What an Imaginative Dog!

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The Adventures of Polo

by Regis Faller

published by Roaring Brook Press, 2002

Summary: "Polo the dog sets out from his home and enjoys many adventures, including sailing his boat on top of a whale, roasting hot dogs over a volcano, and taking a ride in a spaceship built from a mushroom."

Strengths: This book by a French author presents an imaginative story of a dog who travels to many interesting places. I like how Polo meets a variety of characters along the way who all return at the end of the book as he is reading a book called "Polo". All of the little things that Polo does, such as cooking hot dogs over lava and making his boat into a plane are all things that children could imagine doing. The pictures are bright and fun!


Concerns: I have no concerns about this book, as long as it is read by an appropriate age group. Older children may become bored of the book since it has many random elements.


Classroom Use/Other Comments: Teachers could use this book to introduce wordless books. Older students could write their own story to go along with the pictures. Ages 3 to 8 would enjoy reading this book.

Sea-like Celadon

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A Single Shard

by Linda Sue Park

published by Yearling, 2001

Summary: "An orphan boy in a twelfth-century Korean potters' village... lives with Crane-man under a bridge, barely surviving on scraps of food. All of that changes when Tree-ear sees master potter Min making his beautiful pottery."


Strengths: This beautifully written book tells a lot about Korean culture and life in Korea in the twelfth-century. The friendship and bond between Crane-man and Tree-ear is apparent through their conversations and discussions of meaningful messages, such as taking things one step at a time. The messages of the problems with pride and the benefits of facing challenges is seen. The journey of Tree-ear as he works for Min and learns about making pots is also very fascinating. Tree-ear is a good character to whom readers can relate because of his optimistic and curious nature.


Concerns: The treatment of Tree-ear and Crane-man before Tree-ear begins working for Min may be a concern to some readers. The presence of death in the novel is also a concern.


Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book is appropriate for ages 10 and up. Children would enjoy reading this on their own and teachers might read it to children in grades 4 and up. Teachers could use this book to examine Korean culture or the time period in which this book took place. The author's note at the end of this book provides a lot of useful information and the interview with the author is also very informative and interesting.

Traveling with Lions

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LionBoy: The Chase

Book Two in the LionBoy Trilogy

by Zizou Corder

published by Dial Books, NY, 2004

Summary: "After saving the lions from evil Maccomo, Charlie, a boy with the ability to speak the language of cats, goes to Venice to search for his parents and solve the mystery of their kidnapping with help from Bulgarian King Boris."

Strengths: After reading the first book in the Lion Boy trilogy, I had to continue reading, not only because the reader is left on a cliffhanger, but because the books are written so well that I wanted to keep reading. I like that the book is placed in the future, but that a lot of the environment will be familiar to the reader, such as cell phones. It is interesting to consider how some things will change in the future, such as the removal of cars. Charlie travels to a variety of interesting places, which the reader learns a lot about. While reading this book, I could picture Paris, Venice, the Alps, and Morocco from travelling myself in these locations and from the beautiful descriptions by the authors. I love the maps and diagrams in the book, which allow the reader to clarify what is happening in the text. The use of science in this book through Charlie's parents is interesting and applicable to readers, especially those with asthma or allergies. The text was very descriptive and the plot was believable and interesting. I am glad that this book did not leave you on as much of a cliffhanger as the first in the series, but am still excited to read the third book when I get a chance.

Concerns: Some readers may be wary of the idea of the parents and Charlie being kidnapped. I think that the book moved a little slow in the middle before the lions and Charlie escaped from the doge, but that the rest of the book had an excellent pace.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This science fantasy book could be used by teachers of upper elementary grades as a read aloud book or as an independent reading book in middle school. Ages 8 and up would enjoy the story. Teachers can use the book to introduce different areas of the world and discuss maps.

The Trip of A Lifetime

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The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis

published by Delacorte Press, 1995

Summary: "The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963."

Strengths: This book involves many emotions, as the characters add humor and the story has sad elements. Through this story, you learn a lot about the time period and the effects of racism. The themes of friendship, family, bullying, and acceptance provide important messages. This book is extremely well written.

Concerns: This book involves violence, racial slurs, and swearing.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This story would be an excellent book to discuss the Civil Rights Movement. Children aged 10 and up would enjoy this book.

"It's the Rule"

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Rules

by Cynthia Lord

published by Scholastic Press, 2006

Summary: "Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic."

Strengths: This is a fun and interesting story that provides a mirror for students who have autism or students who have a sibling with autism and a window for all students. The themes of acceptance, family, diversity, and friendship are very significant and meaningful in this book. I really like the journey and progress that the main character, Catherine, makes as she meets a new friend. I also really like the incorporation of art and Frog and Toad quotes by Arnold Lobel.

Concerns: Students may need an introduction to autism and disabilities before reading this book.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book would be appropriate for children aged 9 and up. Children can learn about acceptance, diversity, friendship, and family through this book that could be read aloud to students or read for fun. In a class, students can create their own rules. This book provides excellent opportunities to practice reading comprehension strategies, such as predicting and comparing.

