her mother are forced to move to America, where they believe they will be safe. However, it is 1930; and in America, the Great Depression rages on around them. Will Esperanza and her mother make it in America? Read Esperanza Rising to follow this inspiring story of true grit and hard work coming from a life that gave you everything. 

Illustrations: This book was illustrated by Joe Cepeda. This book is a chapter book, so there are not many illustrations. But, the ones included portray the Mexican heritage that Esperanza comes from, with beautiful images of mountains and gardens in the background; and colors such as yellow, red, and blue being the main palette used. The cover art illustrates Esperanza literally "rising," which could point to how she was ripped from her old life so quickly, and how she rises above the challenges presented before her as she starts her life in America. 

I would use this book in a 6th grade social studies lesson. This book has many historical events embedded in the story, such as the Great Depression, that I could use to give relevance to what really happened in America during that time. This book also gives perspective from the viewpoint of people living in Mexico during that time, so it gives my students an insight to what was happening in both countries. The theme of this book centers around hard work to get what you need, and want. My students would benefit from learning about this theme, because the value of hard work is important, and it is a necessary life skill. 

Book Blog #7: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder 

Written and Illustrated by R.J. Palacio

Knopf Books for Young Readers, Copyright 2012

Realistic Fiction

Plot Summary:

 After 27 surgeries, August "Auggie" Pullman finally gets to go to school for the first time. Previously, his physical disability prevented him from attending. Fifth grade, however, is a jungle! Auggie is worried he won't fit in, and he is worried about what people will think of his disability. Auggie has so much that he wants to teach his friends, family, and the world about acceptance, love, and friendship. Read this book to go on a journey with Auggie as he makes a difference, and as he truly inspires everyone he meets to love without judgement.

Illustrations: Though this book is a chapter book, and therefore has little illustrations, the ones that are included are whimsical varieties of many "ordinary" objects and people, but drawn in a different way. For example, on the cover, there is a drawing of a boy with only one eye. This could point to the fact that the book centers around a boy who has a facial deformity/disability, or it could also point to the message the book is trying to send: that many people see the world and the people in it with "one eye," or looking without really seeing. The illustrations convey the theme of the story in that just because something looks different, doesn't mean we should judge. Author and illustrator R.J. Palacio literally asks us through her illustrations not to "judge a book by its cover!"

I would use this book in a 3rd through 6th grade social studies lesson! This book is a wonderful example of how we can be kind to everybody, even if they look different. Through reading this book, I could teach my students the true value of friendship and kindness. There are many students who have disabilities in any school you go to, so it would help these students also in relating to Auggie, and expressing their feelings about having a disability. I believe this book would start many good conversations between me and my students, and also between my students themselves and their friends. 

Book Blog #6: The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain

The Street Beneath My Feet

Written by Charlotte Guillain, Illustrated by Yuval Zommer

Words & Pictures Publishing, Copyright 2017

Nonfiction

Plot Summary: 

This topsy-turvy book illustrates all the wonders around us and under our feet that we don't see. Take a journey through the underground happenings of city life and country life, all the way down to the Earth's core! Learn about the layers of the Earth, the differences between urban and rural settings, underground animals, and the natural history that is our Earth. Adventure awaits reading this wonderful insight into the life opposite ours.

Illustrations: This book is illustrated by Yuval Zommer. Zommer gives a realistic insight to what is going on in the ground below through his depictions of city life, country life, and the layers leading to the core of the Earth. This book is a flip-book, meaning that the reader can open up flaps and layers to expose more writing and illustrations. Zommer seamlessly blends his illustrations from one page to the next, as well as from top to bottom, horizontally, diagonally, and vertically. Allowing the reader to flip open layers of the book and see things in a different way also gives depth to the meaning/theme of the story. Many vibrant colors are used in this book to illustrate that the life below is not just "dirt," it is many things happening at once to keep our Earth thriving. 

