Welcome to Zanzibar Road

Welcome to Zanzibar Road

Author and Illustrator: Niki Daly

Publisher: Clarion Books

Copyright 2006

31 Pages

Fiction/ Multicultural

          This book had such an odd word within the title that I thought it would be interesting to see what this book was about. It starts with Mama Jumbo looking for a place to build a house so she decides that Zanzibar Road would be perfect because there is a pawpaw tree right where she could build her house. So Mama Jumbo starts build and soon her new neighbors start to ask if they can help her. Because of her new neighbors help, Mama jumbo house is ready to live in. Then Mama Jumbo goes in search of someone to live with her. But no one can live with her because they already have their own places to live. However, one small chicken named Little Chico. So Little Chico and Mama Jumbo live together and have fun having parties, scaring away shadow monsters, and even playing hide and seek on Mama Jumbo’s head!  The author chose to separate each event by placing the different event into chapters so that the story does not have just one plot but many plots.

          The illustrations in this book were completed using watercolor, pen, and digital media. Niki Daly shoes to implement spot art throughout the book which also means there is a great deal of negative space. The illustrations have lighter hues and do not contain many small details. The illustrations are outlined in a light line around all of the objects. The text placement is varies from formal to informal throughout the book.

          This book would be appropriate for younger children and older children. Younger children would enjoy the illustrations and characters while older children would understand the moral lessons of friendship that the author has conveyed. Most teachers of any grade level could implement this book in their classroom as a character education book. Upper elementary grades could also use this book has a review or introduction to the African culture and the many animals that live in parts of Africa.

The Day the Dragon Danced

The Day the Dragon Danced

Author: Kay Haugaard

Illusrtator: Carolyn Reed Barritt

Publisher: Shen’s Books

Copyright 2006

28 Pages

Fiction/ Chinese Culture

          This book has so many bright colors that I wanted to pick up the book just to see what the subject was. Seeing that the subject was a Chinese celebration I decided to read further into the book. The Day the Dragon Danced is about a young girl and her grandmother going to see the Chinese New Year’s Day Parade. The grandmother is not very happy about seeing a dragon; however, the young girl is excited because she has learned so many new things about the Chinese New Year from her teacher and she wants to see her father in the parade. Once the parade starts and the girl and her grandmother see the dragon they notice that it is not dancing. The girl then notices that her father’s shoes are untied and he is having trouble keeping up with the dancers under the dragon. The little girl runs under the dragon and ties her father’s shoe and soon the dragon is dancing again and chasing the sun.

          The illustrations in this book seem to have been completed using oil paintings. The illustrator chose to use many rich colors that are vibrant and stand out to the reader. There are not many small details in the illustrations. There is also not any negative space throughout the book; instead, the illustrator chose to make each page bright and colorful. The text placement varies throughout the book from very formal to informal.

          The Day the Dragon Danced is appropriate for any student of any age. Most all students would enjoy the story of the young girl and learn about the Chinese culture. Teachers can use this book in the classroom to teach about being accepting of other cultures and about the Chinese culture. Showing the students the similarities and differences between our culture and the Chinese culture will help students accept the differences between the two and be more accepting towards people from that culture.

The Firekeeper's Son

The Firekeeper’s Son

Author Linda Sue Park

Illustrator Julie Downing

Publisher: Clarion Books

Copyright 2004

39 Pages

Fiction/ Multicultural

        This book was talked about in our EED 312 during a book talk and I was so interested in the book and how it might end that I wanted to read the book for myself. In The Firekeeper’s Son, Sang- hee lives in Korea and his father is responsible for lighting the first fire every night to allow the king to know that everything is at peace in the land. Sang-hee wishes just once he could see the soldiers that would come to the rescue if the fire was not lit. One afternoon, Sang-hee notices that his father has not lit the fire yet to show the other villages that all is well so he goes in search of his father. Sang-hee finds his father and realizes that his ankle his hurt so it is left to Sang-hee to light the fire. So Sang-hee climbs the mountain and all the while he is thinking that he would like to see the soldiers just once. However, Sang-hee overcomes his own wants and lights the fire for the other villages and the king to see that there is peace in the land and that he is trustworthy enough to light the fire.

