This semester has gone by quick by I have learned many valuable things that I will implement into my own classroom. I have gotten the chance to read many great children's books and this has opened by eyes to what children are actually reading. For example, before this class I had no idea what a graphic novel was and I especially did not know what a Manga book was but it turns out that these books are quite popular with students. Being exposed to new books and ideas can only help me as a teacher. I have also learned that there is more to a book then just the actual text and pictures. The cover, cover page, and even the back of the book can add to the story. Now that I know this, I can show this to my students and hopefully they will find it as interesting as I did. Right now, I am working on my text set and I am finding it fun to search for many different books on the same topic. It gets me excited to actually start teaching and doing lessons on the text set. I can only imagine the great conversations that will take place after reading good books.

Who Bop? by Jonathan London

This poem is about animals going to the sock hop. I like this book because it is catchy. It rhymes and while reading it I find myself bopping my head and singing the words. There are parts in this poem that repeat itself so kids will eventually catch on and they can say the poem with you. The text is all over the page and in different directions which makes it a more fun read than your average left to right, straight line text.

This book is illustrated by Henry Cole and he does a great job of adding humor in the pictures. The pictures are not very detailed but they are straight to the point and it works for this book. The illustrator adds character and human-like qualities to the animals which I think is a reason why kids may enjoy this book. The illustrator doesn't use a lot of color but again, I think it helps this book by making it straight to the point. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-6.

Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield

This poem is about a young girl and all the things that she loves. She loves the simple things like sharing laughter with a friend, taking family rides in the country, and kissing her mama's arm. This is a good book to have in your classroom and share with your students. The main focus of this book is family and friends and I think it is important to show your students that you should love everyone. Another reason to have it in your classroom is that it is multicultural and I think that a lot of children can relate to the topic that is being talked about. This is also a good book to have at home for bedtime stories. Throughout the book, the young girl talks about everything that she loves but close to the end of the book there is one thing that she does not love and that is going to sleep.

The illustrator, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, does not have a lot of detail in her pictures but she does do a great job of adding many colors. She also does a great job of making the people in this book look real life like. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-6.

Splish Splash by Joan Bransfield Graham

This book is a collection of poems that are all about water. There are poems about rain, the ocean, tears, ice cubes, dew, etc. The text is in the shape of the water that is being talked about. For example, for the ice cube poem, the text is in the shape of ice cubes that are in a cup. The text in the icicle poem is in the shape of icicles.

This would be a great book to accompany a science lesson. It would also be useful to show how poems can be written. After reading this, you could have your students write a poem in the shape of what they are talking about. For example, if they want to write a poem about an apple, have them write the text to form the shape of an apple.

The illustrations, by Steve Scott, are very simple. There isn't much detail and the illustrator doesn't use a lot of colors. However, he did do a great job of making them go along very well with the text. I would recommend this book for ages 5-10.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman

This book is a collection of short poems that are organized so that two people can read them together. When the words are aligned on the left, one person reads them and when they are aligned on the right, the other person reads them. When the words are in the middle, you read them together. Each poem is very simple and easy to read and they are humorous. This would be great for partner reading in the classroom or for storytime with your own child at night. Since this book is a collection of poems, the entire book doesn't have to be read at one time; you could read one poem each time.

The illustrator, Michael Emberley, matches the pictures with the text. The pictures do add to the text but I think the main focus is the text.

The poems in this book all rhyme so it has a nice flow to them. Let's face it, when kids think of poetry they think of rhyming words. When I was younger, the only poems that I would want to read were the ones that rhymed. I think this book is definitely in tune with what kids want. I recommend this book for kids ages 2-10. The younger kids probably wouldn't be able to read along but I think they would enjoy listening to it.

Bees, Snails, and Peacock Tails by Betsy Franco

This is a great book for the classroom. It is about the patterns and shapes that are found in nature. This book rhymes so I think kids would have fun reading it because it has a nice flow. Some of the text is in the shape that is being discussed. For example, the text that talks about the shell on a snail is in the shape of a spiral.

This would make a great cross-curricular book. You can use it for lessons on math because of the shapes and patterns that are being discussed. You could also use it for a science lesson because of the facts of the animals that are being discussed. In the back of the book, there is a page that gives an extra fun fact about each animal that was in the book.

The illustrator, Steve Jenkins, does a great job of making the animals seem life like. The pictures are very simple so the reader can focus on the animal or shape. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-6.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

This book is written as if a boy named Jack is keeping a journal or diary because he has to for class. He writes it in poetry form. In the beginning of the school year, Jack doesn't like poetry. He thinks it is for girls. As the book progresses, he realizes that he actually does like poetry and he gets more comfortable with writing it. He writes a poem about his dog named Sky that has passed away and he models the poem off of a poet he really likes. He gets excited when he writes the poet and he comes and visits the school.

This book is a great tool for the classroom. Many students have trouble writing poetry or they aren't into it because they think it is only done a certain way. This book shows the many ways one can write poetry and the many purposes of it. This is a quick read so students would probably be interested in reading it but it does have a lot of deep meaning. I think students will each interpret this book differently and find ways that they can connect to it. I connected to it because when I was in 3rd grade, my dog died and I remember writing a story about it. I think it was a way for me to cope, just as Jack used his poetry to cope with the loss of his dog. You can also use this book to show students how they can write in their writer's notebook and it would also be useful for a lesson on poetry. I recommend this book for ages 8 and up.

One Dark and Dreadful Night by Randy Cecil

This book is so interesting. The narrator, Maestro Von Haughty, is putting on three plays and the reader is the audience. He tries to recreate famous fairy tales but his actors keep messing up. He gets frustrated and stops the plays, which ends the books. This book is really funny because while the Maestro is narrating the play, the actors have a lot of side-talk. For example, the Maestro is telling the story of Little Red Riding Hood and he talks about her red coat. The actress playing Little Red Riding Hood says "Do you think we can talk wardrobe into doing something about this outfit?" This side-talk continues throughout the story and it makes the book funny because it frustrates the Maestro. In the play, Jack and the Beanstalk, instead of the giant coming down, a giant bunny comes down and this makes the Maestro mad because this isn't how he had envisioned his play.

