Reading blog is FINISHED!

It is actually bittersweet to have finished my blog. It was definitely a great deal of work, but also worthwhile. I loved learning how to blog, because I had never done it before this course. I want to incorporate some type of reading blog into my future classrooms, maybe a class reading blog. Students could share this blog with their parents and family, or with other classes. I have read some GREAT books during my reading blog journey! I can honestly say that I would highly recommend every book included within my blog entries!

Included below is a listing of each title included within my blog:
Caldecott Books:
1. So You Want To Be President?
2. The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
3. Coming On Home Soon
4. The (Mostly) True Story of The First Hot-Air Balloon Ride
5. Noah's Ark

Newbery Books:
1. A Year Down Yonder
2. When You Reach Me

Corretta Scott King Award Book:
1. Elijah of Buxton

Book VS. Film Comparison:
1. Bridge to Terabithia
2. Sarah, Plain, and Tall
3. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

International Books:
1. Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child
2. "Let's Get a Pup," Said Kate
3. Lizette's Green Sock

Jerry Pickney Book:
1. Back Home

Laurence Yep Book:
1. Angelfish

Diversity Books:
1. Be My Neighbor
2. Ryan and Jimmy; And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together

Diversity Chapter book "Ryan & Jimmy"

Shoveller, H. (2006). Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press, Ltd.

This book and author doesn't appear within our textbook, but I thought it was definitely worthy of being included under the diversity category in my blog. The story is for older elementary students and consists of eight chapters. I think Ryan and Jimmy should be included in every school media center library because it is a true story that was created from an actual TV documentary about a 9-year old boy named Ryan visiting a village in Uganda, Africa in July of 2000. Ryan visits the village to meet a young African boy named Jimmy (Akana was his African name). Readers learn how communication had started between the boys four years before through a pen pal project in Ryan's 1st grade classroom in Kemptville, Canada. Ryan's teacher started the pen pal project when Ryan became interested in raising money to help build water wells in areas of Africa that desperately lacked safe drinking water. This is a wonderful story of determination and global-awareness for students to read because Ryan takes the initiative upon himself to start raising money to have a well built in Africa. Ryan's peers and his teacher wanted to become involved in this mission to raise money and communicate with the pen pal children in Uganda. By the end of book, we learn that after Ryan's dedication to help build wells in Africa, a foundation was established called "Ryan's Well Foundation." It is now a well-known foundation and Ryan was even able to appear on Oprah to discuss his mission to help build wells.

I love how the book shows actual letters of correspondence between Ryan and Jimmy, along with pictures from Ryan's trip to Africa. Several maps are also included in the illustrations to help students pinpoint Ryan's trip.

I think this story would be eye-opening for students to read about how life is much harder for people living in Uganda villages in comparison to life in North America. Readers are able to see pictures and read descriptions of Jimmy's house made of only mud and a thatched roof. His family had to collect water in plastic containers. The author also focuses on teaching readers about the culture in Uganda, such as family life, school, social events, dress, political problems, and ect.

I would highly recommend this story for use with older elementary students and even into middle school. Students can learn that one student can help improve the lives of thousands of people across the world. In 2005, Ryan's Foundation had built 194 wells in Africa which provided clean and safe drinking water to over 350,000 people!

Book VS. Movie "Sarah, Plain, and Tall"

MacLachlan, P. (1987). Sarah, Plain, and Tall. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

The story takes place in the mid-west around 1910. A father named Jacob decides to request a mail-order bride. His wife passed away during childbirth of a son named Caleb. Jacob also has an older daughter named Anna. Sarah, a teacher from Maine responds to the request posted by the Kansas farmer, Jacob. After writing letters and corresponding several times, Sarah decides to come to Kansas. She is homesick for the sea at first, but learns to love this family. Jacob is cold toward Sarah in the beginning, but grows to love her. This story helps one realize the difficulties that families faced during the early 1900s.

I think the characters are more developed in the movie and viewers have the chance to get to know the characters on a deeper level, especially Anna and her father, Jacob. Many of the same lines are used in the book and movie. I was amazed at how similar they were! Both also express Sarah's love and yearning for the sea and emphasize the letter writing that occurred between Sarah and the family before her arrival. My most memorable moments from the book that also occurred in the film were when Caleb wrote Sarah and asked if she snored, when Sarah took the children swimming in the cow pond, when the family slid down a huge pile of hay and compared it to a dune in Maine, and the talks that Sarah had with Maggie, the neighbor.

I would highly recommend the book and movie. They are a wonderful reflection of each other and neither will disappoint. This is one of my all time favorite stories! I love how it accurately depicts the historical times of the early 1900s. It shows the good times and the struggles that were often faced.

