Cook Children's Visit

Peyton, my mom, and me all had the day off on Monday or Columbus Day. Unfortunately we had to spend about half the day at Cook Children's. Peyton had to have a procedure done. It was not much fun listening to her scream and there was nothing I could do about. However, they have recently finished some of their renovations. They have completely redone the cafeteria, added a Build-a-Bear, and built an indoor playground that is awesome. So after were finished we went to make Peyton a monkey and then played in the Pirate's Cove.

Then we went to the cafeteria and had Chick-Fil-A and banana pudding. Well, Peyton mostly had banana pudding!! By the time that we left, she had completely forgotten about the procedure and was in the best mood.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689849230

2. PLOT

This is the story of a 16 year old boy who is caring for his newborn daughter. His life goes from shooting hoops and playing pranks with his buddies to late night feedings and crying baby. After a tragic accident, Bobby is left to care for Feather all on his own. He now has to grow up and think about what is best for his baby girl, instead of what he would prefer to do.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Johnson does a great job at making this story seem very realistic from the perspective of a teenage father.  The way that she organized the story in a back and forth then and now format seemed to be really effective.  I think doing it this way helped me as the reader to really see the difference in his actions and life before and after the baby.  With the growing number of teens that have found themselves in this situation and the growing number of tv shows, movies, and books on this subject, Johnson has done a great job at making sure that the novel portrays this very serious topic in a realistic way that does not make it look glamourous.  The character Bobby, seems to be one that teenage boys could relate to if they too find themselves in the same situation or to read before they get in this situation.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "any flaws in the plot are overshadowed by the beautiful writing"

From Booklist: "from the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world"

5. CONNECTIONS

Other books about teen pregnancy:

Dessen, Sarah. SOMEONE LIKE YOU. ISBN 0142401773

Efaw, Amy. AFTER. ISBN 0670011835

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, Neil. 2009. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Detroit: Thorndike Press. ISBN 0060530928

2. PLOT
This is the story of a boy known as Bod Owens, which is short for Nobody Owens. When he is only a toddler, his family is brutally murdered as he wanders out of the house and down to the graveyard. The ghost of Bod's mother pleads with the residents of the graveyard to protect her little boy. From that point on, the ghosts who live in this graveyard adopt Bod into their family. Bod is given "the freedom of the graveyard" and is able to do things that most humans aren't able to do until after death. Silas, Bod's guardian who is neither alive or dead, looks after him until it is safe for him to go out into the world. As Bod gets older, he begins to grow curious and wants to know more about the death of his family and who it was that killed them.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Gaiman has done a wonderful job at immersing you into the setting of the graveyard with the ghosts and ghouls.  As the book is being read, you feel as though you are there walking through the graveyard and the headstones.  Gaiman has also done a great job at creating rules for this fantasy world and making sure that they are followed.  Bod is given the "freedom of the graveyard" which means that he is able to do things that normally only ghosts and ghouls are able to do.  However, he is only able to do these things while he is in the graveyard.  Fantasy novels do need to be believable though.  The only point in the story that I did not think was believable was when Bod, as a toddler, crawled out of his crib and wandered out of his into the graveyard while there just happened to me a murderer in the house looking for him.  This story was riveting and made me want to continue reading until the end without putting the book down.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT

From School Library Journal: " Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family"

5. CONNECTIONS

Other books by Neil Gaiman:

STARDUST - ISBN 0061689246

CORALINE - ISBN 0380977788

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kinney, Jeff. 2007. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 0810993139

2. PLOT

This is the journal, not diary because diaries are for girls, of the trials and tribulations of middle school. Greg doesn't want to be the most popular or the most athletic, he just wants to survive. Throughout the book, Greg shares the things that he does to survive middle school. From trying to bulk up in order to make it during the wrestling unit to joining safety patrol in order to get out of pre-algebra, Greg will try just about anything to not picked on.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I thought that the style of the book in the form of a diary was great.  I think that a lot of kids could relate to wanting to write down your experiences with school.  It might also encourage children to begin recording their own thoughts.  Greg also seemed like a very relatable character.  He was not super nerdy, but also not super popular.  I think many kids can relate to that.  I enjoyed the drawings in the story and thought that many of them were very funny.  However, I did not feel like they could make or break the story.  I think the story would have been just as good being read without the drawings.  This was a quick and easy read that I think many kids can relate to.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From Publishers Weekly: "Kinney ably skewers familiar aspects of junior high life, from dealing with the mysteries of what makes someone popular to the trauma of a "wrestling unit" in gym class"

From School Library Journal: "it is his obliviosness to his faults that makes him such an appealing hero"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other Wimpy Kid books:

Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES.

Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Avi. 2002. CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD. New York: Hyperion Book. ISBN 0786816589

2. PLOT
Set in the 13th century, this story is about a boy who has just lost his mother and has no other family to speak of. He is a poor servant boy that has nothing, not even a name. After accidentally coming upon the steward in a meeting, the boy finds himself being blamed for unspeakable crimes he did not commit. He is being tracked down and has been declared a wolf's head, which means is not human and may be killed my anyone. Before fleeing his town, he finds out that he does have a name and it is Crispin. Eventually, Crispin comes upon an abandoned town where he meets a jester. The jester makes him his servant and the two set off to go from town to town performing. After some time the two begin to bond. Eventually, Bear and Crispin learn the truth about why there are people after Crispin. As the secret son of Lord Furnival, he could make a claim to the land and take it away from the recently widowed Lady Furnival. Bear and Crispin work together to escape.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As I was reading this book, I felt as though I had been plunged both to another place and another time. This novel helped me to understand what it was like to be a servant during these times. By giving this time period the face of a poor servant boy, I was able to make a connection because by the end of the story I really cared for him. There were parts in the story that were hard to understand because of the language, but the author helped with this by adding a glossary at the end. This really made a difference in how much I understood the story. This is such a different time period than what I have lived that without this glossary and the author's note I would probably have been very lost at parts. The plot was slow to start, but soon the action began and I could not put it down until it was over. This book made me want to find more historical novels and non-fiction from this time period.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly: "Avi's plot is engineered for maximum thrills, with twists, turns and treachery aplenty, but it's the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear that provides the heart of this story."
From School Library Journal: "a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action."

5. CONNECTIONS
Continue reading about Bear and Crispin's journeys in:
Avi. CRISPIN: AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD. ISBN 078685152X

Other books about the Middle Ages:
Schlitz, Laura Amy. GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. ISBN 0763643327

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN 0142403105

2. PLOT
This is a story of the Civil War from the perspective of the sisters, mothers, and lovers that are left behind. As it starts, Tilly lives with her mother, sister, and her twin brother Noah. There is speak of a war beginning and they can see in Noah's eyes that he is wanting to go. One day a boat comes to town carrying a mysterious lady, Delphine, and her companion. Tilly's mother offers her their place to board. Noah seems to have an attraction for Delphine and this seems to keep him away from the war for some time. Finally though, Noah decided that he must join the forces and go into battle. The thought of her son being away is too much for Mama, and she tells Tilly to go find her boy and not to return until he is with her. Once there, Delphine and Tilly see that these soldiers are not being cared for the way they should. They stay and help nurse all the sick soldiers until the day of battle. Although Noah comes back to them again, he is missing his arm and is in a bad way. They finally get him well enough to take home only to find out that Mama has gone into the river thinking her son is dead. Tilly, Noah, Delphine, and Dr. Hutchings create a bond through all of this hardship that lasts for a lifetime.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story about the civil war took a different approach and told the story from the sister's perspective. This really made the story interesting to me. Being a woman, I felt as though I was able to connect with the main character and made me see the differences in the way that women from that era and my era live their lives. The author explained that he decided to focus on one battle and therefore decided to make the story set in a town that is near there. My eyes were truly opened when it was shown how the soldiers were treated during this war. I was absolutely appalled and would like to learn more about how women helped with this.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience"
From Booklist: "a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other books about the Civil War:
McPherson, James A. FIELDS OF FURY: THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. ISBN 0689848331
Murphy, Jim. THE BOYS' WAR: CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR. ISBN 0395664128