The illustrations in this book are good but I wouldn't say that they are the best. They go along well with the text but it is really the storyline that makes this such a good and funny book. This would be a great book to show students the different styles and purposes of writing. This would be a great book to use in mini-lessons. You could also have students write their own play after reading this book. I would recommend this book for all ages.

Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin

This book is too cute! The book is written as if a spider is writing a diary. Some of the entries go together and some of the entries are random. This book has a lot of humor and a lot of spider puns. The book has the entries to read, conversation bubbles, and you can also read postcards or signs that are in the drawings.

The illustrator, Harry Bliss, does a great job of adding humor in the pictures and making the text go along with the pictures. The pictures are very kid friendly. I also like that the book has pictures that the spider took in the front and back of the book. Each picture has a caption to explain what the picture is. I think kids really enjoy this book because it is funny and it is different; there aren't many books written in this format.

This would be a great book to use for mini-lessons. I used it to show how to make the text and illustrations match. It would also be good to use to show kids different styles and purposes for writing. You can use it as an example of how kids can write in their writer's notebook. I recommend this book for all ages.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

This book is about a young girl (Sookan) and her family who live in North Korea during WWII when her country was occupied by Japan. After suffering abuse from the Japanese, the war is over and they are free.....until the Russians occupy North Korea. Sookan must try to flee to South Korea with her mother and younger brother where it is safe to meet up with her father and three older brothers.

I like this book because of the emotions that it evoked. I couldn't imagine going through what this family has gone through. The books I remember reading in elementary school are the ones that evoked emotion such as Mick Harte was Here, Number the Stars, and Bridge to Terabithia. Kids don't always want to read about the perfect family living the perfect life. They want something that they can relate to and having books like this is very helpful to students and can help them grow as readers.

I felt this book took a little long to get going. It started out slow and I thought I was going to have a hard time finishing it. But before I knew it, the book picked up and I couldn't put it down. I had to see if they made it to South Korea safely. This book left me with questions but I think this is what good books do. For example, I was curious about the "farmer" that was paid to take Sookan, her brother, and mother across the border. The kids got separated from their mother and was informed by a lady working at a hotel that their guide was actually a double agent and was paid by the police to turn in the traitors. Because of this information, the kids left before the guide could return. I am wondering if this was necessarily true. It could be that the guide was a double agent but he was also paid well to bring them across the border so maybe he would have done that. I am curious as to whether or not the guide would have actually turned them in. Either way, whether he turned them in or not, the story would have been different. This is an amazing book of courage and I would recommend it for readers ages 10 and up.

Mr. Mumble by Peter Catalanotto

This book is about Mr. Mumble who has a cough. While he is running his errands, he is misunderstood and doesn't get what he asks for. For example, at a diner he asks for two scrambled eggs and a corn muffin but because of his cough he gets two scarecrow legs and a car muffler. At the bakery he asks for a dozen bagels but instead receives a dozing beagle. This continues throughout his day. At the end of the story, he goes to the doctor and when he opens his mouth, a bird flies out. Throughout the story the reader sees (cough) which shows the reader when to add a coughing noise in the story. I can picture kids really getting carried away with the coughing noise and having fun with it because it is something that they don't see often in books. It can also give kids ideas if they want to incorporate a sound in a story that they are writing.

When I first read the book, I wasn't sure where the bird came from at the end of the story. I was rather confused. When I looked at the book again, I noticed that the cover and cover page have a picture of Mr. Mumble sleeping and a bird (the same bird at the end of the story) flying around the room. I liked how the author/illustrator used the entire book to tell the story.

Catalanotto also does the paintings for the story and I like that they are realistic and detailed. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-8 and I think that all the kids would enjoy the humor.

The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

This book is about a farmer who hits a stranger in the road and brings him back to the house to take care of him. He has seemed to lost his memory. The stranger seems a little weird; he doesn't talk, he is not sure how to eat or use a pitchfork, and animals are attracted to him. At the end of the book, he realizes that the leaves on the trees around the farm are green while the other leaves are red and orange. The stranger finally regains his memory and suddenly leaves the farm. After he leaves, the leaves turn red and orange. Every fall, the leaves on the farm turn colors a week later than the other trees. And etched in frost on the farmhouse windows are words that say "See you next fall."

This is a great book because there are so many things you can do with it. This would be a great book for students to practice making predictions. Since the answer is never given, you are left to wonder who the stranger is. I like this because it leaves so much up to the imagination and I think it is good for kids to use their imagination and not always get the correct answer. This is a popular book among teachers and there are many lesson plans devoted to this book.

Chris Van Allsburg also does his own illustrations. I love his drawings; especially in his book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, which is a book with pictures and each picture has a corresponding sentence but the pictures don't go together as a story. This book also leaves the reader to make predictions about what is going on. I have come to the point where I am able to identify Chris Van Allsburg's drawings/paintings. I would recommend this book for all ages; younger children may not understand what is going on in the story but I think they would still enjoy it.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

This book is about a young girl named Lydia Grace Finch who leaves her Grandmother, Father, and Mother to live with her Uncle Jim while her Father finds another job. Uncle Jim lives in a city and while there, Lydia plants a garden on the roof of the building. On the Fourth of July, she surprises her Uncle by showing him her garden. Lydia then learns that her Father has found a job and she will be moving back home.

The entire book is written in letter format. In the beginning, Lydia writes to Uncle Jim and throughout the rest of the book, she is writing to her Grandmother, Father, and Mother. I like this book because it is different. There aren't many books written in this kind of format and I think kids enjoy reading something that is different. This book would be great to use during a lesson. It shows the many purposes for writing, such as writing letters. It also gives ideas how kids can write in their writer's notebook or ideas for a story. I also like how this book centers around one topic: gardening. It can inspire kids to write a story about a certain topic that they enjoy.

The pictures in this book are by David Small and they are amazing. He adds so much detail in every picture which helps make them realistic. This book is good for all ages. Younger children would enjoy this book and older children can use this book as an example for ideas or writing purposes.

