"Beatrice's Goat"

Title: "Beatrice's Goat"
Author: Page McBrier
Illustrator: Lori Lohstoeter
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2001
Genre: Multi-Cultural
Grade: 2-3

This book is about a Ugandan girl named Beatrice. Beatrice longs more than anything to go to school and learn like all the others. One day her family receives a goat that is going to bring them lucky gifts. Mugisa, the goat, has two kids, Expected and Surprise. After the two kids had gotten older, Beatrice began selling Mugisa's goat milk for money. One day she comes home and sees her mother crying and her mother tells her she has enough money to go to school now. Beatrice is so unselfish she asks what about the other things they need and she tells her "First things first." On Beatrice's first day of school, her friend Bunane comes by and tells her that he wishes he was going to school and she tells him not to worry because his family is next in line to receive a goat.

I loved this book. I can't believe how unselfish Beatrice was. She did everything that Mother asked her to do. She worked in the fields, tended to the chickens, watched the children, and ground up the cassava flour they would take to the market to sell. When the goat came she also had to take care of it. She never questioned anything. She just did it for the family! When she finds out she is making all this money, her first thought of what to do with it is to buy a new shirt for Moses and a warm blanket for the bed she shares with Grace. The pictures in this book are amazing! The illustrator uses acryllic paint to illustrate. The village looks exactly like I would picture a village in Africa. They have the banana trees and the straw house just as I have always pictured. I think this book is definitely a good multicultural book. It informs the reader of how life in Uganda would be as a young girl. It tells of all the chores and how school is not an option for every child. This book is written through an insider's perspective because it is written about this little girl and her family but it is told like she knows what Beatrice is going through.

I would use this book in my classroom to talk about the different hardships that different cultures face. I could chose some other books and have my students to compare and contrast these hardships. They could do this in a venn-diagram or in a story. I could also ask them what they would want if a lucky goat could bring them anything. They could write a story about their desires and illustrate it.

"Ruby's Wish"

Title: "Ruby's Wish"
Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2002
Genre: Multicultural
Grade: 2-3

Ruby was one of the one hundred children. Her name was Ruby because she always wore red. If her mother made her wear somber colors, she still wore red ribbons in her hair. One day the children were practicing calligraphy and her grandfather saw that her sheet was more beautiful than all the others so he applauded her for it. One day Ruby was asked to write a poem and she impressed her teacher as well as her grandfather, but her grandfather was worried about what the poem said so he asked her about it. She explained that it was because she didn't want to be like the other girls and just get married, but she wanted to go to a university. On New Years Day, Ruby received a letter from a university saying that "they would be proud to accept Ruby as one of their very first female students." Ruby got her wish and the author knows all this because Ruby is her grandmother.

I thought this book was so cute. I loved it because here is this little girl who wants to go to a university and wanted to be different from all the others. She didn't care what the customs were, she just wanted to be her own individual. The pictures in this book were amazing. It seemed as if I was actually there in the picture with Ruby seeing the same things she was seeing. The illustrations for this book were done on gouache on Arches hot-pressed paper. This book definitely an example of a good multicultural book. The culture shows that of China and how the customs don't allow girls to be schooled and especially for them to go to a university. I think this would be written as an insider's perspective because Ruby is Bridges' grandmother.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom to show my students that it is okay to be different and not dress or do what the others do or what others expect of you. I could have them to compare this book to a book from our culture and see how they differ in what women are allowed to do and not to do.

"Ramadan"

Title: "Ramadan"
Author: Suhaib Hamid Ghazi
Illustrator: Oman Rayyan
Publisher: Holiday House, 1996
Genre: Multicultural
Grade: 3rd grade

This book begins by telling the reader that Muslim means that he believes in the religion of Islam and Muslims believe in one God called Allah. The book then goes on to tell about the Islam religion and how it is more than 1400 years old. In the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year is called Ramadan, which is a month long time period in which every Muslim fasts. There are exceptions regarding the fasting. Old people and young children are exempt from fasting, as well as sick people and pregnant women. Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting, it is also to clean and purify their bodies and minds. It goes on to talk about the service at the Mosque and everything that goes on there.

I liked this book because it let me become more familiar with the Islam culture. I didn't know what Ramadan was or what it was all about. I had no idea what all fasting entold and who could be exempt. The illustrations in this book look they have been done using water color. This is definitely a book I would consider to be good multicultural literature. This book definitely demonstrated cultural authenticity because it talked about the Muslim culture. It walks the reader through Ramadan. I think this book is from an insider's perspective because it is written from the viewpoint of a boy named Hakeem. I think this book identifies with the cultural group of Muslim Americans and the Middle East. I also really liked that there was a glossary in the back with the definitions of all the Islamic Religion.

I would use this book in a multicultural unit on different religious holidays. I would include this book with the book on Hanuakkah. I would have students to keep a journal on the different religious holidays we discuss and what's significant about all of them.

"Festival of Lights"

Title: "Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah"
Author: Maida Silverman
Illustrator: Carolyn S. Ewing
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1987
Genre: Multicultural, Picture Book
Grade: 2-3

The book begins by talking about long ago when all the Jewish people lived in the kingdom of Judea. King Antiochus ruled the land, but he wanted to rule Egypt too. So he sent his soldiers to the Holy Temple where they stole gold cups and dishes from the High Priest. The king became furious because the Jews fought his soldiers so he had the army burn down their houses and took many Jews away to be slaves. Antiochus ordered that the Jews could not pray and they could not keep the Sabbath a day of rest. The Jews began fighting back against the Egyptians. When the temple became ready to be dedicated to God, people came from all over Judea and danced, sang, and praised the Lord for eight days. Judah Maccabbee spoke to them and told them that every year at this time they would call the holiday "Hanukkah" (meaning Dedication).

I enjoyed this book because it allowed me to learn more about the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. I think it is very important that my students become aware of other religions and their holidays. I think this book exemplified good multicultural literature because it presented cultural authencity because it was true and talked about the Jewish culture and their struggle with the Egyptians. I think the author writes from an outside perspective in this particular book because it was based a long time ago, way before the author's time. I enjoyed the pictures in this book. It looks like they have been painted. It reminds me of pictures you would see in a children's book of the Bible. I also liked this book because at the end it gave the legend of the menorah and the legend of the dreidle. It also gave the directions for making a dreidle as well as how to play the dreidle game. It also gave the song "Rock of Ages" which is a traditional song, sung after the Hanukkah candles are lit. It is meant to remind us of the courage of the Maccabees and how, with God's help, they fought for freedom.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom at the time of Hanukkah. I would incorporate it in a multicultural Christmas time unit. We could make dreidles and play the dreidle game. Younger students could color pictures of the menorah. I could also have my students make a journal and keep each culture that we study in their journal and have them write about what they learn about that culture.

A Mother Who Doesn't Deserve or Want To Be One

Title: "Becoming Naomi Leon"
Author: Pam Munoz Ryan
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2004
Genre: Multi-cultural Novel
Grade: 4-5

This book begins with Naomi Outlaw, a fifth grade girl who is made fun of for her last name. She is teased by everyone at school because they ask her if she had stolen anything today? Naomi and Owen live with their great-grandmother, Gram, because their real mother had left them with Gram seven years ago. Then one day their world was turned upside down when their mother, Skyla, shows up on ther doorstep. Skyla thinks that she has every right to be their mother and do motherly things like go to their parent teacher conferences. Naomi had arranged for her new friend Blanca's mother to meet Skyla but Skyla never shows. Skyla wants to take Naomi with her and her boyfriend, Clive, to Las Vegas, but Naomi insists she is not going anywhere without Gram and Owen. Gram then takes Owen and Naomi to Mexico to try and find their father so he can write a recommendation for the children to be left with Gram. When they find him, there is an instant connection. When they leave Mexico, Santiago, their father, says he would love to see the kids over the summer if Gram would allow it. When they get back to Lemon Tree, California they go to court to see if Gram or Skyla will get custody. Gram ends up getting custody because Naomi tells the truth about Skyla and the beer and slapping her.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great multicultural book about Mexican-Americans. I liked how it included cultural markers throughout the book. The Night of the Radishes was something that a lot of families did because it had been something that generations upon generations had done. Bunuelos are a traditional Western dish that is served at the Night of the Radishes. The family being as close as they were was another thing that played a role in Mexican culture. I think that the author does present an insider's perspective. The Author's Note in the back says that Ryan has background in the Mexican culture. It also says that she went to the Night of the Radishes to experience what that would really be like. I thought this book reminded me a lot of Opal in "Because of Winn Dixie" because of the way they both lived in trailer parks but had no one their age living there with them. Neither had a mother in their lives, however Naomi had a great-grandmother who was her mother figure. Opal and Naomi both had older influences on their lives because they hung out with the older people in their lives. There were also superstitions in both books. Opal became friends with the older lady who had bottles hanging from her tree to keep the bad thing away, while Gram had all these superstitions about writing down things they really wanted to come true. I couldn't believe how their mother acted though. There is no way that she was even fit to be a mother because she didn't even want Owen because he had all these problems and the only reason she wanted Naomi was to babysit Sapphire.

I would definitely use this book in an older elementary to middle school aged classroom. I would have my students to keep a journal much like Naomi's. They could make lists of "Splendid Words" and things that they know about certain things. They could also pick a place they would like to go and write in their journal about that trip to, from, and while they were there.