        Julie Downing completed these illustrations using watercolor and pastel. The illustrations have light hues and are very detailed. The grass on the huts and other small details stand out to the reader. Downing also used many shades of blue and green throughout the book. The text placement is formal and there is no negative space throughout the illustrations. The illustrator filled every page with details from the text to allow the story to come alive to the reader.

        Children of most any age will enjoy reading this book because most all children can relate to Sang-hee wanting to see the soldiers. Teachers can use this book in their classroom to teacher character education and knowing how to be reliable. Also teachers could use this book as an introduction to the Korean culture and history.

Abadeha

Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella

Adapted by: Myrna J. de la Paz

Illustrator: Youshan Tang

Publisher: Shen’s Books

Copyright: 2001

31 Pages

Philippine Folklore

            I chose to read this book because Cinderella is one of my favorite Disney stories and I was curious how different cultures vary in their interpretation of Cinderella. Abadeha is raised in the islands called the Philippines with her father and mother until her mother gets very sick and dies when Abadeha is thirteen. Abadeha’s father remarries a woman with two daughters of her own and they all become very jealous of Abadeha because of her beauty and kindness. Running from her stepmother, Abadeha cries out in the forest and she then sees the Spirit of the Forest. The Spirit of the Forest helps Abadeha so that her stepmother will not punish her for the impossible tasks that she has given her just so she will be able to punish her later. The Spirit of the Forest gave Abadeha a sarimanok to take home with her has her pet; however, when her stepmother sees the big, beautiful chicken she kills it for supper. Abadeha is very upset and goes to the Spirit of the Forest to show her what her stepmother has done. The Spirit of the Forest instructs Abadeha to bury the feet of the sarimanok beside her mother’s grave. There a beautiful tree starts to grow that was laden with jewelry. Abadeha does not tell anyone of the special tree; however, the son of the island chieftain happens upon the tree and takes a ring from it. The prince’s finger swells and he cannot get the ring off so he decides to tell his father what has happened. Then the prince has a dream of a beautiful girl who takes the ring off for him. The prince tells his father of his dream and his father sends messengers out to announce that any girl who can remove his son’s ring will marry him. Word gets to everyone on the island including Abadeha and her step sisters. Abadeha knows that she can remove the ring so she goes to the prince and takes the ring off for him. So the prince marries her that day and Abadeha is never mistreated again.

            The illustrations in this book contain many rich, vibrant colors. The illustrator seems to have chosen watercolors as the medium because some of the illustrations seem almost transparent. The text placement is very formal with spot art of the pages with the text and full pages of illustrations. The illustrations are also very detailed a have dream-like mood. The illustrations are somewhat blurred and very thick, dark lines outlining the characters and the details in the illustrations. The illustrations do not have any negative space and the backgrounds of the illustrations add to the richness of the pictures.

       This book is appropriate for both young and older children. I believe any age student would enjoy reading about Abadeha. Teachers could use this in their classroom has a character education book on how to treat others nicely and to always be kind. Teachers could also use this book to introduce the many cultures throughout the world and how our culture is so similar to the Philippine culture.

  

Elizabeth Leads the Way

Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote

Author: Tanya Less Stone

Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Copyright 2008

30 Pages

Historical Fiction

“She decided right then and there that she could do anything any boy could do.”