I would use this book for a K-2 Science lesson! This book offers wonderful inside looks into the underground happenings from the city, the country, and deep down into the layers of the Earth. I believe my students would benefit from reading this book, in that it gives them perspective into what is happening around them. This book also has many good descriptions and pictures of scientific principles, such as explaining the life cycles of animals and insects underground, and explaining the layers of the Earth.

Book Blog #5: Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood

Interstellar Cinderella

Written by Deborah Underwood, Illustrated by Meg Hunt

Chronicle Books, Copyright 2015

Science Fiction

Plot Summary:

This space themed version of the classic "Cinderella" story comes with a twist. In this story, Cinderella is an expert tinker who dreams of repairing spaceships, instead of just repairing whatever her stepmother forces her to. As in the classic story, Cinderella's evil stepmother and stepsisters leave her behind to attend the Prince's Royal Space Parade. With the help of her "fairy godbot," Cinderella gets to the parade by fixing a broken rocket and rocking a bejeweled space suit. When she arrives, she finds the people in panic because the Royal space ship is having engine trouble. Will Cinderella save the day? Will she meet the prince and fall in love, or stay with her true love of being a mechanic? This creative twist on a classic story is an empowering read for all ages!

Illustrations: The illustrations within this book are somewhat jumbled, creating a "space-like" atmosphere where there are no rules for gravity and other laws that are present on Earth. The colors used for the illustrations are different from that of a children's book that usually has a female protagonist and main character. Instead of primarily using pinks, purples, and yellows, the illustrator also uses dark blues, shadowy browns, and muted greens to emphasize the theme of the story: that girls can enjoy activities other than what their stereotyped image brings awareness to, and they can do anything they put their mind to, even if the job is usually done by a boy! There are also many eccentric colors used in the illustrations, such as neon colors, to give the impression of the story being set in the future. 

I would definitely use this book for a 2nd-3rd grade reading or science lesson! This book is filled with comparisons to the original "Cinderella" story that my students could relate to, allowing them to practice the reading skill of "comparing and contrasting," and it also has many scientific terms and references to space that we could discuss in a science lesson centered on gravity and other science laws. I believe comparing and contrasting this story to the original story would benefit my students in that they could grow their comprehension skills, and I believe that relating the concepts in this book to what real life astronauts do in space and the scientific principles that go along with that would also benefit my students. 

Book Blog #4: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

The Tale of Despereaux

Written by Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering

Candlewick Publishing, Copyright 2015 (Reprint Edition)

Modern Fantasy

Plot Summary
Despereaux Tilling is a mouse who is in love with a princess named Pea. However, this princess Pea is not a mouse, she is a human! He wishes to marry her with all his heart. Roscuro is a rat who lives in endless darkness and has spent his whole life yearning for the light. He wishes for a different life. Miggery Sow is a young servant girl who desperately and secretly wishes to become a princess, despite her unfortunate circumstances. This tale follows all three of these completely different characters, and all of them have a journey to take! Eventually, their stories intertwine with each other. What happens when they meet? Will they all get their wishes and heart's desires? Read this charming and adventurous story to find out!

Illustrations: This book contains pencil drawings by Timothy Basil Ering. Each drawing looks as if it was sketched right onto the page. Ering uses muted colors and draws his images to look as if they were almost "blurry" to illustrate the blurs between the real life comparisons and fiction of the story. Each illustration is beautifully sketched to include intricate details of the characters and the events around them. Even the character's clothes are given the finest detail! Many of Ering's drawings overlap between the pages, sometimes between three or more pages.

I would use this book in a 4th-5th grade reading lesson! I would use this book to go over how to analyze characters. The three characters that the book centers around have some things in common, and have some traits that are starkly different. My students could benefit from analyzing the character's thoughts, actions, and feelings to comprehend the story. I could also use this book to practice the reading skill of compare and contrast. My students could benefit from being able to distinguish what is alike about the characters, and what is different.