"The Breadwinner"

Title: "The Breadwinner"
Author: Deborah Ellis
Illustrator: Pascal Milelli
Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2000
Genre: multicultural novel
Grade: 4-5

Parvana, who is an eleven year old Afghan girl, lives in Afghanistan which has recently been taken over by the Taliban. Females are not allowed to go out of the house without a male escort or a piece of paper giving them permission from a male to be out. It was so bad in Afghanistan that they didn't believe that girls should receive an education, so Parvana and her sisters had to drop out of school. One day the Taliban came to the house and arrested their father. Parvana and her Mother go the next day to find out something about Parvana's father, but they won't tell them anything. Mrs. Weera and Mother decide that Parvana should cut her hair and dress like a boy and work at the market to make some money for the family to eat on. Eventually Mrs. Weera ends up moving in to the house with Parvana's family. Nooria, Parvana's older sister, becomes engaged so the family leaves for Mazar and leaves Parvana with Mrs. Weera. Parvana begins to worry when she gets word that Mazar has been taken by the Taliban. Father is released from prison and Father and Parvana go to the refugee camps to try to find Mother, Nooria, Maryam, and Ali.

I liked this book. It was slow moving in the beginning but once I got into it, it became a book I could not put down. I had no idea that this is how it is over in Afghanistan. I could not imagine not being able to go out whenever I wanted because I didn't have a male escort. I also couldn't believe that the Taliban did not want any Afghan girls getting an education. I really thought Ellis did a great job describing what was going on in Afghanistan. I also thought that the scene where Ellis describes the soccer game, however it is not a real soccer game but rather a place where the Taliban soldiers took prisoners to and cut off their hands.

I would use this book in my classroom one day in a multicultural unit or in an Afghanistan/ War in Iraq unit. I would have the students to read the book and keep a journal of what they read and how they feel about what they read in each chapter. We could also do a venn diagram or something to compare the way the Afghan male treatment compares to the treatment of Afghan females.

"Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems"

Title: "Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems"
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrator: Carin Berger
Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2006
Genre: Children's Poetry
Grade: 2-3

"The Trumpetoos and Tubaboons"

The TRUMPETOOS and TUBABOONS
are blaring out discordant tunes.
They play them loud, they play them long,
But most of all, they play them wrong.

They open up their brazen throats,
unleashing a barrage of notes
That would be better left unplayed....
Bt play they do as they parade.

Their sounds are jarring to the ear,
As noisily they persevere
And play in clashing beats and keys
Unmusical cacophonies.

They march about in close array.
We wish they'd simply march away.
Or stop and take a silent snooze------
Those TUBABOONS and TRUMPETOOS.



I really enjoyed this poem because it was about music. I've always loved the brass sound that tubas and trumpets make. My brother actually plays the tuba which made this poem even better. I loved the imagery that one gets from reading this poem. It's like I can actually see and hear these instruments playing these awful sounds and marching around! I also love the adjectives in this poem, such as brazen and discordant tunes. I would definitely use this book in my class. I love how it takes different animals and adds the animal to an everyday object and makes the poem based on the new object. I would use this book to read it to my students and then have them to draw a picture representing what they think these objects would look like and what actions they would be doing. The illustrations in this particular book were done by making collages on different types of paper. I loved the way the illustrations had different backgrounds.

Sound was a big part of this poem. They blare and play them loud, but play them wrong! The rhythm in this poem seems to be like that of a marching band because they march around playing the wrong notes. In the stanzas the first and second lines rhyme and then the third and fourth rhyme. So it follows an AABB pattern. There aren't really any alliteration or onomatopoeia in this poem. The images in this poem are amazing because without even looking at the pictures I can see the instruments marching around and how offbalance and off kilter they are since they play the wrong notes.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Title: "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Joseph Schindelman
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1964
Grade: 4-5 grade
Genre: fantasy, novel

Charlie lives in a small, two room house with his mother and father and each of their parents. Needless to say that this family was very poor. One day the paper announces that Willy Wonka will open his factory to five lucky people and their guest so they can see the factory and all the things that go on in there. The first two tickets were found by Augustus Gloop, an enormous, nine year old boy, and Veruca Salt, an obnoxious, rich, snobby little girl. On Charlie's birthday his family gives him a candy bar and everyone holds their breath as Charlie opens the chocolate bar, but is disappointed when there was no golden tickets. The third ticket was found by Violet Beauregarde, a gumchewer who talked very fast, and then the fourth ticket was found by Mike Teavee, a boy who constantly watched television. Grandpa Joe wanted Charlie to find that ticket so badly that he gave Charlie ten cents to go buy a candy bar. One day while Charlie is on his way home, he finds a dollar bill on the street and takes that a buys two candy bars and is going to take the remaining 80 cents back to his mother. When he opens the second candy bar, he finds the last golden ticket. Grandpa Joe was Charlie's guest that he took with him. When the ten people get into the factory they are supposed to follow all of Wonka's rules and instructions or something bad will happen. Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate rivers and gets stuck in the pipe so now there are only four winners left. When the guests go to the invention room, Violet tries some gum that Wonka told her not to and then she starts to turn blue and get really big. She has to leave so now their are three winners left. Next they go to the Nut Room where a machine sorts out the good nuts from the bad. Veruca Salt sits on the scale and is sent down the bad nut shoot. Then there were two. They then went to the Television-Chocolate Room. In this room Mike is turned into a million little pieces. Then there was only Charlie and Grandpa Joe left. All five winners got a lifetime's supply of chocolate but Charlie won the whole thing. When Charlie is old enough to run the chocolate factory, it will become his!

I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love the old version of the movie. I love how Charlie was the poorest of them all but because he listened to Willy Wonka he ended up the richest of them all because he got the chocolate factory. I loved how all the bad things happened to the others because they didn't listen. They were actually annoying. I think Roald Dahl is an amazing author. He is so descriptive in his work and he writes to wear it feels as though the reader is right there with the characters. For instance when Augustus falls into the river, I felt like I was there worrying with the rest of them. I couldn't stand Veruca Salt because she wanted everything! She was a spoiled rotten little brat!

I would definitely use this book in my classroom. I think that it would be a great book to do character maps and journals with. I could also let my students read the book and then watch the original movie and have them to do a venn-diagram comparing the two.

Number the Stars

Title: "Number the Stars"
Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher: Yearling Books. 1989
Grade: 4th-5th
Genre: historical fiction novel

The story begins with with Annemarie and her friend Ellen, who is a Jew, who are racing down the street and they are stopped by some Nazis. A little while later, Ellen is forced to come and stay with Annemarie and her family, because the Rosens had to leave with Peter to escape being sent away since they were Jewish. That same night soldiers come searching for the Rosens and when they don't find them they come to the Johansen's apartment. They search the whole apartment and eventually come into the bedroom where Ellen and Annemarie are. They play Ellen off as their third daughter and the soldiers leave. Eventually Mama takes Ellen, Annemarie, and Kirsti to her brother's Henrik's house. Here they are safe! One night a casket arrives and they pretend to be mourning for their Great Aunt Birte but there is really no one in the casket. All the guests are Jews who Peter and Mama takes to Uncle Henrik's boat. When Mama gets back, she has broken her ankle. Mama finds the package that Mr. Rosen forgot to take to Henrik, so Annemarie carries a basket with the package, bread, cheese, and an apple to Henrik. After the Jews are safe in Sweden, Henrik tells Annemarie that the package contained a hankerchief that had some medicine on it so that when the dogs smelled it, it would knock off their scent so they couldn't smell the people who were hiding. At the end of the book, the Johansens are back home and Annemarie finds Ellen's Star of David necklace and says she will wear it until Ellen comes home.

I enjoyed this book. It helped give me insight to what it would be like to be a ten year old girl who is hiding with a friend and her family while hiding from the Nazis. I loved how Annemarie and her family didn't judge the Rosens for being Jewish or turn their backs on their friends. I think this would be a great book for my students to see how people are different than them and they should never turn their backs on their friends. I also loved how Uncle Henrik and Peter and Lise would just help the Jews and be in the Resistence and them not get anything out of it.

I would definitely use this book in a Holocaust unit with my students. I would have my students to read this book chapter by chapter and then have my students to keep a journal telling about the chapter and writing a summary and then some questions that they have about what was going on and then they could ask some critical thinking questions as well. I could also have my students to form groups to where each group had a notecard with a question on it and they would have 3-5 minutes to answer it. At the end of the alotted time they would switch with the next group and continue that until each group had had all the questions. At the end of this activity I would go around and have each group to tell their answer to that particular question.

Mirror of Erised

For my Mirror of Erised, I used clip-art to show you what I desire most in life. I have an A+ on there because I want to make good grades for the remainder of my time here at Appalachian, especially since all these upcoming classes have things to do with my major. The chalkboard is to show that I want to be a teacher in my own classroom one day, with a chalkboard where I can teach my students. One also sees "Master's Degree" and "National Boards" on there because these are two things that I really want to achieve during my teaching career. I definitely want to get married one day to the love of my life, whenever that may be. This is why there is a picture of a couple getting married on my mirror. The storyteller is to represent the fact that I want kids of my own one day. I want to be able to sit down with them and tell them stories, just like the lady is doing in this picture. Through this mirror one can see all the desires of my heart and what I want to happen for me one day.