            I chose to read this book because of the huge change that women’s right to vote had on American citizens. Because I never really studied this part of American history I had never heard of Elizabeth Cady Stanton so I thought it would be interesting to read about the woman who led the way to the right to vote for women. In Elizabeth Leads the Way, Elizabeth is described as a feisty young girl who is surprised when a woman says it was a shame her baby sister had not been a boy. Elizabeth starts to see the differences between being a boy and being a girl and decides that she can do anything that a boy can do. Instead of getting married right away like all of the other young women her age, Elizabeth convinces her father to send her to school. When Elizabeth does get married she decides to keep her name and simply add her husband’s. Being married did not change Elizabeth’s view on the role of women so she and her friends organized a meeting for women in which they all decided the way to fix the many problems that women face would be to have the right to vote. In the author’s note it states that although Elizabeth did not get to the right to vote in her lifetime, she helped lead the way for the generations to come.

            The illustrations in this book were completed using gouache and color pencils on paper. The illustrator of Elizabeth Leads the Way chose to include a great deal of negative space and spot art throughout the book. The backgrounds in most of the illustrations are white and the actual illustrations are completed using colors that contrast with the background and stand out to the reader. The text placement is very informal and the illustrations lack depth such as shadows and details of the faces and surroundings.

            This book would be appropriate for most any child that is starting to read or can already ready proficiently. Younger students would enjoy the many illustrations and the story. Older students would be able to learn from Elizabeth Stanton’s story and how she fought to make her dreams come true. Teachers in any grade could use this book to teach character education. Teachers of upper elementary grades could use this book as an introduction to the right to vote movement and how women’s rights came about. This book is very enjoyable because of the story and the illustrations and I believe that most any student would enjoy reading Elizabeth Leads the Way.

Stand Straight Ella Kate

Stand Straight Ella Kate: The True Story of a Real Giant

Author: Kate Klise

Illustrator: M. Sarah Klise

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Copyright 2010

30 Pages

Historical Fiction

            The reason I chose this book is because of the title. Most everyone has heard the saying “stand straight” so I thought this would a book that I could relate to. I was somewhat right and somewhat wrong because this book is about a giant woman. Stand Straight Ella Kate starts with Ella Kate and explains that she was small as a baby just like all the other children. However, when Ella Kate started to grow, she never really stopped. Ella Kate’s mother would have to add fabric to lengthen her dresses and her father had to make a special desk for Ella Kate to use at school. Ella Kate did not have many friends in school because she was so different from all of her friends and she soon became ashamed of her height. Ella Kate grew older she also grew taller and by the time she was seventeen years old she was eight feet tall! Because of her height Ella Kate was offered a job in a museum where she was paid a great deal of money to simply let people look at her! Ella Kate realized that her height allowed her to meet new people and see new places. Soon after, Ella Kate decided to make a career of traveling the world and showing people her amazing height. The book ends with a note from the author about the true story of Ella Kate Ewing and her unusual height.

            The illustrator of Stand Straight Ella Kate used acrylic on Bristol board to complete the illustrations. Most of the illustrations have bright colors that are also have a muted hue with the use of many different blue and green shades. There is very little negative space throughout the book. The illustrations do not have much definition and are very simple. The placement of the text varies from formal to informal.

            Students of any age would enjoy reading Stand Straight Ella Kate. Younger children and older children will be able to relate to Ella Kate and her dreams. Most teachers could implement this book into their classrooms by focusing on how we should always accept others even though they may be different. Teachers could also use this book to introduce the concept of dreaming and being positive about any situation. Overall I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to sharing it with my future students.

Moses

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Author Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator Kadir Nelson

Publisher: Jump at the Sun/ Hyperion Books for Children

Copyright 2006

38 Pages

Historical Fiction

            I chose to read this book because of the unusual title and Mrs. Strain recommended that as future teachers, we should read this book. Moses is about Harriet Tubman and her journey into freedom and the Underground Railroad. The book introduces the concept of slavery and what it meant to people in the 1619 to 1861 in the forward of the book. Then the book depicts Harriet Tubman and her longing to be free and safe. Harriet prays to God and God leads Harriet to her freedom. Through the journey Harriet faces many trails and is even forced to hide in a potato hole for days. Finally with the help from God Harriet reaches freedom in Philadelphia; however, she is then faced with a longing to free her family that she left behind in slavery. Harriet journeys back to her old home of slavery to free her family as well as many others who are willing to take the risk of getting caught. The book ends with a note from the author that describes the true story of Harriet Tubman and how many lives she effected by helping to free slaves and how she was referred to as a “Moses of her people”.