1. BIBLIOGRPAHY
Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0440227534

2. PLOT
This is the story of two best friends growing up together in Denmark during World War II. At the beginning of the novel the girls are running through the streets together without a care in the world, until they are stopped by the guards in the street and remember that things are not as they used to be. Annemarie's best friend Ellen is Jewish. One night, they are told that the soldiers are coming to take all of the Jewish people away and they must hide Ellen and her family. The girls must bravely pretend that they are sisters. Annemarie becomes a hero to her friend's family and the other Jewish families that they are helping to escape. As they are about to sneak the families across the sea to Sweden, Annemarie discovers that an important package that was suppose to be on the boat with them has fallen on the ground. In a race against time and in danger of being caught, she must deliver this package to ensure the safe escape of the Jewish families.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I was truly moved by this story. Children would easily be able to connect with the character in this story. The scene at the beginning of the book really shows that the children that endured these things were normal children at the beginning of the war. This story shows children that they are capable of bravery and making change just as much as adults are. This book was such an easy read with suspense, laughter, and was very emotional. I found the author's note to be one of the most interesting parts of the story. I had never known that these handkerchiefs were used. I really enjoyed how Lois Lowry pointed out exactly which things were taken from history and what was supplemented for the story.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly: "tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend"
From School Library Journal: "Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other books about the Holocaust:
Zusak, Marcus. THE BOOK THIEF. ISBN 0375842209
Bitton-Jackson, Livia. I HAVE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS: GROWING UP IN THE HOLOCAUST. ISBN 0689823959

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. 1998. WOLVES. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0064461769

2. PLOT
In this book, Simon educates us about the wolf, an animal that many fear and don't understand. He tells us that the wolf is very much like our domestic dogs and have many of the same traits. From this book, we learn that wolves are very loyal to their pack, just as dogs are loyal to the people they live with. They play, hunt, and sleep in their pack. Simon goes on to tell many more interesting facts about the wolf.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The real photographs presented in this book add a lot to the information that is provided. Many of the things that Simon describes in the book, you can see the wolves doing in the pictures. This helps to show that what he is saying is accurate. However, the lack of a bibliography is disappointing. I would to have known where he got his information and have resources to look up any additional information. As I am not an avid non-fiction reader, this book was written in a way that was able to keep my attention and made me want to learn more about the subject. If one was using this book for research, they may find it difficult to locate specific information. The book is not broken up into sections or topics and does not have an index.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT
From School Library Journal: "Simon dispels the traditionally negative images of the wolf in this...attractive and simple introduction."

5. CONNECTIONS
Other Books About Wolves:
- Johnson, Sylvia A. WOLF PACK: TRACKING WOLVES IN THE WILD. ISBN 0822595265
- Evert, Laura. WOLVES (OUR WORLD). ISBN 1559717483

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Krull, Kathleen. 2003. HARVESTING HOPE: THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ. New York: Harcourt Books. ISBN 0152014373

2. PLOT
This book tells the story of Cesar Chavez. As a boy, he lives on a farm with his family that they own. During the summer, they spend most nights celebrating with family. As times get tougher for the family, they are forced to leave the farm and move to California to find work. The work they find there on farms is nothing like the work they did on their own farm. The treatment of farm workers is cruel and unfair. Chavez decides that someone has to fight for their rights and that person is him. He organizes a strike that successfully leads to the National Farm Workers Association being recognized and the first contract being signed. Chavez spends the rest of his life making sure that farm workers are treated equally.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This picture book biography is a very powerful recount of Cesar Chavez's life. The pictures in the book really add to the emotion of the story. Although, I would be interested to know where the images came from. Were they the creative imagination of the illustrator or were they real images that were recreated? Krull writes this biography in a way that is very appealing and interesting to read. There was no bibliography saying where the information from the story came from, which I would have like to have seen to do more research.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "historic 1965 strike against grape growers and the subsequent march for "La Causa" are vividly recounted"
From Booklist: "Krull's language demonstrates a poetic sensibility"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other Books About Cesar Chavez:
- Soto, Gary. CESAR CHAVEZ: A HERO FOR EVERYONE. ISBN 0689859228
- Davis, Lucile. CESAR CHAVEZ: A PHOTO-ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY. ISBN 0736884254

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Nelson, Kadir. 2008. WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STROY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0786808322

2. PLOT
This captivating book tells the story of the Negro League. Nelson writes the book from the perspective of all the players who played in the Negro League. You really get the feel of how much they enjoyed playing the game despite all the hardships they endured. Many times they would spend hours on the bus riding to their next game to find that no one would give them a hotel room and have to go and sleep on the bus. The league made it through the Great Depression and World War II. The Negro League finally came to an end when there was a new commissioner and the Major League owners began drafting African Americans again.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Nelson does a fantastic job of making this story come alive. The pictures are amazing and make you feel as though you are standing right along side the ball players. The book is organized wonderfully. Each chapter discussing different aspects of the league. The index in the back also helps for those who are looking at this book for research and need to know something specific. The author's note does a great job at explaining his drive behind doing this book and also clarifies that some of the pictures were not 100% accurate. Nelson has also included his resources for the information for further research.