Harry Potter Censorship Issues

I agree that there are many thematic issues present in Harry Potter. The one that touched me the most is the power of love. I loved how the reason that Quirrell/Voldemort could not touch Harry was because his mother's love is what protected him in the first place. Voldemort tells Harry that the only reason his mother died was because she tried to protect her son. I think Neville Longbottom showed loyalty and courage whenever he tried to go find Harry to tell him that Malfoy knew about the dragon and was going to tell the professors. He could have gotten in lots of trouble but he decided he needed to help his friends. Harry's desire was to get that stone before the stone was taken by the "evil" power. When he looked in the Mirror of Erised, he desired this stone so the stone magically appeared in his pocket. Harry's determination also was displayed whenever Harry, Ron, and Hermione went through the trapdoor to find the stone. Harry was going to do whatever it took to get that stone. He went through fire and drank the potion and made sure his friends were safe. He also was determined that Voldemort was not going to hurt him or his friends. Harry was always forced to break the rules and rebel so he could keep up with Malfoy just because he despised him so much. For example, the incident when the students were not supposed to fly while the teacher wasn't there, but Malfoy tempted Harry and off they went! He also snooped around a lot whenever he felt that Snape was up to something and was trying to steal the stone.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Title: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
Author: J.K. Rowling
Illustrator: Mary Grandpre
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 1997
Grade: 5th grade
Genre: fantasy

When the book begins, the Dursleys are proceeding with their everyday life. That night, Hagrid brings Harry Potter, the survivor of Voldemort's vicious attack, to Dumbledoor so he could leave Harry on his aunt and uncle's door step. For the next eleven years Harry is forced to live with them and has no idea he is a wizard until his eleventh birthday. Hagrid comes and gets Harry and takes him shopping for all of his school supplies. Harry then gets on the train at platform number nine and three-quarters to go to Hogwarts. It is there on the train that Harry meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. When Harry gets to Hogwarts, everyone knows he is Harry Potter by the scar on his forehead. While at Hogwarts, Harry meets Draco Malfoy, whom Harry strongly despises. Harry is extremely curious at Hogwarts and often wonders around so he can "snoop." While he is snooping he stumbles upon the Mirror of Erised, which is a mirror that when one looks into it they see their greatest desires. As the story progresses, Harry, Ron, and Hermione want to protect the sorcerer's stone so they go through the trapdoor to find the stone before Snape does. Through this journey the three are required to perform different tasks, but at the end Harry is forced to face Professor Quirrell/Voldemort. Dumbledore comes to the rescue and saves Harry. In the end, Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup and the students are dismissed for summer vacation. Uncle Vernon picks Harry up from the train platform.

I had actually read this book once before, but that was when it first came out in 1997. So needless to see I had no recollection of what happens in the book and when it happens. I enjoyed it though, and I'm not big on the fantasy genre. When I was little I use to watch "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and then go pretend I was a witch, so I liked reading about this magical world of Hogwarts. I also love the characters in this book, especially Hermione. Hermione reminds me a lot of what I use to be like. I was always the girl who did her research and was always the one who said "Don't do that because it's against the rules!" I really enjoyed the book.

I'm not sure if I would use this book in my classroom or not. I understand where people come from with these censorship issues. I know that some students have a very strong imagination and some students may actually go wild and practice these spells and such. Then again, I also think it is a good book to read just because of the adventure. I personally don't see anything wrong with reading Harry Potter as long as you know that there is no such thing as magic and witches and wizards. If I did use this in my classroom, I would incorporate the Mirror of Erised like we are doing. My students could design their own mirror putting their own desires in the mirror. I would also do character maps or character journals where the students could keep all the characters straight. It would also be neat for the students to have a notebook where they wrote a summary on each chapter that they read, that way they would not forget anything big that happened in the chapter.

Bio Poem

KATHERINE
Sometimes went unnoticed, younger, supportive, and a hard-worker
Sister to Orville and Wilbur
Lover of my family, teaching, and flying
Who feels curious, discouraged, and accomplished
Who finds happiness in taking care of her father and brothers
Who needs to feel wanted when younger
Who gives up her time to take over her mother's duty when she dies
Who fears Orville and Wilbur not being successful, the plane crashing, and her brothers being gone to Kitty Hawk without her
Who would like to see her brothers, Orville and Wilbur, fly
Who enjoys her job as a teacher
Who likes to wear glasses and proper teaching attire
Resident of Dayton, Ohio, United States of America
WRIGHT

"My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me"

Title: "My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me"
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Jim Burke
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2003
Genre: Biographical
Grade: 3-5

The story begins with Orville and Wilbur's sister, Katherine, telling about how when she was four, Papa brought home a little flying machine. The boys wouldn't let her play with it because she was much too small. From that moment on the boys became obsessed with flying machines. They also owned a bicycle shop and used the fact that bicycles are controlled by humans to help them establish how a plane could fly. Their first airplane was a big kite, so Wilbur and Orville had to increase the wingspan each time. They finally thought they had a plane that would work, so they left Dayton, Ohio and went to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where they would have a bigger runway. After the flight at Kitty Hawk, the world was never the same.

I liked this book because I feel that often times the people who inspired and supported the famous people are overlooked. In this case, Katherine was overlooked. Katherine took care of all the cleaning and such after their mother died. I think this book does a great job showing the process that Wilbur and Orville took when designing the first airplane for that first flight. I feel like there is a lot of information in this book that students could use to know what really happened. I loved the paintings in this book. It feels like Jim Burke was there and knew exactly what the boys looked like. THe pictures of the sky look so real as well. The airplane in this book is exactly how I have always pictured it in my mind. The paintings were done in oil with some colored pencils. I also liked the Author's Note in the back of the book. It gave more information on the Wright family, especially about Katherine.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach my students about the invention of the airplane. I also could do this book as a sequence of events where my students could put the process of Orville and Wilbur's first flight in order. I could also use this in a study of people who are often overlooked since this book is more from Katherine's perspective rather than Orville or Wilbur's.

"Roanoke The Lost Colony"

Title: "ROANOKE The Lost Colony: An Unsolved Mystery From History"
Authors: Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple
Illustrator: Roger Roth
Publisher: Scholastic Inc, 2003
Grade: 3-5
Genre: Informational

"Roanoke" begins with a little girl who says that when she grows up she wants to be a detective just like her dad. She calls these open cases "unsolved mysteries from history." For each mystery, she collects as much information about the case as she can. She keeps a notebook which acts as her timeline. She then begins the story about Roanoke. She begins with the first people who came to the colony and then goes through the time period of the Roanoke Colony. It talks about the Indians and then eventually gets to the birth of Virginia Dare. The story ends with a picture of her notebook and what she thinks really happened.

I enjoyed this book. I think it was better for me because there was a little girl telling the story and there were even pictures of the notebook pages on the pages of the book. I loved how at the end, Yolen had two pages that were devoted to summing up what students learned through the book. It also gives the different theories that people have come up with over the years. I liked the copyright page because it gave a Bibliography and Web Sites that students could use to find out more information about the Roanoke Colony. The illustrations throughout this book are really good. It looks as though the people are really there. Their facial expressions look real. Roger Roth says that the illustrations were done in several stages. First, he did tiny "thumbnail" sketches. Then he expanded on these sketches and made the prints larger. He made pencil drawings and then traced them onto watercolor paper. Then he went back and painted the pictures using transparent watercolors, adding pencil for detail and texture.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom. It would be a great study for American history because it talks of Roanoke (the lost colony) and Virginia Dare, the first child born in America to English parents. I also like this book because it would allow my students to tell me which theory they think is right. I could have my students to look on the web sites that the book gives for references and have younger grades to fill out a worksheet to tell me what they found or with older students I could have them to present their information.

Bio Poem

ROSA
Brave, Courageous, African-American, Woman
She was the wife of Raymond Parks and the daughter of Mother.
Lover of sewing, Montgomery, and standing up for what she believed in.
Who feels proud to be an African-American, passionate about what she believes in, and feels love toward her husband.
Who finds happiness in standing up for what she believes in so future generations can have a better tomorrow!
Who needs her seamtress job to help support her family.
Who gives her all in all that she goes to accomplish.
Who fears Mother being ill, African-Americans always being unequal compared to whites, and NOTHING when it comes to standing up for what she believes.
Who would like to see all the "Colored" signs gone.
Who enjoys sewing and working.
Who likes to wear clothes she has sewn when she goes anywhere.
Resident of Montgomery, Alabama, United States of America
PARKS

"Rosa"

Title: "Rosa"
Author: Nikki Giovanni
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Publisher: Scholastic Inc, 2005
Grade: 3-5
Genre: Biographical Non-Fiction, Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Award Winner

In "Rosa", Rosa Parks is an African-American woman who is a seamstress. Rosa's boss lets her off early one day from work. Rosa is prepared to go home and make her husband his favorite dish, meatloaf. When Rosa gets on the bus she has to pay at the front and then walk off the bus and enter back onto the bus through the back door. She then goes and takes a seat in the Neutral Section. After a couple stops, the bus is beginning to fill up so the bus driver comes back and tells the black people to move! Rosa says no and is arrested. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. then encourages everyone to walk for their civil rights. Eventually black people were given the same rights as whites.