The House of Boo by J. Patrick Lewis

This story is about 3 kids dressed as ghosts who go to the haunted house on Humpback Hill to try to see Boo Scoggins. The children encounter frightful things on there way there and they are unsuccessful in their attempt to try and spot Boo. This is a great Halloween book. This book is written in poem form and at the end of the book, there is an author's note explaining what kind of poem it is. It is called a Rubaiyat poem which means that the poem links the stanzas; the third line's end word is the major rhyme. This book would be a great model if you were trying to get your students to write a certain way. For example, if you are doing a unit on poetry you can introduce all the different types of poems and they can choose what kind they like and write a poem of their own.

The illustrations in this book are by Katya Krenina. I like them because she does a great job of making the pictures look only a little scary. They aren't too scary where they wouldn't be appropriate for younger kids. I also like how some of the text is on signs or on gravestones. Also, all the text is in orange except for the word "blood" which is in red. I would recommend this book for kids ages 4 and up.

Did You Say Ghosts? by Richard Michelson

This story starts out with someone being scared of ghosts but the narrator says not to be afraid of ghosts because the werewolves will get them. Then the person is scared of werewolves so the narrator says not to worry because giants will get them. The story continues in this manner until they are back at ghosts. This would make for a great Halloween book.

For my child study, I read the kids No Zombies Allowed because it talked about a lot of different Halloween creatures. I then had them pick a creature and write a letter to them asking questions. For example, one of the students wrote to a ghost and asked if they really go through people. I then wrote them back later pretending to be the Halloween creature that they wrote to. They thought this was so cool. This book would work the exact same way because of all the creatures that are mentioned.

I also like this book because of the poetic language. The rhyming makes it have a nice flow. This book is illustrated by Leonard Baskin and I must say that the pictures are quite scary but they are good illustrations. Because the pictures are scary I would recommend this book for kids ages 6 and up.

The Enormous Snore by M.L. Miller

This story is about a little girl who got lost from her parents. While searching, she hears a terrible noise. It is the King snoring. All the villagers are upset with the loud noise so they try to put stuff under his mattress to quiet him. The little girl comes up with an idea; she suggests to take the King to Echo Ravine. When he gets there, the King lets out a giant snore and the echo makes it come right back to him. He is awoken and never snores again because now he knows hoe dreadful it is. The story ends with the little girl finding her parents.

Parts of this story reminded me of The Princess and the Pea but I don't think many kids would get this because I don't think that fairy tale is well known. I know that someone puts a pea under the princess' bed but I don't know why so I wasn't sure why the townspeople were putting stuff under the King's bed. I do think that kids may think it is funny because they put silly things under the bed such as a lawn mower, a dinner gong, five sesame seeds, a rowboat, and seven jelly beans.

The illustrations in this book are by Kevin Hawkes and although he is not my favorite illustrator, the pictures are good. He does a great job of filling the page by I don't think there is enough detail in the pictures. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-8.

The Day the Babies Crawled Away by Peggy Rathman

This book is about the adventure the babies go on when they crawl away. A young boy follows them and returns them safely to their parents. The young boy is then brought safely home by his parents.

I like this book because of the poetic language. The entire story rhymes which gives it a great flow. The illustrations of the people and land are all silhouettes (as you can see on the cover of the book). The only color on the page is the night sky. It is gradually getting darker and darker and the sky pictures change colors to show the sun setting.

This is a great bedtime story that I think younger children would like. I would also use it in my classroom to model poetic language in a picture book. I would recommend this book for children ages 2-6.

Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey

I read this book during my child study and the kids thought it was very funny. The front covers follow the format of a movie, with a "starring" section and a section that explains the rating; it is rated EG for Extremely Goofy, some material may be too goofy for grown-ups. This book uses real pictures of animals which I think is one of the reasons that kids are attracted to it. In the town of Mousopolis, the mice are having a barbecue when the smell attracts Dogzilla and the only way to get rid of him is to give him a bath. This is a good book for adults to read with children because there are a lot of puns that I think adults would enjoy. The book even has a hilarious ending; the next year at the barbecue the smell attracts Dogzilla again but this time there are puppies!! If you love dogs like I do, then you will love this book. It is a great way to get kids reading. This really is a good book for all ages.

So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

This book is a fictionalized autobiography in which eleven year old Yoko escapes from Korea to Japan after World War II. Yoko lived in Korea with her brother Hideyo, her sister Ko and her mother. Her father worked for the government at another location. While Hideyo is off at work, mother gets notice that they must flee the country or they will be killed. After a difficult journey, mother, Ko, and Yoko make it to Japan. Mother dies which leaves Ko and Yoko on their own. Months later they are reunited with Hideyo and according to the book's footnotes, they are reunited with their father six years later.

I loved this book because of the emotions that it evoked. I could not imagine going through the difficulties and pain that this family and many other families like them endured. They were so familiar to death. The author does a great job of explaining events and making them come to life. I had such great, yet sad, mental images throughout the entire book. I am curious as to what is fiction in this book. I feel like the author could not have made up all these events but the book is considered fiction. I would love to sit down with the author because I have so many questions to ask. I would be very disappointed if I found out most of the events in the story weren't real. I think the reason that the book evoked so much emotion in me is that I think it is real. This is a book that I would have my students in my classroom read either as group reading or a read-aloud. I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. Even though it is a short novel, I think adults of all ages would enjoy it.

I did my author study on Barbara Park because I loved reading the Junie B. Jones series in elementary school. I really liked exploring her website because the website is actually through the perspective of Junie B. Jones. It is very interactive and kid friendly. You can play games on the website, download activity sheets, read a Q&A about Barbara Park, read summaries of all Park's books, and there is even a teacher's corner where you can find activities to go along with the Junie B. Jones books. The website is: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb/
Another book by Park that I enjoyed when I was younger was Mick Harte was Here. The book is about a young boy who died in a bicycle accident. I would say all of Park's books (with the exception of Mick Harte was Here) are all comical. I loved, and still do love, reading Barbara Park's books and I am glad I had the opportunity to learn a little more about her.