4.REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "A lost piece of American history comes to life in Kadir Nelson's elegant and eloquent history of the Negro Leagues and its gifted baseball players."
From Booklist: "reads like an old-timer regaling his grandchildren with tales of baseball greats Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and others who forged the path toward breaking the race barrier before Jackie Robinson made his historic debut."

5. CONNECTIONS
Other Books About the Negro League:
- Lanctot, Neil. NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL: THE RISE AND RUIN OF A BLACK INSTITUTION. ISBN 0812220277
- Withers, Ernest C. NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. ISBN 0810955857

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sones, Sonya. 2004. ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416907882

2. PLOT

This is an emotional story about a teenage girl that must move from Boston to LA. Her mother has died and she must go to live with her celebrety of a father that she has never met before. Ruby is none to pleased to have just lost her mother and to now be losing the only home she has ever known, her best friend, and her boyfriend. When she arrives, she is determined to enjoy nothing about LA. She does however find solice in her father's assistant, Max. Ruby begins to open up at school and makes some friends and then slowly her anger for her father starts to disappear. Max reveals to Ruby that it was actually her mother that kept her away from her father. Her aunt had helped him keep up with Ruby and how she was doing. She then finds out that Max is actually her father's boyfriend and they start to grow as a family.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This verse novel really captured the emotions of a teenage girl grieving. Each poem gives the reader insight into the emotions of Ruby. It felt as though I was listening to her inner most thoughts. The structure of verse novel really added a lot to the story. If the story had been written as a reglar novel, I do not think there would have been the emotional connection between Ruby and the reader. The individual verses were very insightful on their own. Each one could stand alone and still be just as insightful.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT

Review from School Library Journal: "This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness."

5. CONNECTIONS

Other books that deal with death and grief:

- Morey, Walt. GENTLE BEN. ISBN 0142405515
- Forman, Gayle. IF I STAY. ISBN 0525421033

- Hoban, Julia. WILLOW. ISBN 0803733569

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2001. POCKETFUL OF POEMS. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395938686

2. PLOT

This book is a collection of poems from the perscpective of an urban, Harlem girl. The poems go through the seasons and describe different words that she encounters in her neighborhood during each of the seasons. Its as though she is seeing the words and putting them in her pocket with each of the poems.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This collection of poems really captures the voice of a Harlem city girl. The poems describe the Harlem neighborhood through the seasons in a very interesting way. The girl has words in her pocket that represent the season from her point of view. She takes the words out and describes them with a haiku. I think this is a a great way to interpret the seasons.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT

Review from School Library Journal: "the poems depict sensory impressions and precisely observed moments"

5. CONNECTIONS

Other Poetry Books by Nikke Grimes:

- Grimes, Nikki. MEET DANITRA BROWN. ISBN 0688154719

- Grimes, Nikki. WHEN GORILLA GOES WALKING. ISBN 0439317703

- Grimes, Nikki. WHEN DADDY PRAYS. ISBN 0802851525

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2009. THE UNDERWEAR SALESMAN. New York: Ginee Seo Books. ISBN 0689853254

2. PLOT

This zaney book is a humorous look at the different careers that students have the choice at going into. Each poem cleverly describes a different career choice.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

These poems have a great rhythme to them that is very enjoyable for children to listen to. This collection of poems is a different way to look at careers that children have the choice to go into. Each poem is then put on a page with illustrations that bring them to life. The fun loving poems are light-hearted and interesting.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Review from Booklist: "Puns are everywhere in this playful, rhyming survey of jobs, and the collage illustrations extend the verbal fun with wry, literal images"

Review from Publishers Weekly: "Lewis deserves applause for his sophisticated wordplay and his willingness to push readers in terms of poetic conceits"

5. CONNECTIONS

This book would pair wonderfully with a Social Studies unit having to do with the jobs that people do. This is something that we cover in our class every year, but we usually only talk about the basic jobs. This book would really open up a discission about the things you can grow up to be. The students could then think about what they want to be and write a poem about that job. This would make a great class book with all of the students poems collected and illustrated.