Book VS. Movie "Bridge to Terabithia"

Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: HarperCollins.

This classic story was adapted for film by David L. Paterson and Jeff Stockwell. It was released in 2007 and directed by Gabor Csupo. I had heard this title mentioned for years and years, but had never taken the chance to read the book. I watched the movie a couple of months ago and loved it so much that I wanted to see how the book compared.

The movie followed along pretty well to Paterson's book. The story centers on a boy named Jess that is sort of an outcast at school, but he is fascinated with drawing. He has four sisters, one of which is named May Belle. She is several years younger than Jess and constantly wants to be at his side. Jess meets a girl named Leslie, who moves next door to him. Leslie experiences the same awkward treatment at school that Jess does. It takes the two a while to create a friendship, but once it is formed, the friendship is strong and centered upon their love of imagination. Jess and Leslie put their imagination powers together and create a magical forest that is home to a kingdom called Terabithia. Together they transform an abandoned treehouse into a fortress to protect their kingdom. One day Jess goes to an art museum with his teacher and comes home to learn that Leslie has had a terrible accident while swinging across a creek on rope to get to their special place, Terabithia. The story deals with death, bullying, sibling relationships, friendships, and how important one's imagination is.

In the movie, the viewer is able to see the intricate parts and characters that Jess and Leslie imagine. In Patterson's book on the other hand, the reader has to put together the clues and form their own image of the imaginary world of Terabithia. The movie involves a great deal of digitally animated creatures like large squirrels, birds, trolls, and other odd components of the children's imagination. The movie also takes some of the metaphors a little too far. A good example is in the movie when the troll is chasing Jess and Leslie in Terabithia. Paterson wrote this as a metaphor, comparing the troll to the school bully, Janice Avery. The movie makes this connection too obvious by having Janice's face appear as the trolls face.

I would recommend the book and movie. If you had rather rely on your own imagination to create the Terabithian creatures, you would probably enjoy the book more. Keep in mind that this story focuses on some pretty intense issues, such as dying and some negative references toward religion. This book is actually banned in some libraries due to language, witchcraft-like actions and references, and the negative religious references. I don't think these issues are serious enough to ban this book because they don't appear a great deal in the work. However, this is definitely for mature readers. I would recommend late middle school and up.

Newbery Medal Winner: "When You Reach Me"

Stead, R. (2009). When You Reach Me. New York: Random House, Inc.

This book received the 2010 Newbery Medal. The story revolves around the main character, Miranda. She is a 6th grader and lives in New York City with her mother. Miranda's best friend is a boy named Sal, whom also plays a major role in the story. The mystery starts to unfold when a series of several events happen. Sal is punched in the stomach, Miranda's hidden door key turns up missing, and she finds a weird note that reads: This is hard. Harder than I expected, even with your help. But I have been practicing and my preparations go well. I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. Second, please remember to mention the location of your house key. The trip is a difficult one. I will not be myself when I reach you. She keeps receiving these mysterious notes that make predictions and references for the future. Miranda receives 4 letters in all and tries her best to prevent what the letters are predicting!

The story captivated me from the first page until the last! The whole story is interesting, but not predictable. I had no clue what the meaning of the "homeless crazy guy" character was until the final chapters. I never imagined his character would have such as pivotal role and link with Sal's character. I have never read a book that contained so many discrete meanings, which you don't realize until you have finished the book and reflect back.

This book was written for ages 9-12, but I believe to fully understand the meaning of the story, one should be in middle or high school. As an adult, I even had a hard time fitting together the pieces and realizing what had occurred at the end. The author does incorporate some aspects of time travel in the story, which I found a little confusing but interesting. I loved how the book involved so many complexities, such as addressing life in the city, life in a single-parent home, friendship, and how we are all connected in some odd way.

I have heard that if you read A Wrinkle In Time by M. L'Engle, that it will help you understand Miranda a little better. She actually speaks of this title several times throughout the story as being her favorite book. I did a little research about A Wrinkle In Time and it makes references to past, present, and future occurring at once. This is very similar to how Stead's story unfolds. I have never read any other of Rebecca Stead's books, but after reading When You Reach Me, I would definitely like to look into more of her works.
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Book VS. Movie "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"

Brashares, A. (2001). Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. New York: Random House.