Breathtaking Unsung Heroes

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We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Words and Paintings by Kadir Nelson

Published by Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, NY, 2008

Summary: "The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field."

Strengths: The combination of beautiful, realistic pictures and interesting, informative text, this book provides an excellent introduction to a topic that is not well-known. The statement on the cover describing the pictures as "oil paintings- breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game." The word breathtaking really describes these illustrations full of action and emotion. I like that the book takes you through the story of these athletes and includes an index. I also like that the chapter headings are titled innings and that a quote is written under each chapter heading. The text is fast-paced and captivates the reader.

Concerns: This book is rather lengthy, but if the reader is interested in the topic, the fast-paced text and illustrations will allow him or her to stay interested.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book can be used as a resource for students interested in baseball, as well as an excellent book for investigating segregation. Students can select chapters to read, look at the pictures, or look in the index for specific information. Ages 8 and up would enjoy reading this book.

I read and commented about this book on a blog with a mock Coretta Scott King Award.

Trick or Triqui

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Grandmother's Nursery Rhymes: Las Nanas de Abuelita

by Nelly Palacio Jaramillo

illustrated by Elivia

published by Henry Holt and Company, NY, 1994

Summary: "A collection of traditional South American nursery rhymes in both Spanish and English."


Strengths: These fun poems with flowing pictures provide insight into South American culture. Some of the poems provide explanations of their origins. The poems are also very diverse in length and type.

Concerns: Some of the poems involved figuring out an object or letter, which were at times somewhat confusing.


Classroom Use/ Other Comments: Children aged 3 and up would enjoy these poems. Children in elementary school can use these poems to improve fluency. Students who speak Spanish as their first language will be able to read the Spanish version of the poems and have a mirror to their experiences. Older students who are learning Spanish can use these poems to enrich their learning.

Simple Pleasures

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Sky Sweeper

by Phillis Gershator

pictures by Holly Meade

published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY, 2007

Summary: "Despite criticism for his lack of 'accomplishments,' Takeboki finds contentment sweeping the flower blossoms and raking the sand and gravel in the monks' temple garden. Includes a note on the art and beauty of Japanese gardens."

Strengths: Readers discover the message of finding pleasure in simple things and insight into Japanese culture through the beautiful illustrations and repetitive text. I really liked the double page spreads of how Takeboki takes care of the garden during the four seasons. The importance of nature is seen in the intricate Japanese garden.

Concerns: Some parents may be concerned if teachers introduce this book to young students because of the book's element of religion.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book would be appropriate for ages 5 and up. Teachers can use this as an introduction to the Japanese culture or just as an interesting book to read aloud. If children live in New York, they could visit the Brooklyn Botanist Garden that is described in this book and compare it's garden with the Japanese garden in this book.

Learning About the World Through Folktales

I read a variety of traditional stories from different cultures around the world in addition to the other traditional literature books I described in other posts. The messages in these stories are universal, but the characters, settings, and illustrations provide a glimpse into different cultures, times, and places.

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The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle's Wedding
Retold by Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by Kathleen Kuchera
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, NY, 1993

Summary: "In this cumulative folktale from Latin America, the sun sets off a chain of events which results in the cleaning of Rooster's beak in time for his uncle's wedding."


This book would be a great book to read aloud to children aged 4-8. They will be able to catch on and help read as the rooster meets all of the different elements of nature in the story. The beautiful illustrations provided a glimpse into the colorful, bright, and tropical landscape of Latin America, possibly in Cuba, where the author first heard the story. The liveliness, dress, and props of the characters also show the reader some of the cultural traits of Latin America.



The Wise Old Woman
retold by Yoshiko Uchida
illustrated by Martin Springett
published by Macmillan Publishing, NY, 1994


Summary: "An old woman demonstrates the value of her age when she solves a warlord's three riddles and saves her village from destruction."

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The simple, but meaningful illustrations of this story show the reader the mountainous landscape and provides images of the people, animals, architecture, and nature of Japan. The story reveals the important Japanese message of respect for your elders and for wisdom. I really like how the pages are illustrated not only with a one page colorful illustration, but also with a solid color and black illustration of something else happening on that page of the story.

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Mr. Semolina-Semolinus
retold by Anthony L. Manna and Christodoula Mitakidou
illustrated by Giselle Potter

published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, NY, 1997

Summary: Areti, a Greek princess, makes a man fit for her to love from almonds, sugar, and semolina, but when he is stolen away by a jealous queen, Areti searches the world for him.

The author includes in her note about the story information about similar stories from Mediterranean countries and explains that Areti means "virtue" in Greek. I loved the unique illustrations in this book that added a sense of comedy, while matching the words in a lovely way. The moon, sun, and stars whom Areti visits are beautifully illustrated and show the importance of astrology to Greek culture. The landscape and buildings show the diversity of Greece. The use of certain phrases seem to be unique and may be Greek translations, such as "One time in a time" and "...she took roads, she left roads, until she wore out the first pair of iron shoes." Finally, I really liked how the character of Mr. Semolina-Semolinus was more important than his beauty because his kindness was ten times above all others, but his beauty was only "five times above all others".