            The illustrator of Moses chose to include many details throughout the book and use many different colors. The illustrator detailed every object in the illustrations from the veins in Harriet’s hands to the grass, tree leaves, and the horse’s mane. The colors that were used are rich, have deep hues, and are very intense. The readers of Moses can almost feel Harriet Tubman’s emotions by simply looking at the illustrations. The mediums that the illustrator used seem to be oil paintings and acrylic paintings. The illustrator really captures the feelings of the book and transports the reader into the life of Harriet Tubman and the race against slavery.

            This book is appropriate for older children that are interested in studying history and slavery. Most younger children would enjoy the detailed illustrations; however, they may not understand the story or the concept. Most teachers could use this book in their classroom to introduce Harriet Tubman and her role in the Underground Railroad, the concept of slavery, or the Underground Railroad and how it affected slavery. This book is a Caldecott Honor Book and received the Coretta Scott King Award.

Tuttle's Red Barn

Tuttle’s Red Barn: The Story of America’s Oldest Family Barn

Author Richard Michelson

Illustrator Mary Azarian

Published by The Penguin Group

Copyright 2007

39 Pages

Nonfiction

            I chose to read this book because I have never heard of the Tuttle family and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about this historic family. This book starts with John Tuttle coming to the Americas and settling into a colony in Dover. The book continues to describe the life of John Tuttle and that of his decedents that inherited the farm the John Tuttle worked so hard for. Each owner of the Tuttle farm is described and what he learned from being raised on the farm. The author describes new inventions that each of the Tuttle generations witnessed and incorporated into their family farm. The book ends by showing a picture of the Tuttle’s Red Barn and lists the many accomplishments that the Tuttle family has achieved since John Tuttle first built his house in Dover.

            The illustrator of Tuttle’s Red Barn chose to full page illustrations as well as spot art throughout the book. The colors that the illustrator used are rather neutral in hue and intensity. The text in the book is in a very formal to formal place setting. The illustrator also chose to include very many small details that relate to the time period within the text. The illustrations lack some definition in details such as the faces of the characters. The illustrator of Tuttle’s Red Barn chose to include small details of the time period; however, she decided to keep most of the illustrations simple. The medium that was used seems to have been oil paintings and watercolors.

            This book would be appropriate for older children that are studying history or about America’s first settlers. Most younger children would not understand the complexity of the family tree and might loss the connects betweens characters. Teachers could incorporate this book into their classroom has they are introducing the topic of the first settlers in America, the Revolutionary War. Most teachers could also use this book to introduce the topic of family trees. 

                                                              

The First Independence Day Celebration

The First Independence Day Celebration

Author Kathy Allen

Illustrator Tom Sperling

Published by Picture Windows Books

Copyright 2010

32 Pages

Nonfiction

            I chose this book to read because of the historical significance this topic has to me and our country. Reading and learning more about how our country came to be free is important to me so I decided to pick up this book to learn more about our country’s first Independence Day. The First Independence Day Celebration starts with Thomas Jefferson writing the Declaration of Independence and describes what life was like in 1776. The book continues describe the first July 4^th celebration, the Revolutionary War, and how the colonists lived during the war. This book also contains a timeline and a glossary in the back as well as books to read and websites to visit to learn more about the first Independence Day celebration.

            The illustrations in this book are detailed with realistic qualities. The illustrator used many colors; however, most of the colors have a darker hue and are somewhat muted. The illustrator did not use many vibrant colors; instead he chose to detail the characters in the book so that the reader can look on the characters’ faces and see the emotion. The text is set in a formal setting and the illustrator chose to implement negative space throughout parts the book. This book has many small details that are included on the illustrations such as shadows on the ground, the peoples’ faces and expressions, and their clothes. The illustrations seem to have been completed using acrylics and pencils.