This class has allowed me to read books that my future students are actually reading. For example, I never thought I would like graphic novels. In fact, I didn't know what graphic novels were until this class. After reading one, I realized how fun and interesting they are and I can see why kids choose to read them. I also read different genres that I probably would have never touched. I have always said that I do not like science fiction but I fell in love with The Giver. I could not put the book down; I love the way the author details the ideas she has. This would be a great book to read as a class or as a read-aloud because it can spark such great conversation. I also enjoyed reading books that claim to be controversial and having the chance to analyze them. Normally, I would just read a quick picture book and then I would be done with it. I never sat down and analyzed the text and illustrations but doing this has given me a better understanding of the books that are out there and books that I want to share with my future classroom. Reading a variety of books and getting to know your students gives me an opportunity to make book recommendations. When I was in fourth grade, my teacher recommended a book to me and it made me feel special that she was actually considering me and that she had taken the time to pair me with a book that she thought I would like. I can also use my own experiences to get students interested in genres that they may have not considered before.

The Misfits by James Howe

This book is about a group of four close friends in middle school who are not so popular. They are sick of being teased and called names so they make a new political party in school called the No-Name Party. They end up losing the elections but have made an impact in their school.

Overall, on a scale from 1-10 I would give this book an 8. It was a quick, easy read but I felt that it took awhile to get to the plot of the story. And once you reached the climax, it just ended. I do agree that background information is important but I felt that this was too much in the beginning or not enough at the end. On the other hand, the author did a great job of making the characters come to life and I think everyone can either relate to a character or they know someone who is like the character. I also liked that the last chapter explained what happened to the characters when they grew up. I am the type of reader who likes to know what has happened to the characters; I don't like to leave it all up to my imagination.

I think the topic being discussed is very important because I think all kids at some point in their life are bullied, teased, or called names. This book could be an inspiration and comfort to all those awkward middle schoolers. I think using this book to promote your own No-Name Party would be a great idea. I would recommend this book for kids ages 10-14.

The Amazing Bone by William Steig

This book is about a young pig named Pearl who stumbles upon a talking bone. This bone used to belong to a witch and can speak in any language or mimic any noise. On the way home Pearl runs into robbers but the bone talks and scares the robbers away. Next she runs into a fox but the fox doesn't fall for the bone's tricks. The fox takes Pearl home to eat for dinner. Just when the fox is about to chow down the bone says spells and the fox shrinks to the size of a mouse and saves Pearl.

This is considered a controversial book because of the use of tobacco (pictures depict adult animals with pipes and Pearl states that she sees adults spitting tobacco) and the use of weapons (pistols and daggers used by the robbers). I feel that these are minimal "controversies" and banning the book would just make kids miss out on a great story. The focus isn't tobacco or weapons but Pearl and her new friend, the amazing bone. I do not think the story would change if the tobacco use and weapons were taken out but I also think that knowing your students allows you to recognize that they are not going to go out and use tobacco or weapons after reading this book.

I feel that the illustrations in this book are pretty simple but Steig does a good job of showing emotion through his artwork. I would recommend this book for kids ages 3-10.

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

This book is about a young boy and his dad who are homeless so they live in an airport. They have to be careful not to be noticed because several other homeless people have been thrown out. The book takes the reader through the journey that the boy and dad follow everyday in the airport.

This is considered a controversial book because of the tough issue that is being discussed: homelessness. Some parents want to shelter their children from anything "bad" and they feel that this book doesn't do that. Some people may think that living in an airport goes against the law and they feel that this shouldn't be encouraged. I wouldn't have a problem reading this book in my class. There are probably some students of lower-class who could relate to this story. I also think that students need to be aware of what is really going on in the world and that this is a real issue.

The illustrations in this book are just ok. I wish the illustrator would have added more detail to bring out more emotion in the book. I would recommend this book for kids ages 5-8.

The Rabbits' Wedding by Garth Williams

This book is about a little white rabbit and a little black rabbit who are good friends are play together all the time. Every once in awhile the little black rabbit looks sad so the little white rabbit asked him what's wrong. The black rabbit says he has a wish, he wishes that he could be with the white rabbit forever and always. The white rabbit agrees and they get married so they can be together forever.

This is considered a controversial book because of the idea of interracial marriage. It is hard to say whether or not the author thought of this when he was writing it. Some people want this book banned because they don't agree with interracial marriage but banning this book sends the message that interracial marriage is wrong. What is there is a young student who has a white mom and a black dad? The message that would be given to her is that her parents are doing something wrong and she is the product of that. I wouldn't have a problem reading this book in my classroom because the idea of interracial marriage isn't explicitly stated in the book so I don't think most kids would think twice about it. The only reason I wouldn't read this book is because I feel the text is a little dull.

The illustrations in this book remind me of reading my parent's old books when I was little. This book was copyrighted in 1958 if that gives you an idea of what the pictures look like; they have an old feel to them. I would recommend this book for kids ages 3-6.

WhiteWash by Ntozake Shange

This book is about a young girl named Helene-Angel who is walking home from school with her older brother when they are stopped by three white guys. The white guys beat the brother up and paint Helene-Angel's face white all while calling them names. Helene-Angle is scared, embarrassed, and depressed at what happened but a few days later, she opens her door and her friends from school are there willing to give her support. This book is based on true incidents.

This is considered a controversial book because the issue being discussed is so deep. There is also the aspect of violence (the brother being beaten up, Helene-Angel's face being painted) and name calling ("mud people"). I think some people want this book banned because they don't want to introduce tough topics to their children; they want to keep them sheltered. I personally would use this book in my classroom because I do feel it is a prevalent issue today and it needs to be talked about and kids need to understand why it is not ok. Some students may have even experienced incidents like this and they may feel alone but this book can be a comfort to them.

I love the illustrations in this book and the illustrator's use of color. I also like the feel of the page; they are very aesthetic. I would recommend this book for kids ages 6-10.