Folktale Book Reviews

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen, 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE: A FRACTURED TEXAS TALE. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0590255061

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a fractured version of the classic "Cinderella". Bubba is a hard working cowboy that does all the around the ranch for his wicked stepdaddy and his two lazy stepbrothers, Milton and Dwayne. Bubba enjoys working on the ranch and never complains about the chores given to him, no matter how ridiculous. Miz Lurleen, "who lived down the road a piece", decided to throw a ball to find herself a "feller". On the day of the ball, Milton and Dwayne work Bubba so hard that he in nowhere near being presentable enough to attend the ball. Just in the nick of time, Bubba's "fairy godcow" comes to the rescue and gives him the purtiest set of cowboy duds. While Bubba is at the ball, the spell wears off and his true self it revealed. Bubba runs back to the ranch and Miz Lurleen is left standing alone. Miz Lurleen sets out to find her cowboy and finally sets her eyes, or rather her nose, on Bubba and instantly knows he's the one. They ride off together into the sunset with his stepdaddy and stepbrothers in their dust.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This comical version of "Cinderella" is filled with stereotypical representations of Texas and Texans. This version has all of the standard parts of the classic, including a protagonist that is worked too hard and a stepfamily that is not accepting. In this version, the protagonist is a boy and is rescued by the girl down the road. This is a great aspect of the story that shows both boys and girls that their role in the story is not always the same. The illustrations in the story really make you feel like you have stepped into the desert and onto a ranch.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT
From Kirkus Review: "so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions"

5. CONNECTIONS
This is a great book to pair with other versions of the "Cinderella" tale. The students could do comparisons between all of the versions and even write their own version.
Other "Cinderella" books:
Gross, Ila Lane. CINDERELLA TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ISBN 0971364915
Climo, Shirley. EGYPTIAN CINDERELLA. ISBN 0064432793

It would also go great with a unit about Texas as long as there are other books read to show that not all Texans are cowboys and live on a ranch.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kimmel, Eric A. 1996. ONIONS AND GARLIC. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823412229

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a tale from Talmud about a boy named Getzel. Getzel was a kindhearted and trusting person. His brothers called him Getzel the Fool because every time he went to town with goods to trade, he would often sell his merchandise for less than what it was worth because he was so kind and trusting. His father eventually stopped letting him go to town to sell until he convinced his father to let him go away to sell something that was not worth much. His father agreed and sent him on a ship to sell onions. Getzel was not having any luck selling his onions. He was sent overboard by a storm that hit and ended up on an island. On the beach of the island were tons of diamonds. The people on this island had never heard of onions and thought they were invaluable. They sent Getzel home with one hundred sacks of diamonds, which were not very valuable there. When he got home his brothers were so impressed that they decided to go to this island with garlic. The king thought this was even more impressive and thought diamonds were not worth enough. So he sent them home with the most valuable thing on the island.....onions.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This old tale has great storytelling ability with its exciting action of the ship caught in the storm and the humorous twist at the end when the brothers receive onions in exchange for the garlic. Although it is still able to portray its lesson of greed. Kimmel makes sure to give information at the front of the book to tell where this version of the story is from and where he heard it. The illustrations add to the rustic feel of the book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From Publishers Weekly: "this traditional tale serves up a pungent lesson in greed and humility"
From School Library Journal: "Arnold's bright acrylic and watercolor pictures, outlined with heavy black lines, give a lighthearted tone to the story"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other Jewish Folktales:
Kimmel, Eric A. THE ADVENTURES OF HERSHEL OF OSTROPOL
Wisniewski, David. GOLEM
Silverman, Erica. RAISEL'S RIDDLE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sierra, Judy. 2005. SCHOOLYARD RHYMES. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375825169

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a collection of rhymes and chants that can be heard by children on the playground around the world. They are silly and at times nonsensical, many of which I had chanted as a child or hear on the playground now with my students.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
These chants and rhymes all have great rhythm and rhyme that lends itself well to playing jump rope games and hand games. Not all of the rhymes were as I heard them, but I could tell which rhyme it was like. The illustrations in the book really add to the silliness of the rhymes and you can see the movement of them in the illustrations. The fun way they rhyme and the silly content make them irresistible to share with others and pass on to future generations.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
From School Library Journal: "The rhythms and nonsense rhymes are irresistible, compelling memorization and participation in the fun"
From Booklist: "Sweet's comical, mixed-media art adds to the wackiness of the rhymes"

5. CONNECTIONS
Other books of children's chants and rhymes:
Cole, Joanna. ANNA BANANA: 101 JUMP ROPE RHYMES.
Cole, Joanna. MISS MARY MACK AND OTHER CHILDREN'S STREET RHYMES

Picture Book Genre

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Willems, Mo. 2009. NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED. New York City, NY: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 142311437X

2. PLOT
This picture book is about a mole rat named Wilbur that, unlike the rest of his clan, enjoys wearing clothes. The other mole rats find this very odd and do not like it one bit. After failing to make him stop this madness with their teasing, they decide to take Wilbur to visit Grand-pah, whom they think is going to set Wilbur straight. Grand-pah surprises all of the mole rats and declares that it is okay for Wilbur, and any other mole rat that cares to, to wear clothes.