I enjoyed this book. I had always thought that Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus but now from reading this book, I see she sat in the neutral section- or the middle. I also liked how Nikki Giovanni gave the background information about Rosa and what she did for a living. I also liked that Giovanni used the word "Colored." This makes African-Americans out as if they are weird becuase they are actually a color like blue, purple, etc. and not just black. I view "Colored" as a degrating word. I also enjoyed the illustrations. I liked how the Illustrator gave an illustrator's note and told how he visited Montgomery and Selma and found that it was hot. He also goes on to explain that this heat is why he used yellow, sometimes a dark hue. He also explains how in his pictures, it looks as if Rosa is being illuminated by the light. He explains that this is because to him, she is like a chandelier, illuminating everyones pathway.

I would use this book to teach my students about Civil Rights. I would probably incorporate this during February which is Black History Month. I could also have my students to look up more information about Rosa Parks. For older grades, I would even give them different topics, such as background on Rosa Parks, the bus incident, etc., and then have them to present this information to their classmates.

Impression of Non-Fiction Texts

When people say non-fiction around me, my first thought is generally, "Oh boy! This will be a great read!" And I do mean this sarcastically! Non-Fiction has never been one of my favorite things to read. I think it is because I normally associate this genre of literature with being boring! I think in order for me to like a Non-Fiction book, the subject area has to be something that I really enjoy and am actually interested in learning more about. I think this is how a lot of children think today about the non-fiction genre. I think it is important as teachers, for us to make sure that we make the subject interesting for our students. If we get interested in the subject and show our enthusiasm for the subject, then I feel that our students will follow our examples.

Response to the 2 Cinderella stories and cultural background

I enjoyed reading the different cultural versions of Cinderella. I feel like it really opened my eyes where I could see that there were different versions of this well known fairy tale and not just the Disney version that I am so use to hearing. I thought it was kind of difficult to come up with the "I Poem For Two Voices" because it was hard to come up with all the different things like what they felt, what they heard, etc. It was also hard for me to put myself in Yeh-Shen's and Vasilisa's shoes to do the "I Poem." "Yeh-Shen's" first page has the Chinese characters that displays what the tale would look like written in Chinese. I searched on Google and found some websites that had suggestions and teaching ideas for the story. They suggested to do a historical/geographical lesson with my students so they could learn about China. I also researched about Russian fairy tales and found that Baba Yaga is the witch in the Slavic fairy tales. It said that Baba Yaga shows up all throughout Russian fairy tales.

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave

Title: "Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave"
Author: Marianna Mayer
Illustrator: K.Y. Craft
Publisher: Morrow Junior Books, 1994
Genre: Fairy Tales, Multicultural
Grade: 2-3

Deep in the forest lived Baba Yaga, an ancient, terrible woman who ate humans. At the edge of this forest lived Vasilisa, her stepmother, and her two stepsisters. Vasilisa had to do all the chores around the house. The stepmother wanted Vasilisa out of the house so badly that she decided to cast a spell that there could not be any light at their house. To get light Vasilisa had to go to Baba Yaga's house and ask for some light. When she asked Baba Yaga for light, she told her she would help her but first Vasilisa had to help Baba Yaga around the house. If Vasilisa didn't complete these tasks then she would be eaten. The doll helped Vasilisa do all the tasks. Finally, Baba Yaga gave Vasilisa a lighted skull to take back to her stepmother and stepsisters. When Vasilisa got the skull home, it came to life and cast out flames that engulfed the two stepsisters and her stepmother. Vasilisa left the house and found an old woman who had no children to live with. She spun some fabric for the woman to show a token of her gratitude. The woman took the fabric to the Tzar and introduced Vasilisa to him. The Tzar and Vasilisa fell in love and got married.

I had never heard this Russian version of Cinderella. I really enjoyed it. I liked how it was not the traditional version where she lost her slipper, but instead this time she gives a piece of fabric away and that's how the tzar falls in love with her. The font in this book really gave me the eerie feeling that something bad was going to happen during the story. The illistrations were very life like, especailly the illistrations of the three different horses. Craft used watercolors, gouache, and oil for these full-color illustrations. The illistrations of Baba Yaga were very revealing that she was an old, creepy looking lady.

I would use this book in my classroom to compare it to other versions of Cinderella. I would have my students read the different versions of Cinderella and then have them to compare each of them to another. My students could do a venn-diagram if they wanted, or for older kids they could do an "I Poem For Two Voices" like I did. I could also use this book to talk about the Russian culture so the students could have some background for this version of the fairy tale.

Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China

Title: "Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China"
Author: Ai-Ling Louie
Illustrator: Ed Young
Publisher: Puffin Books, 1982
Genre: fairy tale, multicultural
Grade: K-2

"Yeh-Shen" is the Chinese version of Cinderella, and is believed to have been the first Cinderella tale. Yeh-Shen is a little girl who has to live with her stepmother and her stepsister because her mother died. Because Yeh-Shen is much prettier than Stepmother's real daughter so she gives Yeh-Shen all the worst chores. Yeh-Shen's only friend is the fish so her stepmother stabs the fish. An old man appeared and told Yeh-Shen that the fish bones were magic and if she would kneel before them, she would receive her heart's desire. Yeh-Shen ends up going to the Festival but on her way home she loses one of the slippers. The King has the slipper placed in the middle of the Pavilion so every lady that comes through tries on the slipper. No one can wear it! Then Yeh-Shen shows up in the night and sneaks up and tries it on and sneaks it back home. The King goes to Yeh-Shen's house and they get married!

I had never heard this version of Cinderella before. I really enjoyed it though. I loved the illustrations that Ed Young included in this book. Ed Young has a very similar method of his illustrations that he put in "Lon Po Po." In "Lon Po Po" Young has a picture of the wolf in all the pictures. He also has most of the pages divided into different sections. This is the same in "Yeh-Shen." In the cover of "Yeh-Shen" you can see a picture of the fish and its fish scales on her body. On every page throuhout the book there is a picture of the fish. Some pictures the fish is easier to see than in others. Some of them you really have to search and look carefully at the picture to find the outline of the fish. I also think that Young divides his pictures up so the reader can look at each illistration carefully and see what is going on in the story. I think Young used watercolors to illustrate this book.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom one day. I would use it in a fairy tales unit. I think it would be interesting to have students read several different versions and have them to do a Venn-Diagram, or have older students to do a "I Poem with Two Voices." I also think it would be neat to have my students to compare "Yeh-Shen", the first Cinderella tale, with a more recent Cinderella tale like the Disney version or one of the newer ones. I think this would also be an ideal time to teach students about the different cultures. For example, we learn in "Yeh-Shen" that the Chinese have festivals to go find their future mates.

"The Three Little Pigs"

Title: "The Three Little Pigs"
Author and Illustrator: Steven Kellogg
Publisher: Morrow Junior Books, 1997
Genre: Traditional Literature
Grade: 2-3

In this version of the three little pigs, Serafina, the pig's mother, decides to open up a waffle business. Her three sons, Pete, Percy, and Prudence, work with her until their graduation day when their mother turns the business over to them. The three pigs built their houses, one of straw, one of log, and the other of brick. The wolf, Tempesto, blew down Percy's house and Percy went running to Pete's cabin. When Tempesto came to the log cabin, the wolf blew it down and the two pigs run to Prudence's house. Tempesto decides to climb down the chimney, but when he gets to the bottom he finds a waffle iron, so they put Tempesto into a taxi and sent him to the Gulf of Pasta.

This was a completely different take on The Three Little Pigs from what I have been use to hearing. This was an interesting story! The illustrations help the students see exactly what is going on. These particular illustrations are done with colored inks, watercolors, and acrylics.

I would use this tale in my classroom for a traditional tale unit. I would do the same for this book as I did for "The Story of the Three Little Pigs." I would have them to do the venn-diagram comparing the two stories. I could also have my students to write their own story using this book as their guide.

"The Story of the Three Little Pigs"

Title: "The Story of the Three Little Pigs"
Author: Joseph Jacobs
Illustrator: Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1980
Genre: Traditional Tale
Grade: 2-3

This story is about a mother pig who sends her three sons off to fend for themselves. The first little pig went and bought some straw and built himself a straw house. The big bad wolf came up and blew the straw house down and gobbled up the pig. The wolf then went on to the second pig's house, which was made of furze, and destroyed it and gobbled up the big. The wolf then goes to the third pig in his brick house and asks the pig to go gather turnips and apples with him, but in both cases the pig was already gone and back home before the wolf came. The wolf then threatens to blow down the house but when he can't do that he decides to come down the chimney. The pig moves a pot of boiling water under the chimney, so the wolf falls in and the pig has wolf to eat.

"The Three Little Pigs" has always been one of my favorite tales. This is actually the version I am most familiar with. I love the illustrations in this book. The colors that Cauley uses are so bright. There are no dull colors in the book. I also enjoy the pictures of the wolf blowing down the houses. Cauley does a great job of making it look like the wolf is right there with you blowing down the house.

I would use this story in my folktale unit. This would be a great book to read different versions of and have my students compare and contrast. I would have my students to read a number of different tales and have them to pick their favorite and do a venn-diagram of it. I could also read this story to my students and have them to write me a story with their own twists.