Pinkerton, Behave! by Steven Kellogg

This book is about a dog named Pinkerton who doesn't follow commands. He does the opposite of what he is told. He goes to obedience school but is kicked out for being a bad influence on the other dogs. One night a burglar comes in and the owner is frightened. But, she commands Pinkerton to do certain things because she knows that Pinkerton will do the opposite. Pinkerton gets rid of the burglar and everyone lives happily ever after.

I like this book because it is funny and many kids can relate to this if they have a dog. The pictures add humor that the text can't fully capture. I would recommend it for kids ages 3-8.

This is considered a controversial book because the burglar that enters the house, holds a gun to the owner's head and says "This is a stickup, lady. Don't move, or I'll blast you and your silly hound to chicken powder." Some people feel that this may be too violent and there shouldn't be pictures of any kinds of weapons in children's books. In this case, if you took the gun out and changed what he said, then it wouldn't ruin the book; it would still have the same meaning. I probably would still read this book to kids because it may be something that they don't even notice and I don't believe that after reading this book, they would go out and get a gun.

Friends From the Other Side by Gloria Anzaldua

This book is about a young girl named Prietita who makes friends with a young boy named Joaquin. Joaquin is from the other side, meaning Mexico. He snuck over the border with his mom to find work. Prietita protects Joaquin from the mean kids and hides his family when the Border Control come looking for illegal immigrants.

This is considered a controversial book for a couple reasons. One is the topic of illegal immigration. Although kids may not understand the topic or even care, parents can get very heated about the topic and may not like their kids reading such a book. Also, the book uses the term "wetback" when the mean kids are talking about Joaquin. Another reason may be that there seems to be animosity between the whites and the Hispanics. At one point in the book, the Border Control asks if anyone knows where illegal immigrants may be living and one character points to a community where the whites live, making a joke.

One thing I do like about this book is that it is written in both English and Spanish which can be very helpful for ELL students. I wasn't too impressed with the illustrations. I felt the illustrator could have done a better job drawing the people. Their faces are not proportioned right and to be honest, they look kind of scary. Because this book is a little longer than most picture books and the topic is more deep, I would recommend it for kids ages 6-10.

The Silly Gooses by Dav Pilkey

This picture book is divided into chapters. The first chapter is about Mr. Goose who is so silly that no one in his flock wants to marry him. The second chapter is about how Mr. Goose meets a silly Miss Goose from another flock and they fall in love. The third chapter is about their silly wedding and the fourth is when they decide to have a family. The fifth chapter is when the silly baby geese are born and the final chapter is about their silly life to come.

I like this book just because I can picture kids laughing throughout this book. The text talks about the silly things that they geese do but it is really the illustrations that bring the humor to life. Some of the silly things that the geese do are float in a bean-bag chair, wear hats on their feet, ride bikes in the water, and put ketchup and mustard on their ice cream.

This is a good book for beginner readers because they can get the feel of reading a "chapter book" without it being too difficult. Plus, if they get stuck on a word they can just look at the illustrations and try to infer what the word may be. This is a good book for ages 2-8.

Once Upon a Dragon by Jean E. Pendziwol

This is about a young girl and her dragon. They are playing at the park when they fall into the dragon's book. They go through each chapter which is a different fairy tale. They run into the wolf from "The Little Red Riding Hood," the fox from "The Gingerbread Man," and all the other bad characters from the classic fairy tale stories. At each encounter, the dragon wants to listen to the bad character but the girl keeps the dragon safe by telling him that he doesn't go with strangers.

I like this book because it is a good lesson book. The whole idea of it is to get kids to understand that they should not listen to or go with strangers. The way the author went about this was very creative. She included many classic fairy tales that children would be familiar with and since they know who the bad characters are, they can begin to understand why it is dangerous to go with strangers. Another thing I really liked about this book was that it all rhymed. This is a longer children's book so it is impressive that Pendziwol was able to make it all rhyme while making sense. The illustrations in this book are done with colored pencils and they are good drawings but I wouldn't consider it anything spectacular. I am more impressed with the text than the pictures. At the end of the book there is a "Dragon's Stranger Safety Rhyme" and there are guidelines for how to talk to kids about strangers. I would recommend this book for kids ages 2-8.

Chimps Don't Wear Glasses by Laura Numeroff

This book talks about different animals and the things that they don't do (i.e. the title of the book). This is a great book for beginner readers because it is short and it rhymes. And if the reader is stuck on the word, they can just look at the picture and guess.

This book is funny and sparks imagination. It's fun to picture horses hang gliding or llamas shopping. The illustrations really bring the text to life. They are very detailed and filled with humor. The book ends by asking the reader what they see so it gives kids the chance to think of silly things that they would never see animals doing. If you were having your students write a book, this would be a good model for them. You can read the book and then they would have to write their own story about animals. And the illustrations that they would draw would go right along with the text. This is a funny book and I would recommend it for ages 2-8.

Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann

This book is about a new girl in class named Ruby. Ruby sits behind a girl named Angela and copies everything that she does. She wears the same clothes and says that she does everything that Angela does. The teacher, Miss Hart, has a talk with Ruby and tells her to be herself. Ruby says she likes Miss Hart's fingernails and the next day at school, Ruby has the same fingernails as her teacher. Miss Hart isn't very happy but gets Ruby to tell the class something that she's good at. Ruby tells the class that she can hop and she is the best hopper the class has ever seen. Everyone starts hopping like Ruby and now they are copying her.

This is a good lesson book because very often in elementary school, kids copy eachother. This book shows that it's ok to be yourself. It is also a funny book and it's a good "predictor book." Children can use evidence from the text and illustrations to figure out what may happen next. For example, when Ruby says that she likes Miss Hart's fingernails, one can predict that Ruby will show up the next day at class with the same fingernails.