3. CRITICAL ANALySIS
This is a simple story that has a great message. The main character, Wilbur, is one that children can connect to and understand the problem that he is facing. Most children have been teased for something and can sympathize with how Wilbur feels.

The illustrations in this book are simple, but they seem to really add to the storyline and the emotions of the story. At one point in the story it says, "Wilbur thought that was a great idea. The other naked mole rats did not." The illustration of the other mole rats picking up Wilbur and carrying him off really adds to how much they did not like him opening a clothing store. In this story, Willems also uses a symbol to show emotion. He uses the squiggly line above their heads to show their frustration instead of using words. The squiggly line goes much further in showing their frustration that words could.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT
BOOKLIST Review: "An ongoing horizontal line lends continuity to most of the pages, occasionally curving to add simple architecture to the scenes.

5. CONNECTIONS
*This would be a great book to pair with a non-fiction book about mole rats. The students would be able to learn true facts about these fascinating characters.
*Show the students the part where he uses the symbol of a squiggly line to show emotion and brainstorm other symbols they could use in their writing to show othe emotions.
*Look at this non-fiction book about mole-rats:
Rake, Jody Sullivan. THE NAKED MOLE-RAT. ISBN 142961739X

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marcus, Leonard S. 2001. SIDE BY SIDE. New York, NY: Walker & Company. ISBN 0802787789.

2. PLOT
This book features 5 authors and illustrators who have worked together to create picture books. Marcus shows the collaborative efforts for beloved books such as Louis and the Fish, The Glorious Flight, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Sam and the Tigers, and The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses. Marcus shows how each of these teams collaborated together to create their picture book.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this book you are given a glimpse of what it takes to really make a picture book come to life and end up on the shelves. Each of the five stories showed different ways that authors and illustrators can collaborate. It showed that some teams work together for only a few books, like Yorinks and Egielski, and some work with each other for a life time, like Alice and Martin Provensen. The book also did a great job at showing the stages they take for making the book, which I find to be the most interesting part of the book. It showed how Egielski goes from thumbnail sketches to full sketches to the full colored page.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly Review: "Readers snared by their interest in the teams behind favorites such as the Magic School Bus series and The Stinky Cheese Man will appreciate the insights into the inner workings of bookmaking, and may well end up appreciating the books more for the energy and ingenuity it takes to create them."

School Library Journal Review: "In this fascinating look at the collaborative process involved in creating picture books, Marcus examines how and why five different teams work together."

5. CONNECTIONS
*This would be a great book to use with an author study on one of the authors from this book. The students would get the opportunity to sort of see behind the scenes.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Juster, Norton. 2005. THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW. New York, NY: Scholastic, INC. ISBN 0439897505.


2. PLOT
This story is told from the perspective of a little girl going to her Nanna and Poppy's house. When she goes to see them, they have a ritual of waving to each other from a special window they call The Hello, Goodbye Window. Together, they play in the kitchen looking out the window and playing different games. At the end of her visit she is happy to go home, but sad to leaver her Nanna and Poppy. As she leaves, she waves goodbye to them from the special
window.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author does a great job at portraying this story from a young child's eyes. It really adds to the simplistic nature of the story. It also helps the reader, most likely a young child, connect to the main character. The plot is also simplistic in nature, but has some deeper ideas that could be talked about, such as the ending notion of being both happy and sad at the same time.

The illustrations in the story are colorful, bright, and childlike. Not only do the words make you feel like this story is coming from a child, so do the illustrations. The pictures give you a warm feeling of love and family and really show the happiness that the main character is feeling while visiting her Nanna and Poppy.


4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist Review: "More intrinsic is Juster's honest portrayal of a child's perceptions (a striped cat in the yard is a tiger) and emotions (being happy and sad at the same time "just happens that way sometimes")."


School Library Journal: "The artwork is at once lively and energetic, without crowding the story or the words on the page; the simple lines and squiggles of color suggest a child's own drawings, but this is the art of a masterful hand."


5. CONNECTIONS
*This book would be a great book to use during writing time and have the students think about a time when they visited someone that is important to them and to write their own story.
*Other books about visiting family to read:
Wild, Margaret. OUR GRANNY. ISBN 0395883954
Rylant, Cynthia. THE RELATIVES CAME. ISBN 0689717385