"Junie B., First Grader Aloha-ha-ha"

Title: "Junie B., First Grader Aloha-ha-ha"
Author: Barbara Park
Illistrator: Denise Brunbus
Publisher: Random House Children's Books, 2006
Genre: realistic fiction, novel
Grade: 1-2

Junie B. Jones is a first grader in Mr. Scary's class, room one. The book begins with Junie B. writing in her journal about the vacation she just found out about the previous night. Junie B.'s dad has a job interview in Hawaii and he surprised her and her mother with tickets to go with him. Mr. S gives Junie B. a camera and a photo journal so while Junie B. is in Hawaii she could tell her story through pictures. This was Junie B.'s first plane trip so she was very excited, but she soon realized that the woman in front of her and behind her were grouchy ladies! At the beginning of the trip, Junie B. was not having much fun but by the end of the trip she had a great day on her nature hike. While Junie B. was on her nature hike a little red bird became tangled up in her hair but Donald, the tour guide, helped her get untangled. Junie B. decided that this day was the "excitingest day ever!"

I love Junie B. Jones. I think she is so cute and has real life situations that younger students could find themselves in. I also think it is an easy read for first and second graders but it is definitely harder for teachers to read out loud. Barbara Park writes these books like Junie B. talks. It makes it confusing for older people who read it and know that the grammar is incorrect. The illustrations add to the story because it gives students the chance to look and see what Junie B. looks like and what is going on.

I would use this book in a small reading group towards the end of school when they are getting ready to go on their own vacations. It would also be a cute little story to read aloud when I'm looking for things to occupy some free time at the end of the day.

"Little Red Cap"

Title: Little Red Cap
Author: The Brothers Grimm
Illustrator: Lizbeth Zwerger
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group, 1987
Genre: Traditional Literature Picture Book
Grade: 2-4

Grandmother made Little Red Cap a red, silk wrap that Little Red Cap wore all the time. One day grandmother was sick and Little Red Cap's mother asked her to take a cake and a bottle of wine to grandmother. On her way, Little Red Cap met the wolf and the wolf asks a lot of questions regarding the grandmother and where she lived. Little Red Cap's mother had warned her not to wonder off the path but she did anyways. While Little Red Cap was picking flowers the wolf went on to grandmother's house and gobbled her up and put her clothes on and laid down in her bed. When Little Red Cap comes in the wolf gobbles her up too. The hunter is near by and hears the wolf snoring. When he gets into grandmother's house and sees the wolf, he takes scissors and cuts the wolf so Little Red Cap and Grandmother can come out. After the wolf dies, Little Red Cap, Grandmother, and the hunter celebrate with the cake and wine.

I love Little Red Riding Hood. This is the story that I am more used to hearing. It's the more traditional version, or at least I think so! The pictures in this book look like they have been done first with pencil and then filled in with watercolor paint. The wolf looks so real to life with his fur and his paws. The wolf even looks sneaky with his facial expressions.

I would use this book in my classroom to compare it with her versions of Little Red Riding Hood. It would be great to use in the folk tales' unit.

"Lon Po Po"

Title: Lon Po Po
Author and Illustrator: Ed Young
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1989
Genre: Traditional Literature Picture Book
Grade: 2-4

"Lon Po Po" is the Chinese tale of Little Red Riding Hood. There are three sisters- Shang, Tao, and Paotze- and their mother decides to leave them at home while she goes to visit their grandmother for her birthday. She tells them to stay inside and make sure the door is latched. The wolf sees the mother leave so he disguises himself as their grandmother, Po Po, and comes and knocks on the door. The children let him in. Before long, they all climb into bed. While laying there, the sisters talk about Po Po's feet and how they have a bush on it and how her hands have thorns on them. The children then decide they want some gingko nuts so they go outside and climb the tree and begin eating the nuts. Po Po wants some nuts but the children tell her that she must pick her own nuts or they will do her no good. The children get the idea to have Po Po tie a string to the basket and throw them the other end and they will pull her up the tree. On the third try, the children drop her again but this time the wolf bumps his head and his heart broke into pieces. The next day their mother arrives with gifts from their real Po Po.

I liked this book but it was a lot different from the traditional Little Red Riding Hood story that I grew up listening to. In this particular story, the mother goes to visit the grandmother instead of Little Red Riding Hood going. The pictures in this book look like charcoal pencil in some spots and then water color painting in other pictures. Little Red Riding Hood use to be one of my favorite stories when I was smaller so I enjoyed reading an alternative version.

I would use this book in my classroom in my unit of folk tales. I could have my students to read the book and then read other versions of the same story and then have them to make a Venn-Diagram comparing the different stories. I could use a variety of books for this unit and not just Little Red Riding Hood.

"Swamp Angel"

Title: "Swamp Angel"
Author: Anne Isaacs
Illustrator: Pul O. Zelinsky
Publisher: Puffin Books, 1994
Genre: Traditional Literature Picture Book, Caldecott Honor Book
Grade: 2-3

"Swamp Angel" begins with a couple who had just given birth to their daughter, Angelica Longrider, on August 1, 1815. She grew to be much larger than everyone else in Tennessee so Angelica began helping people in trouble. She even helps a wagon out of the mud. Then, one summer day, there was a huge bear, Thundering Tarnation, that came around with a "bottomless appetite for settler's grub." Every man in Tennessee tried to kill Thundering Tarnation, but none of them were successful. Eventually Swamp Angel (Angelica) was the only one who hadn't met up with Tarnation so she finds him and they begin to fight. They wrestled night and day, even in their sleep. While they were sleeping they began snoring. Their snoring was so loud it shook the forest and caused a tree to fall right down onto Tarnation. That night Tennessee had the biggest celebration and everyone ate Tarnation.

I thought this book was okay. It wasn't really one of my favorites. I'm more of the fairy tale type of person. It was still a good book though. I loved how this "swamp angel" was so strong she could do anything. She even rescued her town from Tarnation. The illustrations were my favorite part. To make these illustrations, Zelinsky painted with oil on cherry, maple, and birch veneers. Each picture is in an oval shape with the remainder of the page looking like piece of wood. Zelinsky does a great job of making sure all the other objects in the picture are small, life-sized and then the Swamp Angel is a lot bigger than everything else. Everything looks so real. For example, on the cover the Swamp Angel's feet look like real, true-to-life feet.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach my students about tall tales. I could include this book in a whole unit on tall tales. This book could also be used to show my students about frontier and pioneer life and how important it was for the settlers to save their food until winter.

"Baseball Saved Us"

Title: "Baseball Saved Us"
Author: Ken Mochizuki
Illustrator: Dom Lee
Publisher: Lee & Low Books. Inc.- 1993
Genre: historical fiction, multi-cultural, picture book- 1993 Parents' Choice Award
Grade: 3-6

The book starts off by talking about a little boy and his dad walking around on cracked dirt, which was where his dad had decided there should be a baseball field. The little boy could not understand why they had been put in these camps and his dad explains that it is because the Americans don't know who could be spying for the Japanese. The boy wasn't very good at sports so he got made fun of. Some people even called him a "Jap" which meant that they hated him. It was the next to last ballgame and the other team was up 3-2 with two outs and the boy was up to bat. He hit the ball so far it went past the guard's tower. He was the reason they won the game! After the boy got out of the internment camp, the boy decided to continue to play baseball.

I personally liked this book. I thought it was a great way to identify with students, especially boys because it deals with baseball. I love the illustratons in this book. Lee applied encaustic beeswax on paper and then scratched out the images. After this was done, he then added oil paint for color. The copyright page says that some of the illustrations were inspired by photographs taken by Ansel Adams in 1943 of the internment camps.

I would use this book in older elementary classes. I think this book is one that students will identify because it talks of baseball and how playing baseball saved this little boy. I also think that some students could identify with the little boy because he was always chosen last and was made fun of. I would use this book to teach my students about the internment camps. Throughout the book it talks of how the internment camps operated. It talked about bathrooms and the mess halls and how everyone ate and used the bathroom in the same place. I also liked the author's note and how it informs the reader of why the internment camps were made and how America finally admitted they were wrong!

"The Wildest Brother"

Title: "The Wildest Brother"
Author: Cornelia Funke
Illustrator: Kerstin Meyer
Publisher: Scholastic Inc, 2004
Genre: Picture book, fantasy
Age Range: K-2

This book is about a boy named Ben. When he wakes up he is a wild wolf but through the day he is also a knight who has to protect his older sister from all of these different creatures. He fights the slime out of the bathroom and throws the elephant over the balcony. At the end of the day when Night comes, Ben crawls into Anna's, his older sister, bed and she protects him through the night.

I thought this was a cute book. It would be a book that would be more appropriate for younger elementary students than older ones. Meyer did a fantastic job illustrating the book. The illustrations are so detailed that a student could tell the story just from looking at the pictures. I laughed to myself while I read the book because it is so funny how a little boy can take care of his sister by protecting her throughout the day from all these different creatures, but when it comes to nighttime he is scared so his sister protects him!

I would use this book to help my students learn the difference from real life from imagination. For example, this book is full of events that are not real, but imaginary. It would also be a good book to teach students that it is okay to be scared of the dark because there is always a bigger person who can protect you at night.