            This book is appropriate for children between the ages of six and twelve. Younger children that are starting to learn about history would gain a great deal of knowledge by listening to the story and seeing the detailed illustrations. Older children would benefit from reading the words and learning more about their nation’s history. Teachers could use this book to introduce the colonies and how people lived in 1776. Teachers could also use this book as a review to what the students have learned previously. This book is very interesting to read and would help most students remember key facts and ideas about Independence Day and the Revolutionary War.

Dixie's Big Heart

Dixie’s Big Heart: A Story About Alabama

Author Nancy Tuminelly

Illustrator Bob Doucet

Publisher ABDO Publishing Company

Copyright 2011

24 Pages

Nonfiction/ Informational/ Faction

            I chose to read this book because I thought it would be interesting to learn about the state in which I live. The book starts with Red Belly the turtle and Dixie the bird deciding to visit friends after a storm and see if all of them are alright. The pair travel from Mobile to various parts of Alabama including Selma, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Huntsville, and Dothan. Along the journey they friends stop to see many friends including Miss Mary the librarian, Colonel Davis the racking horse, and Larry the largemouth bass. Throughout the book the author included facts about Alabama such as the state fish, nicknames for various cities, and state flower. The book also includes activities to do in Alabama, a map, and a glossary.

            The illustrations in this book look to be completed using watercolors, acrylics and photographs. The characters in the book are realistic; however, they also have a cartoon-like appearance. The hues of the colors are rather muted and include various tones of the same color. The text is in a formal placement throughout the book and there is no use of negative space. The illustrator also does not use much texture throughout this book; the characters and objects are rather smooth in appearance.

            Dixie’s Big Heart is appropriate for older children from nine to twelve years old and for children interested in history. Teachers could use this book in their class for social studies. Reading this book aloud would get students interested in their state’s history and possibly read the book for themselves. Teachers could also use this book as an opening for a social studies activity such as listing the places in Alabama that all of the students have been to or making their own state and choosing their own states’ flower, tree, fruit, or bird. This book as not received any awards; however, it would be an asset for most teachers of upper elementary grades in the classroom.

Three Pebbles and a Song

Three Pebbles and a Song

Author: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrator: S. D. Schindler

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Copyright 2003

29 Pages

Children’s Fiction/ Fantasy

            I chose to read this book because the little mouse on the cover looked as if he was having the time of his life and I also thought it was odd that he was wearing clothes! In this book Moses and his family are all gathering food in preparation for the snow that is coming. His mother, father, and sister are all busy gathering food and Moses knows that he should be too; however, he cannot resist singing and dancing along with the wind and juggling pebbles by the creek. Before Moses realizes what has happened, the snow starts to fall and all he has gathered is three pebbles to juggle with. Soon, being stuck inside their home starts to make Moses’ family bored and then Moses remembers his pebbles! Soon his entire family is singing, dancing, and juggling all through winter and Moses is the only one to notice that spring has arrived!

            The illustrations in Three Pebbles and a Song look three dimensional and were completed using gouache, watercolors, colored inks, pastels, and chalk on marbleized paper. Each illustrations is life like and the texture of each object from the leaves to the mice to the snow seems very real to the reader. The text placement is formal and the white and black text contrast very well with the dark colored pages. The colors that the illustrator used reflect the mood of the characters; first the colors are darker and muted and soon the colors become lighter and more vibrant as Moses and his family gets closer to spring.

            This book is appropriate for children from the ages of five to eleven years old. Most children of any age will enjoy reading about Moses and his family. Children will also enjoy reading and exploring the world that Moses lives in. Teachers can use this book when introducing fiction and fantasy genres to their classroom and show the difference between fiction and nonfictions books. Overall, I enjoyed this book tremendously and I believe it has a good meaning!