I would say the illustrations in this book are mediocre but they do provide humor. When Ruby tries to look like Angela by wearing the same daisy sweater, Ruby pins flowers on a sweater and it looks very messy. The illustrations do a good job of showing how hard Ruby is trying to look like Angela, even when it is not pretty. I would recommend this book for kids ages 3-8.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This is the first time I have ever read this book and I can't believe it took me so long to read it. Actually, I feel a little cheated that I wasn't assigned to read it in elementary, middle, or even high school. But who knows, maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I read it when I was younger. In 6th grade I had to read A Wrinkle in Time and I did not like it. I thought the reason must be that I just didn't like science fiction. So, when I found out that The Giver was science fiction, I thought I was going to hate it. The truth is, I was just too young to fully understand and appreciate science fiction. I bet that if I read A Wrinkle in Time today, I would like it. So maybe it is a good thing that it took me so long to read The Giver.

This book is about a boy named Jonas who lives in an Utopian-like community where everyone is governed by rules every minute of the day. There is no pain, choice, colors, seasons, animals, or individuality. When Jonas turns twelve in December (along with everyone else in his age group) he is assigned the job of Receiver of Memories and the person that gives him the memories was the old receiver, now referred to as the Giver. The Giver gives Jonas memories of the past including experiences such as sledding, rainbows, holidays with family, and sunshine. But along with the good things, he experiences bad things such as starvation and war. Jonas feels cheated in his life because he was never allowed to experience these things so he runs away which leaves all the memories with the people of the community. He feels that they should all get to have the experiences and a freedom of choice.

I like this book because of the community that Lois Lowry creates. She has to have some imagination to have created it. The community is obviously something that doesn't exist today so the idea of it came from pure imagination. She explained everything with such detail that I could easily picture it in my mind. Lowry adds such an element of suspense that I had to keep reading to see what would happen. I was disappointed when the book ended because I wanted more, but I think if Lowry would have continued, the book wouldn't have been as good. She ended it leaving the reader thinking and I think that is what a good book does; it doesn't give you all the answers to your questions, it gives you a chance draw inferences.

Although the text in this book is easy, the meaning of the text is deep. Kids in elementary school could read this book but I think older kids (such as middle or high school) would appreciate it more and would be able to think more critically about it.

Jazper by Richard Egielski

This book is about a young bug named Jazper who lives with his father. Jazper comes home one day and finds out that his dad has been injured at work so Jazper must find a job to help pay for the rent. He goes into town and decides to house sit for 5 moths that will be gone for 3 weeks. While he is there he reads books about magic. After 3 weeks, Jazper goes home and shows his dad that through magic, he can turn into things. They decide to have shows and charge money to see the Amazing Jazper. The moths find out and are upset that Jazper read their books so when Jazper turns into a pickle, the moths turn into knives. When Jazper turns into a nut, the moths turn into nutcrackers. When Jazper turns into a paper airplane, the moths turn into burning flames. Before the moths can turn into something else, Jazper turns into a rain cloud and puts out the flames. After all this, Jazper and his father decide that Jazper will just stay himself for awhile.

The first thing I noticed and liked about this book is that Jazper just lives with his father and they have real-life problems such as how to pay the rent. So many stories are about the typical, white, middle-class family but so many children do not live like that. It was refreshing that this book portrayed a family that is very real and that many kids can relate to. I also liked the creativity the author used in turning Jazper and the moths into different things. If Jazper is a paper airplane, then of course the moths would be flames to destroy Jazper. This is a good opportunity to ask kids what else Jazper and the moths could have turned into. For example, if Jazper had turned into a rock, would the moths have turned into jackhammers? This is a good chance for kids to get creative.

The author is also the illustrator and although his illustrations aren't as detailed as I like, he portrayed the characters well. He made the moths look scary and mean which is the way they are supposed to be. And although Jazper and his father are bugs, he made the characters seem very loving. This is a cute book and I would recommend it for ages 2-8.

The One and Only Marigold by Florence Parry Heide

This picture book is actually four short stories in one. The first story is titled "Marigold's New Coat" and it is about a young girl monkey named Marigold. She has an old coat that she is very loyal to but her mother insists that it is time to buy a new one. She tries on a whole bunch of coats but only likes one that it too small for her. Her mom buys the coat but she still wears her old coat to bed since she is so loyal. The second story is titled "Marigold's New Hobby" which is making lists of things. She makes a list of her friends and the first one is her old coat and the second one is Maxine but Maxine is not happy that she is second on the list so Marigold takes her off and starts to make a new list of ways to bug Maxine. The third story is titled "Marigold's Special Surprise Treasure Stand" and it is about a stand with lots of things wrapped up but you can't find out what they are until you buy one. Marigold talks Maxine into buying four of them and each one is filled with something that is not useful such as dirt, grass, and wrappers. Marigold is happy because she has found a way to bug Maxine. The fourth and final story is titled "Marigold's New Dress" and it is about Marigold getting dressed for the first day of school. She can't find anything she wants to wear so she puts on her coat and tells Maxine that under her coat she has a new red dress with sequins and sparkles.

At first, I wasn't sure about the four separate stories. I thought the book was already short enough that it should have just been one story. But the author did a great job of intertwining all the stories. For example, in the second story Marigold starts to make a list of ways to bug Maxine and in the third story she has finally found a way to bug her. Marigold's coat is in every story and the pictures in all the stories include lists that Marigold has made, her new hobby.

I would say the illustrations in this book, done by Jill McElmurry, are geared toward younger kids. The way the characters are drawn are something that little kids would enjoy but not so much older kids. I do like how the illustrations include the lists that Marigold makes; it helps tie everything together and it is fun to read the illustrations. I would recommend this book to younger children, ages 2-6.

Bedhead by Margie Palatini

This book is about a young boy named Oliver who makes up to horrible, uncontrollable bedhead. His parents and sister hear his scream and come to help him. They try wetting his hair, spraying his hair, pinning his hair, and even brushing his hair but nothing is working. Finally, they decided to put on his baseball hat and it seems to hide the bedhead. When he gets to school, he realizes that it is picture day and he must take his hat off. As he takes it off, everyone stares at him in horror and this is when the photographer takes the class picture.