"The Polar Express"

Title: "The Polar Express"
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1985
Genre: Picture Book, Fiction
Age Range: K-6
Won the Caldecott Medal

The story begins with a little boy waiting up to see whether Santa Claus is real or not, but instead of hearing Santa he hears a train conductor yelling, "All Aboard!" The train was filled with lots of children dressed in their nightgowns. They sang Christmas carols while they ate candy and drank hot chocolate. The train finally arrived at the North Pole. Each child got to sit on Santa's knee and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. The little boy doesn't ask for a big, extravagant toy, but instead asks for a silver bell from Santa's sleigh. Santa gives him a bell but on the way back home the boy realizes he had lost his bell, but the next morning the boy found a present from Santa. Wrapped in a little box was the silver bell. His parents thought it was broken but really they just couldn't hear it because only the ones who truly believe can hear the bell.

I love this book! I also love the movie, but I think I like the book a lot better. Chris Van Allsburg does a wonderful job with the illustrations. His oil painting makes it look as though I could reach through the book and touch the children and the little silver bell. I think it is amazing how when the book first starts out the reader thinks it is just going to be about a boy taking a train ride on Christmas Eve, but by the end of the book the reader really finds out that the book is really about believing in something. This book makes me feel so happy because it is about Christmas, my favorite holiday!

I will definitely use this book in my classroom one day. I think it is one of the better Christmas books that are out. I could incorporate a Polar Express day in my class where my students could wear their pajamas and we could drink hot chocolate while we watched the movie. For second grade, I would probably have my students to do a venn diagram comparing the book with the movie.

"The Mysteries of Harris Burdick"

Title: "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick"
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1984
Genre: Picture Book
Grade: 3-6

This book begins with an introduction letting the readers know how this particular book came into being. The rest of the book shows 14 pictures that Van Allsburg has used a charcoal pencil to make. Each two-page spread has a drawing on the right and on the left page there is a title for the picture and then underneath the title it gives a caption for the drawing. However the thing that sets this book apart from any other is the fact that the book doesn't tell a story. It's actually 14 different stories in one single picture book.

I was amazed by this book! I had never seen anything like it! I was amazed at the background that Van Allsburg gives about this book. Thirty years ago a man named Harris Burdick came into Peter Wenders' office and brought with him one drawing from each story. Wenders loved the drawings so he told Burdick to bring the stories that went along with each drawing, as soon as possible. He left his drawings with Wenders but he never returned with the other stories and no one ever heard from Harris Burdick again. Van Allsburg then took the pictures and re-drew them and made them his own work. It was really weird reading through a book that isn't telling one story, but instead 14 different stories. On top of that though, it was hard to imagine what kind of story would have been associated with the picture and its caption.

I would put this book to great use in my classroom. I believe it would be ideal for fourth graders to use when they are preparing for their writing test. I could show my students a drawing out of the book and read them the caption and then have them to write me a story based on the caption Van Allsburg provided. I would use this same technique up through high school as well. I think it would be a great story to integrate into the mystery genre of literature, as well as the creative writing section.

"The Z Was Zapped"

Title: "The Z Was Zapped"
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987
Genre: Alphabet Picture Book
Age: K-2

"The Z Was Zapped" is an alphabet book that is given in 26 acts. Each page is given an Act number and a picture of the letter with its mishap. For example, The A was in an Avalanche. Each picture shows the the letter and its mishap in pencil and the pictures have been shaded in. There are 26 acts because there are 26 letters in the alphabet. On the last page the Z was finally zapped.

I enjoyed this book. I feel like the illustrations are what makes it! It made me anxious while I was reading the book because I would see the pictures and naturally I would try and guess what Van Allsburg was going to say happened to that particular letter. I found myself laughing several times, especially when the D was nearly Drowned and the E was slowly Evaporating. I personally don't remember ever reading a book or having a book read to me, that was like this particular alphabet book.

I would use this book to teach my students their alphabet. I would also use this book to teach my students about adjectives and verbs. I think that Van Allsburg uses great adjectives and verbs to describe each letter. I especially love that the W was oddly warped.

"I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me"

Title: "I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me"
Author: Jonathan London
Illustrator: Peter Fiore
Publisher: Viking, 1996
Genre: Picture Book (displaying poetry/nursery rhymes)
Age Range: K-2

This book is about an older traditional nursery rhyme that has been expanded and made into a story. It talks of all these objects in nature like the sun, the moon, the mountains, the river, etc. and then it asks the object a question. It follows the nursery rhyme but has added in other objects. The book ends by asking the moon if it will dream with him.

I have always loved this nursery rhyme for as long as I can remember. My mama used to always sing me this song, but this was the first time I had seen all the objects added in. I just remember that when I would hear this song, it would put me to sleep because it's such a peaceful song. It makes me feel like nothing was wrong at the time. All I could hear was that song. I love how the pictures are water-colored and they are so real looking. The last page shows a picture of his house and the white picket fence and it looks as though I am standing on that street looking at the front of the house. I love how Fiore shows the boy and that certain object in each picture. These paintings are amazing and I feel like I was right there with the boy each step of the way.

I would use this book in a younger elementary class. I think this book would be a great way to teach my students about the different objects in nature and their different characteristics, as well as poetry and nursery rhymes. I also think it could be used to teach Kinders about questions and what kind of questions can be asked.

FOUND poem of "Aleutian Sparrow"

How could the Americans be like this?
America was founded on qualities of equality!
What is wrong with people being diverse?

How can the American people send these Aleutians,
Some of their own people to camps where they had
To choose between warmth and privacy?
Make them eat powdered eggs?
Make them use a toilet that is an open trough flowing into the creek.

How can this happen to American people when
The German Prisoners of War were well fed,
Had cots and blankets, good food, and a toilet.

How is this possible?
Is this really happening?

"I Am From...."

I am from clean sheets,
from Tide and Downy,
I am from the South
(brick house, white walls, smells like fresh linens)
I am from the clover and daisies
and the bees that sting your feet when you step on them while walking through the grass.

I am from eating homemade spaghetti on Christmas Eve at grandma's house and stocky build,
from Mundy and Calloway and Hendren.
I am from the quick tempered and yet patient.
From "Take a bath you have clean sheets on!" and "I'm going to tell your Daddy!"

I am from a Baptist home where we go to church on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights.
I'm from Statesville, Hiddenite, Catawba, and Elkin,
Sweet Tea and Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
From the time Aunt Dinnie locked my mama and Uncle John out of the house and stood guard with a flyswatter,
The time my mama and Uncle John were sledding and she cut her leg on the tin,
And the time my brother and I ran Papa Rob's truck into the fence at the farm.

I am from the photo albums and Rubbermaid containers full of pictures.
I am from the dresser drawers that contain all the old photographs of my mama and her family.
I am from all these people and all these people are part of me.

Jessica's Response to "Aleutian Sparrow"

Reaction to the websites:
The idea of the Aleutian Islands and how the Aleutians were treated during World War II came as a complete shock to me! I had never heard of the Aleutian people. I did not know that the Japanese made an attack on US soil other than the attack on Pearl Harbor. From the websites I found that on June 7, 1942, Japanese forces invaded the Aleutian Islands and took 42 prisoners of war. In response to the Japanese attack, the US evacuated 881 Aleutian people from nine villages. They were then taken and crammed into transport ships. The Aleutians could only have a single suitcase so they had to decide what was most important for them to take with them. They were transported to Southeast Alaska and were crammed into villages with no electricity, plumbing, or toilets. They remained in these villages for two years. I am shocked that the US would do this to their own American people. I thought it was the Japanese people who took all the Aleutian people and moved them but instead it was the Americans. The Americans burnt the Aleutian churches and homes to make sure that it didn't fall into Japanese hands. It sort of makes me upset that this event is not taught in history class today. All students learn about today is the attack on Pearl Harbor but no one ever talks about the Aleutian people.


Reaction to the book:
I was shocked while reading this book. I felt like this book was very informational to all people who do not know about the Aleutians and their treatment during World War II. The way Hesse describes in detail of how the camp looked and all the many things that happened when they were imprisoned is amazing. They were supposed to be going to Ward Lake. A lake is supposed to have water, but there was no water. Vera says that "not until we are abandoned in the dark suffocation of the forest, not until we count only two small bunkhouses and two cabins for five villages of Aleuts, not until the morning, when we wake, on the floor, a landscape of bedrolls and blankets, do we discover that we cannot, from any corner of the camp, catch a glimpse of open water." Each person had one blanket and they had to choose whether they would use that blanket for warmth or for privacy. They had to eat powdered eggs instead of having the food that they were used to their mothers' cooking. The Aleut men had to build their cabins and the women had to bandage up their hands with the few medical supplies they had. The new cabins had one small bedroom with bunks and a kitchen with a cmap wood-burning stove. The Aleutians heard of a German POV camp nearby and these prisoners were well fed, each had a cot and a blanket, and they had a clean, safe place to live, a variety of foods, and an infirmary. The Aleutians had done nothing wrong and yet they didn't have any doctoring, they had little to eat, and their toilet was an open trough washing into the creek. The Aleutian people were trapped in the camp. It is said several times throughout the book that the forests surrounded them and they felt as if the forest kept closing in on them.