Dream Big Little Pig!

Dream Big Little Pig!

Author Kristi Yamaguchi

Illustrator: Tim Bowers

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Copyright 2011

29 Pages

Children’s Fiction/ Fantasy

            The title of this book is so catchy and the illustrations on the cover are so amusing that most any girl would want to pick this book up and read it! Poppy, the little pig, dreams of becoming a star… a star ballerina, a star singer, and a star model and with her family and friends encouraging her, Poppy believes she can become all of those things. However, slowly the ballerinas, singers, and models turn Poppy down and tell her to find something else to do. Poppy gets very discouraged and then she remembers her family and friends. So the very next day they all go out and see an ice skating rink. Poppy decides she wants to be a star ice skater. And so she tries very hard and with the encouragement of her family and friends she makes it!

            The illustrations in Dream Big Little Pig! seem to be completed with gouache paintings and mixed media. The illustrator uses negative space to highlight the illustrations and bright colors that are throughout this book. The text placement is rather formal with the text wither on top or underneath the illustrations. The illustrations also highlight the view point of the illustrations, in some illustrations the view point is higher and in others the reader seems to be looking up to the characters in the book. The illustrator also uses spot art throughout the book to highlight certain scenes from the text.

            This book would be appropriate for any girl from the age of four to ten years old. Both boys and girls can enjoy this book; however, girls would be more inclined to read the book. Teachers of most any grade could use this book as a read aloud to introduce a fantasy fiction lesson and also to encourage students to be positive and try their best at everything!

Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny

Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny!

Author and Illustrator: Jan Thomas

Publisher: Beach Lane Books

Copyright 2009

35 Pages

Fiction/ Fantasy

            When I chose to read this book it was simply because of the bright colors on the cover and throughout the pages; I did not really look at the subject of the book until later. I then learned that this book was about dust bunnies! In this fantasy picture book, dust bunnies are brought to life and start to rhyme, play, and deal with bullies. Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob are rhyming dust bunnies that are happy until the big, mean dust bunny comes in, sits on them, and chases them. Then all of a sudden the cat sits on the big, mean dust bunny! However, Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob do not leave the big, mean dust bunny; instead, they tug on him until he is fluffy again. Afterwards all of the dust bunnies are happy and go on playing their games.

            The illustrations in this book are bright, vibrant, and cheerful. The characters look to be created with mixed media with no negative space left on the pages. Each page is colored brightly and the text is contrasted in white or black coloring. The text has very informal placements throughout the book. The dust bunnies are two dimensional with shadows on the pages and rigidity lines. The composition of the illustrations is quite simply with only the five main characters on the pages. Small details such as the texture of the dust bunnies were left out of the illustrations.

            This book is appropriate for beginning readers that are perhaps five to six years old. Younger children would most likely enjoy looking at the brightly colored illustrations and also the hearing the rhyming words read aloud. Most teachers could use this book to introduce rhyming words in kindergarten. Teachers could also use this book in character education and teach how to always be there for someone else that might need you.

Usborne Illustrated Grimm's Fairy Tales

Usborne Illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Ruth Brocklehurst and Gillian Doherty

Illustrator: Rafaelle Ligi

Publisher: Usborne Publishing

Copyright 2010

303 Pages

Fairy Tales/ Traditional

            I chose to read this book because I just love fairy tales and the illustrations seemed so magical that I had to read this book. Usborne Illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales contain fifteen fairy tales that are both well known and not so popular. Tales such as Snow White and Rose Red that I have never heard of before are included in this book as well as the well known tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. There are many fairy tales that are included in this wonderful book and each tale is unique and wonderfully written.

            The illustrations in Usborne Illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales are colorful, two dimensional, and match each fairy tale perfectly. The colors reflect that the illustrations were completed using watercolors and are muted with light hues. The illustrator chose to not only include full pages of art but also spot art on many of the pages that breaks up the long passages of text. The text is in both very formal and formal placements and in some cases the text is even informal. Overall, the illustrations flow perfectly with the text and the story lines of each fairy tale.