I like this book because of the suspense that it builds, even on the first page: "In a gunkless corner of the soapy silver soap dish....in a fogless smidgen of his father's foggy shaving mirror...right there on the hot water faucet, for heaven's sake...he saw it! It was BIG. It was BAD. It was...." And then, you turn to the next page to find out that it is BEDHEAD!! It also has suspense when Oliver's family tries something new to his hair. You have to turn the page to see if it actually worked. It even had suspense at the end when the photographer took the picture. I also like the way Palatini made her text so it was clear how to read it. For example, when Oliver's family go into the bathroom, they turn the doorknob s l o w l y. This shows the reader how to read the word "slowly."

The illustrator, Jack E. Davis, did a good job with the pictures. He adds a lot of detail and emotion. You can tell the anguish Oliver is feeling over his hair because his forehead is sweating, his eyebrows are turned up, and his eyes are wide. Every page is filled with such detail that you have to pause from the reading just to take the time to enjoy each page. I like how Davis made each illustration funny. In almost every page, he either has the family cat, dog, or both making hilarious facial features but you would hardly notice this if you didn't take the time to look. The text and the illustrations are both wonderful and go great together. I would recommend this book to everyone.

My Mother's Secret Life by Rebecca Emberley

This book is about a young girl who thinks that all her mom does is clean the house and take care of her. When the young girl takes a nap, she dreams about a circus and she is surprised when it is her mother that is swinging above the crowd, hanging by her heels.

This book caught me by surprise; I didn't think that it would all be a dream. I thought that the young girl's mom really would have a secret life. I didn't like how the girl's dream kept building up and then she saw her mom and woke up and that was the end. I felt like there should have been more to the story. There was a lot of suspense as to what her mother's secret life was but as soon as the reader found out what it was, the book ended.

The illustrations in this book are quite interesting and very creative. It looks like Emberley used art supplies such as construction paper, feathers, glitter, and paint to make the pictures and then she photographed them to put in the book. Kids could use this book as inspiration for their own art projects. The illustrations may not be as detailed as they could be and this is because of the limited work that one can do with the supplied art materials but I still think kids will love the pictures because they are different.

This is a good book to share with children ages Pre-K -1st grade and it is an easy book for beginner readers.

Farm Days by William Wegman

This book is about a city dog named Chip who goes to visit his cousins in the country and learn about farming. I would say that the story itself is just ok. There were a lot of parts that read "jiggity jig, hot diggity, or gitty git giggity." Some of this is ok but I felt there was too much of it and it didn't really tie into the story. It became a tongue-twister trying to read these parts and beginner readers may have a hard time and could even get frustrated trying to read it.

The thing about this book that makes it amazing and hilarious is the photographs. I would say William Wegman is a photographer first and an author second. The illustrations in the entire book are photographs that Wegman has taken of his dogs. As you can see from the picture, Wegman photographs his dogs' heads with a human body. It looks so real and I think that is what makes it so funny. How often does one see a dog drive a tractor, mow grass, plant a garden, or act as a scarecrow? In this book, you can see it all. Some of you may remember watching video segments of Wegman's work on Sesame Street when you were younger. His artwork also appears in museums and galleries around the world. Wegman has done a great job of using his talent to appeal to children and adults.

Time Warp Trio: Nightmare on Joe's Street by Jon Scieszka

First, let me say that before doing this assignment, I had no idea what a graphic novel was and I am quite embarrassed by it. I had incorrectly assumed that a graphic novel was basically a scary book and I had come to this assumption because of the word "graphic." I was completely surprised to find out that a graphic novel is just a comic book. If it had just been called a comic book in the first place, my life would be a lot easier. :)

Time Warp Trio is part of a series but this particular book is about friends Joe and Sam and Frankenstein. Joe and Sam are having a sleepover when the hear something in the closet. It is Frankenstein. He is looking for his creator to ask him or her why he was created so ugly. To keep the monster happy and to stop him for seeking vengeance, Joe and Sam take him back in time to meet Mary Shelley, the author who wrote Frankenstein. After a frightful experience, Mary Shelley decides not to write the book after all. Sad that such a great masterpiece may not exist, Joe and Sam travel back farther in time to change her mind.

I was pleasantly surprised after reading this book. I thought I would hate graphic novels (especially after I found out they were comic books) but the humor, style, and ties to real history kept me interested. I like the style of graphic novels because it paints such a clear image in my mind while reading. The pages come to life and I am able to feel the emotions of the characters. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. There is one scene where Joe leaves to try and find his book and he asks Sam to entertain the monster to keep him calm. Joe comes back and Sam is singing "I'm a Little Teapot" to the monster. The pictures painted quite a scene for me which made this particular scene extremely hilarious.

Another thing I liked about this book is the facts and history that it included. Sam is a human encyclopedia and he explained to Joe that the monster's name is not Frankenstein; the doctor that created the monster in Mary Shelley's book was named Dr. Frankenstein. Twice throughout the book, the story stopped to give a "news report." The book would say "We interrupt this story to bring you this message..." and then fun facts about Mary Shelley or the book Frankenstein were given and it would conclude with "And now...back to our story."

The book says that it is for grades 2-4 but I think it is a great book for any age, even adults. It is a fun, easy read and there is even a section at the beginning that lists and explains the characters just in case younger or beginner readers get confused.

No Zombies Allowed by Matt Novak

This book is about two witches who are planning a party. While cleaning the house, they find pictures from their party last year. First they find pictures of zombies and they remember that they practically ruined the party by dropping their eyes into the punch bowl so they made a sign that said "No Zombies Allowed." Next, they found pictures of werewolves from the party last year. They didn't like how the werewolves would cough up furballs all over the house so they made a sign that said "No Werewolves Allowed." Next, they found pictures of swamp creatures, ghosts, skeletons, and vampires and made the necessary signs to make sure that they stayed out. Finally, they found pictures of witches and they didn't like how their brooms knocked everything over. They were going to make a sign that said "No Witches Allowed" when they realized that it was them in the pictures. Afterwards, they decided that it was a fun party so they took down all the signs and allowed everyone to come to the party but there was only one rule: "No Photos Allowed."