Vera is much like Opal from "Because of Winn Dixie." Vera is forced to mature and grow up while she is still a child. She chooses not to go to school but instead goes and gets a job at the laundrymat. When they got the permission to live in Ketchikan, Vera's mother is one of the first to leave. This reminds me of Opal's mother and how she left her. It seems like Vera takes up more with Alfred's grandparents than she does with her own mother. Opal was the same way. She took up with Gloria Dump, Mrs. Franny, and Otis but finally becomes closer to her dad. Vera also takes care of Pari while she is sick and Vera becomes very sad when Pari dies. This story is so unreal to me. How can someone just be forced to move away from everything they know and love for no reason? How can a young girl come to terms with the way things are and operate like usual?

Karen Hesse does a wonderful job describing the scenes in this book. One of my favorite descriptions is on page 74 where she describes the creek. "The creek there is like a woman dressed in a filmy green gown, her lace pockets spilling with leaping salmon."

I thought it was so sad when Vera says that "something as simple as chickweed carries the taste of home and the promise of healing." These were people who were heartbroken because they had to leave everything they knew and loved to go to tis internment camp.

I would definitely teach this book in my classroom. I would write the quote from page 59, "How many times can a person lose their way before they are lost forever?" and ask them to write in a journal what they thought about it. I would also incorporate a writing assignment like Dr. Frye did with us. I would have the students to write down the things that were most important to them and what they would take with them if they were told they were moving and could only bring what they could carry in a suitcase. I truly believe that by helping children to recognize inustice that we can empower them to intiate change. The students that we will be teaching is the future of this world. I feel if we can show them these situations of injustice then there will be a better chance of it not happening again in the future. I think we can help our students become more empathetic and compassionate by showing that we are empathetic and compassionate. We can also make them realize how awful these events were by asking them to imagine that they are in this same situation. I feel like students today feel like everyone is so different from them based on the color of the skin or what may be going on at home, but in the end everyone is the same. The Aleutians are Americans just like we are! Everyone has the same feelings on the inside for the objects and people that they care about the most. This book is definitely one teachers could tie in as social injustice or just simply teaching their students that everyone goes through hardships and no matter how people look or act on the outside, they are all the same on the inside.

The Widow's Broom

Title: "The Widow's Broom"
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company in 1992
Genre: fictional picture book, fantasy
Grade: K-3

This book begins with a witch flying on her broom but her broom lost its power so she fell into Widow Shaw's garden. When the witch wakes up, Widow Shaw is standing over her. Widow Shaw takes the witch into her house and puts her to bed. When the widow gets up the next morning, the witch is gone but she has left her broom with the widow. The broom begins sweeping the kitchen by itself and then the widow teaches the broom to do many other chores around the house. Mr. Spivey, one of Widow Shaw's neighbors, thinks the broom is evil and dangerous so he takes the broom outside and burns it to ashes. Minna Shaw sees the ghost of the broom and tells Mr. Spivey that the broom is carrying a ax and circling his house. The next morning the Spiveys move. The end of the book shows the widow sitting in her chair asleep while the broom she had covered with white paint plays on the piano.

I was very surprised by the end of the book. I really thought it was going to be a type of Halloween story where there really was a ghost involved but to find out it was really just the broom painted white. It was a very entertaining book! I liked the book. I loved the illustrations and how Chris Van Allsburg uses pencil and sketches all the pictures. There were no colors in book, other than the black and white.

I was use this book around Halloween. I would use it to integrate drawings as well as fiction and imagination. I think imagination is an important part to this story. The students have to imagine that there is a witch and a magic broom. I could also have them write a story or draw a picture of what they would have their magic brooms to do.

Bad Day at Riverbend

Title: Bad Day at Riverbend
Author and Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston in 1995
Genre: Fictional Picture Book
Grades: K-3

This book begins in Riverbend which is a quiet little town. It was set a long time ago when there was a sheriff and a jailhouse and people rode on horses and in carriages and wagons. The coachman is missing but the sheriff finally found him sitting on the ground behind a rock. The town became covered in hideous marks and stripes, so when the sheriff and the coachman came back to town all the people were gathered inside the hotel hiding from whatever was making these stripes and marks. The sheriff and some of the men townspeople decided to go find what was making these marks so they go out and find a man at the bottom of teh hill who was as tall as a cottonwood tree and as skinny as a broomstick. The townspeople began over the hill and then they were frozen in the bright light that filled the sky. Then it was gone!

When I first glanced through the book at the pictures I couldn't figure out if someone had taken a crayon and colored the book or if it was supposed to be like that. I soon found out that I had to read the story to figure out the pictures. I loved this story! I thought it was amazing how Chris Van Allsburg had this little boy in a red cowboy hat coloring the coloring book. I had no idea it was a coloring book until the very end. Based on reading level I feel like this book would be more appropriate for second or third graders but I think it could be appreciated on up through elementary school. It's a great picture book and story for kindergarten and first grade. I think they would need more help understanding that there was a little boy coloring this coloring book and that is why the pages look like they do. I have never read a book like this before. But while I've been doing this project on Chris Van Allsburg I have realized that his illustrations are sometimes different than other illustrators I am more familiar with.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom. I think it needs to be read to kindergarten through first maybe even second grade but the third graders could do it themselves. This book is a great book for children to use their imagination and they can imagine themselves coloring their own coloring book. As a teacher I could have my students to write their own story and color it and draw in whatever they want, just like the little boy drew himself at the bottom of the hill. This book could also be used to show students what old towns looked like long ago.

Because of Winn Dixie

I have never read this book nor seen the movie, but I remember seeing previews for the movie and thinking that it would be a movie I would want to see. When I began reading this book, I was a little confused. I wasn't sure why Opal referred to her daddy as "the preacher" instead of "daddy." I loved how the story began though by Opal going to the store for macaroni and cheese, rice, and two tomatoes but she comes back with a dog. I thought Kate DiCamillo did a wonderful job describing Winn Dixie. When she says that he "looks like a big piece of old brown carpet that had been left out in the rain," I can just imagine this brown carpet and imagine how shabby the dog must look. I loved how Winn Dixie became the first friend Opal had made since she moved. A part of the book that really got me is when Opal asks her daddy to tell her ten things about her mom. Later on in the story when they can't find Winn Dixie, I almost cried when Opal thinks about making the list of ten things about Winn Dixie to tell people. Thank goodness Winn Dixie was still at the house and Opal never had to make that list!

Langer has four different stances that he believes readers take while they read a text. "Being out and stepping in" is when readers make their initial contact with a book. In this case, the readers are immediately told of how Opal found Winn Dixie and why she brought Winn Dixie home. "Being in and moving through" is when the reader begins to build a personal envisionment. This stance is when the reader becomes so engrossed in the story that they don't want to put it down. This was the case with me. In this stance we begin to see who Opal really is and how she begins to make new friends as the time passes. "Being in and stepping out" is when readers reflect on how the story plays into their own lives. This is more of the stance that I had while I was reading this book. I imagined what it would have been like to be in Opal's shoes. Her mother had left her, her daddy was a preacher, they had moved, she didn't have any friends. It was almost as if the whole world was against her. But once she meets Winn Dixie, she meets her best friend. Later on Opal makes a friend with the librarian Miss Franny. The "witch" that the boys tell her about isn't really a witch. Opal becomes friends with Gloria Dump, the witch. She even begins coming by and visiting her and reads her "Gone with the Wind." Opal wants to get a job at Gertrude's to pay for Winn Dixie's leash, so she meets Otis. Opal finds out that Otis was in jail but she later figures out it wasn't for anything that bad. I just thought it was amazing how DiCamillo brought this story to her reader in a way that makes them feel like they are there beside Opal making all these new friends. Sweetie Pie was one of my favorites. I loved how she invited Opal to her birthday party even though it was a long way away. Sweetie Pie wanted a friend too and she found one! My favorite friendship that took place in the book was between Opal and Dunlap. Dunlap was one of the boys who gave Opal a hard time and told her that Gloria Dump was a witch. Amanda was also another character in the book that Opal became friends with. Opal wasn't too fond of Amanda at first and then she found out her younger brother had drowned and from that time on she just felt sorr for Amanda. The final stance is "stepping out and objectifying the experience" which is where the readers reflect on the story as a crafted object. Through this book I think that students are able to realize that they can make friends of any age or size or from any background. All that matters is that they have good friends that they can count on.

My favorite part of the book is at the end where all of Opal's friends come together for a party at Gloria Dump's house. I think it is wonderful that DiCamillo ended the story on a happy note with all the friends getting along and singing to Otis's guitar.

I really didn't think of this book being a cultural book until just now. I think that one could incorporate this into their class because it shows how Opal moved somewhere where things were different than what she was used to. It's also a good thing to point out that Opal's friends all come from different backgrounds and they are all different ages.

I would definitely use this book in my class. I feel like it would really help students who come from broken homes or from rough backgrounds to realize that it is going to be okay and that they can have friends that are any age. Like Otis and Miss Franny and Gloria Dump were all much older than Opal. I think sometimes it is better to have some older friends just as long as you hold on to friends that are your own age.

"Jessica"

Author and Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Puffin Books, 1989
Picture Book- Fiction
Grade: K-2

This book is about this little girl named Ruthie Simms. She didn't have a dog, a cat, a brother, or a sister but Jessica was the next best thing. Jessica was Ruthie's imaginary friend. Wherever Ruthie went or whatever Ruthie did, Jessica was right there with her. On the night before Ruthie's first day of kindergarten, Ruthie's parents told her that they thought Jessica should stay at home. Jessica went to school with Ruthie anyway. While Ruthie's teacher was going over the childrens' names Ruthie and another little girl named Jessica were'nt listening. When the kinders went to the bathroom they had to have a partner. A little girl came up to Ruthie and asked her if she would be her partner. Ruthie said yes and asked the little girl her name. Her name was Jessica, so Ruthie's best friend really was Jessica.