Book Blog #3: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Written by J.K. Rowling, Illustrated by Mary GrandPre

Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), Copyright 2002

Fiction/Fantasy

Plot Summary:

Harry Potter begins his fourth school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with hope for a blank slate. All Harry wants to do is to relax and enjoy being with his friends. This year, Hogwarts is chosen to host the Triwizard Tournament, a game in which wizards from three different schools fight to win the Triwizard cup. However, these are no "normal" wizarding games. These games come with daunting challenges that risk death! Somehow, Harry's name was put into the goblet of fire and he was chosen to compete alongside wizards much older than him for the cup. Once your name comes out of the goblet of fire, there is no turning back. Will Harry survive the games? Read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to find out. 

Illustrations: The illustrations in this book are whimsically hand drawn, with some editions of the book being in color, and some in black and white. Mary GrandPre chose to illustrate each chapter picture as a prelude of what events would unfold in the chapter, without obviously giving the plot away. Mary's drawings are what she refers to as "soft geometry," featuring soft ends to shapes and pastel colors to bring the pages to life. Her work is created completely by hand!

I would use this book for a 5th/6th grade reading lesson! When reading this book, my students and i could discuss the genre of fiction/fantasy, theme, and story elements that help us understand the main idea of the text. My students would benefit from using this book in a reading lesson, because this book is so widely known, and provides a relatable context for my students to learn, as well as provides introductions to different genres of text and author's writing styles. This book is also an international book, published and written in the United Kingdom. Reading a book of international origin will broaden my students' scope and help them understand the cultures of countries different than the U.S.

Book Blog #2: The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

The Name Jar

Written and Illustrated by Yangsook Choi

Dragonfly Books: Copyright 2003

Fiction 

Plot Summary:

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi follows a young girl named Unhei who has just moved from Korea to the United States. At school, she feels like she just doesn't fit in with the other children. She is anxious that no one in her new American school will be able to pronounce her name, so on the first day of school, she informs her class that she will be choosing a new, American name by the end of the week. Her classmates help her out by placing options for a new name in a glass jar. However, before the end of the week, the glass jar goes missing! Will Unhei be able to choose a new name after all? Why did the jar go missing? Find out what acceptance and love can really do for a person in The Name Jar. 

Illustrations: Author and Illustrator Yangsook Choi chose to illustrate her book in an open-frame concept. The reader's view is that of an "onlooker" of the story. The colors she chooses to use are earthy toned and neutral, depicting some cultural ties to Korean heritage. The images correlate with the words that are written and add to the message that the author is sending to the reader. 

I would use this book for a 2nd or 3rd grade social studies lesson! This book promotes social acceptance and love for all people, even if they are a little different than us. This book tells a relatable story in which a new student comes to class, and depicts the emotions that this student goes through as she faces new challenges. My students would benefit from reading this book because some of them might have been new students themselves before, and if we have a new student come into our class, reading this book can help them understand why they might seem nervous or shy at first, and why it is important to make them feel welcome. This book would help me, as a teacher, promote acceptance and love in my classroom.

Book Blog #1: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Random House Children's Books: Copyright Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. 1971, renewed 1999.

Fantasy

Plot Summary:

In The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, the Once-ler tells a story of a creature called the Lorax who speaks for the trees. The Lorax comes to town when the Once-ler decides to cut some of the truffula trees down to use for his "Thneed" sweater making business. The Lorax warns the Once-ler that once the trees are gone, they're gone, and the results of his actions could have dangerous effects on the beautiful nature that surrounds them. Will the Once-ler listen to the Lorax? The fate of the truffula forest is in his hands. 

Illustrations: Dr. Seuss' The Lorax depicts whimsical images of the land that the Once-ler lives in, as well as the truffula forest. The pages of this book are filled with fantastic cartoon images that are meant to be seen through a child's point of view, which explains why many of the images seem big or looming, or seem as if the reader is looking up. Some of the pictures are single spread, but many stretch across two pages. 

I would most definitely use this book for a K-2 science lesson in my classroom. This book is filled with environmental talks of safety and protecting the Earth. I would provide a lesson on what my students could do to help our Earth, as far as in the classroom, in our community, and places further from home. I think my students would benefit from a science lesson on environmental consciousness in order to relate what we read in The Lorax to what we can do in our own lives to protect our environment from pollution and disease.