I like this book because of its humor. It is funny that the skeletons called everyone "Fatso" and that the vampires sucked the juice out of all the fruit. The book plays on characteristics of these fictional characters and I think that is what makes it so funny. This would be a great book to read around Halloween time.

A lot of the humor also comes from the pictures. Matt Novak is also the illustrator and he does a good job of making the pictures relate to the text. He draws all the photos that the witches find while they are cleaning their house and if the witches don't want the werewolves to come because of their furballs, then the picture is of werewolves coughing up furballs. But he also goes beyond just a picture of werewolves coughing up furballs; he puts in detail and draws the characters in a funny manner.

This is a great book for beginner readers. There are some words that they may have trouble with because they aren't used to seeing them, such as vampires and skeletons, but the pictures are a great resource for the kids because they can infer what the words are and this is a great reading strategy.

Ice Cream Soup by Frank Modell

This book is about two boys named Marvin and Milton that were told by their parents that they would not be having a birthday party this year. The two boys decided to throw a birthday party by themselves. They made paper hats, blew up balloons, and wrote out invitations. The day of the party the boys tried to make a cake and ice cream. They made a caved-in, burnt cake so they went to the bakery and tried to get help but none was given. The ice cream they made looked soupy so they went to the ice cream shop to get help but none was given there either. The boys were upset but when the guests finally arrived, the baker and ice cream maker showed up with cake and ice cream.

I thought this book was going to be very different because of its title. I thought the entire book was going to be about ice cream soup, but it wasn't. It was about a birthday party with only one little mention of ice cream soup. I don't feel like a lot of thought went into the title. Also, I felt some of the story was incomplete or didn't make sense. When the two boys go to the bakery to get help, the owner says that they should have gotten a cake from him. The picture shows the man walking into the bakery so I assumed that the man was leading the boys into the bakery to help them. On the next page, the boys are back in their kitchen making ice cream. I felt like I missed part of the story.

Frank Modell is also the illustrator of this book. The pictures are pretty straight-forward with not a lot of detail. They remind me of pictures that I would read in a comic strip in the newspaper, which makes sense because Modell regularly publishes cartoons in The New Yorker.

This is an easy book for beginner readers. The text is big and there aren't very difficult words. It is good for all ages.

Dragon Pizzeria by Mary Morgan

This book is about two dragons that decide to open a pizzeria but they will only deliver pizzas in Fairy Tale Land. They get calls from different Fairy Tale characters with specific pizza orders. At the end of the book, an order is made for a pizza wedding cake and everyone in Fairy Tale Land comes together for a party.

I like this book because it can be interactive. The children can try to guess which fairy tale creature is ordering a pizza by the type of pizza they order. For example, the first pizza order is made by someone with a booming voice and he orders 1 GIANT pizza, with a topping of magic beans delivered to Beanstalk Castle. The children can try to guess which fairy tale this is and when they turn the page, they realize that it is Jack and the Beanstalk. Other fairy tales in the story include Thumbelina, The Three Bears, Hansel and Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty.

This is a fun book to read because the text isn't boring. There are a lot of conversation bubbles and there is text that can be read off signs that the dragons made. At the end of the book, there is a map of Fairy Tale Land which shows where are the fairy tale characters live. As a child, I remember reading books with those "extra things" and loving it.

Another thing I like about this book is that the author is also the illustrator so she was able to incorporate the text into the pictures and make it really interactive for children. There is also a lot of humor shown in the pictures that isn't explicitly in the text so it is important to study the pictures to get the most out of the book.

Flags by Maxine Trottier

This book is about a young girl who visits her grandmother for the summer. Her grandmother's neighbor, Mr. Hiroshi, has a beautiful garden and pond that she admires. When Mr. Hiroshi is sent to a Japanese relocation camp during WWII, the young girl states that she will take care of the garden and pond. When she notices that Mr. Hiroshi's house has been sold she transfers the fish in the pond to the river and digs up two iris bulbs (called flags) to plant in her backyard when she returns home.

This is a great example of an historical fiction book. Japanese relocation camps are real history but the characters in this story are fictional. Having a lesson about WWII and relocation camps can be a bit heavy for children in lower grades. Even though this is a picture book, I would read it to older grades to help accompany a lesson. Children don't really have to know anything about WWII and relocation camps to understand the story. The book is about a young girl helping her neighbor out while he happened to be sent away. The main focus isn't on the relocation camps.

The illustrator, Paul Morin, paints beautiful pictures in this story. I like them because they are paintings that I could imagine being displayed at an art museum as opposed to just being in children's books. He adds a lot of colors and is very detailed. It almost looks like a photograph instead of a painting.

The Color of Home by Mary Hoffman

This book is about a young boy named Hassan who just came to America from Somalia. He has a hard time adjusting to school because it is so different and he hardly speaks any English. At school, he draws a picture of his home and family when he lived in Somalia. Then, he smudges his uncle out of the picture, adds men with guns, and adds dark colors. The next day at school an interpreter is there to help Hassan communicate. He explains the picture to his teacher and tells about all the bloodshed in Somalia and the difficult journey his family had to make to America. After talking he paints a new picture-a happy picture of his cat that he had to leave behind. Talking about his difficulties helped him move on.

This is a great book to have in the classroom because more than likely there will be kids in your classroom who have had similar experiences. It is also great to read to the class as a whole and talk about some of the things that go on around the world. Many children don't understand the life in other countries and may have a hard time relating to students who come from other countries. Reading this book helps prepare all students. This is a good book for an ELL classroom because it is multicultural and it is a kid's book so it would be easier to read. One of the ways to help ELL students learn is to have them read books that they can relate to. It makes it more interesting and gives them a sense of pride. There may be some ELL students who have had similar experiences and may need to talk about it to help them heal. This book can be a good book to help open conversation.

I like the way Karin Littlewood did her illustrations. Her use of watercolors does a great job of showing how Hassan feels. On pages that Hassan talks about the troubles in Somalia, she uses a lot of black and red to help convey how Hassan is feeling. On more happier pages she uses a lot of bright colors.