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!