            This book would be appropriate for children anywhere from three to eleven years old. Most younger children will enjoy looking at the pictures and listening to the stories whereas most older children will enjoy actually reading the fairy tales for themselves. Teachers of most any grade can use this book in their classroom to teacher parts of literary history or to aid in allowing children’s imaginations to grow and develop. This book can be used as an introduction to a writing assignment about fairy tales as well. This was an extremely enjoyable book and most any teacher of younger grades would enjoy sharing this book with the entire class.

The Tortoise and the Hare

The Tortoise and the Hare: A Retelling of Aesop’s Fable

Author: Mark White

Illustrator: Sara Rojo

Publisher Picture Window Books

Copyright 2004

24 Pages

Fable/ Traditional

            I chose to read this book because it was one of my favorite fables when I was young. In this fable, the rather slow tortoise challenges the fast hare to a race, betting that he will beat the hare. The hare believes that he has won the race when he gets very far ahead of the tortoise so he eats a snack and takes a quick nap in the shade. However, while the hare was resting, the tortoise was steadily getting further ahead. And so the tortoise wins the race because the hare thought he was going to beat the tortoise and wasted his time.

            The illustrator of this book used watercolors to paint each illustration. The illustrations have muted colors and rather simple lines. The illustrations are not textural and seem one dimensional. The text placement is formal with the text on top of most of the pages. The illustrator does not use much negative space throughout this book; however, the illustrations remain the focal point of each page.

            This book is appropriate for children of all ages but mostly younger children between three and six years old. Younger children would enjoy looking at the illustrations and being read to since this book is not as long as other books. Teachers could use this book in their classrooms as character education and teach students how to pace themselves instead of rushing through their work. This book would be wonderful to read to students as they enter a new grade to simply remind them of good work habits to keep in mind.

The Lion and the Mouse

The Lion and the Mouse: A Retelling of Aesop’s Fable

Author: Mark White

Illustrator: Sara Rojo

Publisher: Picture Window Books

Copyright 2004

24 Pages

Folklore/ Traditional

            As I was looking through the folklore and fable section of the library, I saw this book and realized that I had never heard of this tale. Being ever so curious, I decided that since I had never heard this fable before that I would read it now! A mouse in a jungle is hunting food when he stumbles upon a lion taking a nap. The mouse tries to sneak away; however, the lion wakes up and catches him proclaiming that he will now become his snack. The little mouse pleads with the lion and the lion allows the mouse to go free. Because of his gratitude the mouse promises his help whenever the lion needs it, but the lion just laughs. Later, the mouse gets to help the lion by freeing him from a trap. The mouse and the lion become friends and realize that no matter how small, kindness is a great gift.

            The illustrations in this book were completed by painting with gouache. The illustrations are more two dimensional and highlight the many textures in the jungle; the lion looks as if he has actual fur and the leaves seem to have a smooth texture. The colors in this book vary from the different pages; however, all of the hues are rather muted and not very bright or extravagant. The illustrator of The Lion and the Mouse uses no negative space and the text contrasts nicely with the colorful pages.

            This book would be more appropriate for younger children that are possibly four to six years old. Most teachers of any grade could correlate this book into their curriculum using character education objectives. This book could also be used in while students are studying the different animals that live in jungles and forests around the world. Students of all ages must be reminded of the wonders that simple kindness can do and this book is a wonderful example of kindness.

Blue Lipstick

Blue Lipstick

Author and Illustrator John Grandits

Publisher: Clarion Books

Copyright 2007

42 pages

Concrete Poetry/ Children’s Poetry

        I chose to read Blue Lipstick because of the very interesting title. The thought of reading concrete poems was not very appealing to me; however, after reading Blue Lipstick, I was surprised at how fun it could be. Blue Lipstick is about an adolescent girl and the many struggles that she faces from her brother, to her parents, to playing on the volleyball team, to what she will do to impress the boy she likes, all written in concrete poems. This book is funny yet blatantly truthful about how young girls feel as they are growing into young women.