I love this book! My mama bought me this book when I was little because it's title was my name! I think this book is a good book because it identifies with children who have imaginary friends. The illustrations in this book show Ruthie doing things like eating, buiding towers, and looking at books. In the pictures there is always an empty chair or spot for Jessica. These illustrations also have captions where Ruthie is talking to Jessica. I also like how there are a couple pages that are solid colors when Ruthie's parents tell her that "There is no Jessica!" The last page is probably my favorite page out of the whole book. It shows the real Jessica and Ruthie doing everything together.

I would definitely use this book to teach my students the difference in imaginary friends and real friends. It also gives students ideas of what they can do with their friends.

"Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom"

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Hyperion Books for Children, 2006
Picture Book- historical
Grade 3-6
Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Award

The story begins with Harriet talking to God asking how she will get away from her master. When the night comes Harriet flees. Harriet travels at night and continues to ask God for guidance and to keep her safe during her escape. God always tells Harriet what to do and how to stay safe. When Harriet thinks she is too weak to continue on her journey, God always has encouragement for her and always protects her from the patrollers. When Harriet finally gets to the Promised Land, Philadelphia, Harriet wants to go back down south and free her people. God tells her to go down there and rescue them. This became known as teh Underground Railroad. When the free slaves sing praise to her she always makes sure to give credit to the Lord.

I had never read this book until now. I love it though. In today's society so many people are getting away from any form of literature that mentions God. I think this book is a great book. The text keeps the readers' attention through the way it alternates from regular print while they're telling the story, to italics when Harriet is talking to God, and then bigger, bolder, light-colored print when it is the Lord talking. The illustrations are remarkable. They are two-page spread pictures. The picture shows exactly what the text is explaining. I think illustrations are very important for younger kids, especially ages 5-8. The illustrations keep their attention and the illustrations are how the children can tell what is happening in the story.This book definitely deserved the Caldecott Honor because the illustrations are remarkable. The colors and the background of each picture is unique. You can tell the story just from the pictures. These particular pictures that Kadir Nelson uses are oil paintings. The pictures are very dark because Harriet Tubman could only travel at night. I love the picture that shows Harriet sitting on the ground and the reader can see how bad her feet look. They look so real and as if they are really bleeding. Once Harriet reaches freedom the pictures become bright and colorful. One of my favorite pictures is the last one that shows Harriet as a larger than life figure, which I believe she was! She was a hero to all the people she helped on the Underground Railroad.

This book would be a great book to use when you were doing a study on the Underground Railroad. I remember when I was in elementary school, we sang some of Harriet Tubman's songs. A music teacher could read this book to their students while she was teaching her students about the Underground Railroad. I think sometimes the Underground Railroad, as well as slavery, is a hard thing for younger children to comprehend. I think this book and the illustrations in this book will help students to see how the Underground Railroad worked. I also enjoyed the author's note because it told more information about Harriet Tubman and her life before, during, and after the Underground Railroad. The forward and afterward are both very important pages in this picture book. They provide information on slavery and the Underground Railroad as well as information on Harriet Tubman's life.

"What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?"

Author: Robin Page
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mufflin Company, 2003
Picture Book
Grade K-3
Caldecott Honor Book

This picture book explores the many different animals and what each animal uses their sense organs for. It begins by asking "what you do with a nose like this?" It then proceeds on to ears, tail, eyes, feet, and tongue. Each page asks a question, "What do you do with __________ like these?" The next page provides the answer to the question for the different animals. When one finishes the book, the last four pages are the animals and more information about them.

I had never read or even heard of this book until now. I thought it was a cute book. It is a book that a teacher could use with any age group. I think the illustrations in this book are remarkable. It looks as though the animals are real and you could touch the book and be touching the animals. Jenkins uses cut-paper collages which enables the audience to see teh different textures of the animals. For example, the elephant's trunk looks rough and rigid much like it would if you were standing there looking at a real elephant. I think it is remarkable that Steve Jenkins goes all over the world looking for the different colors and types of paper. The pages aren't completely covered with text or pictures which I think really help keep the audience's attention. I also like how each illustration ties in with the text.

I think this book could be used for any grade but would probably be more appreciated from Kindergarten up to the third grade. This book would be great to use when studying different types of animals. The last four pages that tell more information about the animals could be very informative for the students. For kindergarten and first grade a teacher could use this book to teach how to ask a question and then give an appropriate response. Overall, I enjoyed this book and will probably use it one day in my classroom.

"The Thief Lord"

When I first began reading this book, I wasn't sure about what I thought. I wasn't that interested in the book when I first began reading it. However by chapter six I couldn't put the book down. I felt as though this book met all the criteria for being an outstanding children's book. The book was set in Venice, Italy and the book really described the many different sites in Venice. The book provided an enjoyable read. The two plots really played in well. You had one plot that included all the kids and their adventure of working for the "Thief Lord" and told their story of how they were orphans and the "Thief Lord" took care of them. The second plot was Victor, the private detective. and his search for Esther's nephews, Prosper and Bo. I felt as though this book told the truth. It discussed how it would be growing up without parents and how the children had to fend for themselves. This book thoroughly embodied quality. As I have already said the plot was very convincing and had a very good plot twist. The description in this book was amazing! When I read the scenes describing how the air felt and the smell and how everything looked, it made me feel as though I was actually there in Venice experiencing these different things with the kids. My favorite thing about the book was its originality. Scipio, or the "Thief Lord", was an amazing character. In the beginning when Hornet, Riccio, and Mosca are talking about the Thief Lord, I expect some big, older man; certainly not a child! Scipio was a child who was well beyond his years. I felt as if he, as well as all the other children, went through things that only adults should endure. I was completely shocked when the reader finds out that Scipio is well off and his father owns the movie theatre that the children are staying in. I also enjoyed the plot twist when Victor begins helping the children and realizes that Bo is better off with his brother, Prosper, than he would be if he lived with his aunt Esther.

I loved each and every one of the characters. Prosper was a "misfit" as his aunt called him, but in reality he was just wanting what was best for Bo. He couldn't stand the thought of Bo and him being separated. When Prosper sees the detective following him in the city, his first thought is to protect the others. He was a very caring individual. Bo is Prosper's brother and is just a little boy. He gets excited every time Scipio comes around. He can't wait until he finally gets to go steal some things with Scipio. Hornet is a little girl who is with the other boys hiding out. No one knows her real name or her story until the end of the book. Riccio and Mosca are two other boys who are hiding out in the theatre. Scipio is the Thief Lord. He is the one who "steals" the things to take to Barbarossa to make money. He gives the money to Hornet so she can buy the boys' food and other things that they need to survive. Victor is the detective who gets hired by Prosper and Bo's aunt to find the boys.

I loved the way Cornella Funke took children around the age of the fifth graders who would be reading this, and used them to tell this story. The way she used Venice, a real life place, and set up a story of children who steal things to survive and who live in this movie theatre. They do everything on their own and don't depend on anyone else to provide for them.

One of most particular passages is when all of the kids are in a store and they go in different directions to try and outwit Victor. Victor starts following them so Hornet is quick on her feet and starts pretending that Victor is attacking her. These children were very smart individuals.

I loved this book and felt as though it would be an appropriate book for the classroom. I especially found the glossary in the back of the book helpful in finding out what these Italian words meant.

"Carnival at Candlelight"

"Carnival at Candlelight" by Mary Pope Osborne
Illistrated by Sal Murdocca
Published by Random House Children's Books in 2005
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Reading Level: 3rd grade
Summary: "Carnival at Candlelight" is about a boy, Jack, and a girl, Annie, who are friends with two sorcerers, Teddy and Kathleen. Jack and Annie are assigned four missions to complete so that they may prove themselves to Merlin so they can get their own magic powers. In this mission Jack and Annie travel to Venice, Italy where they must save the Grand Lady of the Lagoon. Jack and Annie become confused by some of the directions which lands them in a jail cell with a bunch of rats. When they finally get out they realize that the real mission is to save all of Venice, Italy from a huge flood. The King of the Jungle, which is a flying lion, takes them to the Ruler of the Seas. Jack and Annie asked the Ruler of the Seas to please help them save the Lady of the Lagoon and so he makes the flood stop. Jack and Annie completed their first mission and made it safely back to Frog Creek woods before their mom and dad woke up.

Response: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I noticed that it is an exceptional children's book, one that should be taught in my classroom. Mary Pope Osborne is an amazing author and the way she includes information on the subject as well as pronunciation guides for the readers, are such great features for the students who will read this book. This book really makes one stretch their imagination. If you don't have an imagination, you're not going to enjoy this book! At this time I cannot make any connections from this book to another book I have read.

Teaching Ideas: This particular book could be taught anytime throughout the school year. However, some of Mary Pope Osborne's other books like her research books, could be taught at particular times during the year. For example, she has a book on Pilgrims that I could incorporate into a Thanksgiving unit. The Magic Tree House books have a wonderful website which allows students to answer questions on their particular book. If the student answers all the questions correctly, they are given a passport stamp for the place they just visited!