        The illustrations in Blue Lipstick are the poems since most all of the poems are concrete poems. The medium that was used was a Macintosh G4. The illustrator chose to use a simple color palette of white, black, and blue. The illustrator also uses a great deal of negative space and very informal text placement. The negative space that the illustrator incorporated into Blue Lipstick highlights the poems and gives the reader a clear direction in which to start reading the odd shaped poems.

        This book would be appropriate for older children and young adolescents. Teachers of younger children could use this book as a great example of what concrete poems look like; however, younger children would not understand all the poems and what some of the poems say. It would be better for most teachers in elementary grades to simply chose a few poems from this book to share with their class about what concrete poems are and how they look. This book is not very appropriate for younger children; however, I truly enjoyed reading the amusing poems.

This Is The House That Jack Built

This is the House That Jack Built

Author and Illustrator Simms Taback

Publisher G.P. Putman’s Sons

Copyright 2004

25 Pages

Nursery Rhyme/ Children’s Poetry

               This book stood out to me because of the book’s cover. The cover has many dark colors with bright text that just stands out from the book. Looking at the book, I decided to read it because it looked as if it would be amusing and fun to read. This is the House That Jack Built starts with a piece of cheese and manifests into a tongue twister story about what is in the house that Jack built. The words are meant to be read fast and with inflection so that the reader enjoys reading the book aloud.

               The illustrations in this book have deep, dark hues. Black is also a predominant color throughout this book. Throughout this book there is absolutely no negative space. The illustrations are cartoon like and include real aspects such as the labels on the cow’s body that name each part. The pages are colored and then the text is a different color that contrasts with the page and stands out beautifully.  The text placement is very informal and all over the pages. The composition of the illustrations reflects the fun nature of this book because there really is not one focal point on each page. The illustrator seems to want the reader to take in every part of the illustration and have fun reading the poem.

               This book would be appropriate for younger students because of the fun nature of the book. Students would also enjoy seeing the cartoon-like illustrations. Teachers could use this book for teaching older children, such as students in the third and fourth grades, how to read with inflection and also the different types of poems. Teachers could also use this book in the classroom to introduce poetry and the many forms of poetry to young students that are possibly in kindergarten. This book was so very amusing and fun to read and though it has not won any awards to is a great book to share with any classroom.

Guyku A Year of Huiku for Boys

Guyku A Year of Huiku for Boys

Author Bob Raczka

Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Copyright 2010

40 pages

Children’s Poetry

          I chose to read this book because of the title. It is rare that boys are interested in reading at all, so I was surprised to see a poetry book written with boys as the focus. In Guyku the author takes the reader on a journey through the life of a boy for one year. The haikus in Guyku are amusing and funny. Some of the haikus ask questions and others give imaginative explanations to simple things such as why a snowman melts. Each season of the year is highlighted with different activities that boys can do during that particular season.

          The text placement of Guyku is formal; however, the text is handwritten so the book does not feel very formal. The illustrations were completed using watercolors and digital colors. There is also a great deal of negative space throughout the book which highlights the illustrations and their simplicity. The illustrations use blue and green hues; however, the intensity of the colors is rather dull. The colors that are used coincide with the season in which the poems were written about. For example; the fall illustrations are done with mostly brown hues whereas the spring illustrations were done with mostly green hues. The illustrator matched the words of the poem with the colors that represent each season.

          Guyku can interest almost any boy between the ages of six and eleven because of its amusing haikus. This book would also be appropriate for younger boys that are being read to or learning to read. Most teachers could use this book to teach their classes about haikus and hoe they are formatted. Teachers could also use this book as a way to interest young boys into reading different literature or interest them into reading anything. This book has not received any awards; however, it will become a part of my future classroom library.