Brashares' novel was created into a film and released in 2005. I remember watching the movie a a sophomore in college, but I hadn't read the book yet. The story is centered upon the close friendship of 4 high school girls, Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen. The four girls have very different personalities, but they all connect together to make a support system for one another. We learn about the adventures and problems that occur over the course of their sophomore summer. The girls find that the summer takes them on four different paths. Lena is spending the summer with some family in Greece, Bridget goes across the country for a soccer camp, Carmen goes to South Carolina to visit her dad, and Tibby remains at home in Maryland to work at a local store. Before departing on their distinct journeys for the summer, the girls go shopping at a thrift shop. They discover a "magical" pair of jeans that fits each of their different body sizes. The friends make a pact to pass the jeans to one another during the summer. The girls also create a series of 10 rules that should be followed while wearing the jeans. Two of the rules were to never wash the pants and you must not tuck in your shirt and wear a belt with the pants.

The movie follows the books pretty well, with the exception of the Lena's character. The movie fails to include Lena's sister, Effie. In the novel, Effie was the complete opposite of Lena. The book emphasized that Effie wasn't as beautiful as Lena and had a more carefree personality than her sister. I found this sort of strange to leave Effie out of the movie entirely. The film also portrays Lena's summer fling (while she is in Greece visiting family) with Kostos a little differently than the book did. There is also an age difference in the book and movie. In the novel the girls are 15 years old and they are a couple months away from being 17 in the movie. Unlike the movie, the book also portrays Lena as being the oldest.

I would recommend the book and movie. This is probably more suitable for older readers, around 13 and above. The storyline of summer romance, friendship, family difficulties, and coping with hard situations would probably appeal most to teenage girls. Although the story follows the lives of four different girls, it is still easy to keep stay on track with the information for each girl. Some books confuse the reader by floating back and forth to different lives, but this one can be easily followed.

My favorite part of the story was Tibby's relationship with a young girl named Bailey. Of course I wasn't happy with Bailey's condition (leukemia), but I liked how Tibby realized how important Bailey actually was. At first, Tibby tries to ignore Bailey because she gets in Tibby's way. Tibby gradually starts to realize that even though Bailey is a kid, she still has insights worth listening to. I loved watching the impact that Bailey made upon Tibby!

Diversity Picture Book: "Be My Neighbor"

Ajmera, M. & Ivanko, J.D. (2004). Be My Neighbor. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

This book doesn't appear within our text, but it is a quality children's book about diversity around the globe. It has even been recognized as a "Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People."

I definitely think that this should be on the shelf in every school media center. The authors do a wonderful job by describing the neighborhoods of children from around the globe. This picture book shows children how one can live in a village, town, or large city, but they are still part of a neighborhood. Neighborhoods are diverse depending upon the location and the cultures present in that area. Through photographs and descriptions, readers learn about how neighborhoods have certain characteristics such as places to play, schools, places to worship, and work places. These characteristics may be similar or different from your own neighborhood. Around 40 countries total are referred to throughout the book. The last two pages provides a world map with each referenced country labeled.

I love how the authors decided to use actual photographs taken of children living in their neighborhoods. Readers are able to see and read about children going about their daily lives in neighborhoods across the globe. The authors stress that no matter where one's neighborhood is located, it should be a place where you learn to cooperate, respect, and be a friend to others.

Ajmera and Ivanko have written many other children's works such as: To Be An Artist and To Be A Kid. Their books are usually filled with pictures showing great diversity among the characters in order to help children grasp the concept of diversity.

I learned a great deal from this story because it included popular countries, but also countries that we don't often learn about such as Brunei and Togo. It was interesting to see photographs taken of children from neighborhoods in these countries that aren't usually emphasized. The map included in the back helped me a great deal to pinpoint where the country was located.

International Literature Awards for children's books

1.) The Mildred L. Batchelder Award was created in 1968 and is awarded to the American publisher of a children's work that was originally published in another country and in a language other than English. The book must have been translated to English and published within the United States during the year before. It is given anually by the American Library Association and named in honor of a former director of the Association for Library Service to Children. The criteria for determining award winners is based upon: focus of attention, relationship to original work, and quality of the United States version of the book.

2.) The Australian Picture Book of the Year Award was created in 1956 and is sponsored by the Children's Book Council of Australia. It is presented each August for a book written by an Australian author. According to the official award website, the award is given to an "outstanding picture book with an author and illustrator that have achieved artistic and literary unity."
The award may also be given to a wordless storybook under the conditions that "the book has a story and theme that are unified through the illustrations."

3.) The Great Britain Kate Greenaway Medal was started in 1955 and is awarded to an illustrator of a distinguised children's work that was originally published within the United Kingdom. The award was named after an English children's author and illlustrator. I recognized two Kate Greenaway Medal winners that I have read before: Helen Cooper's Pumpkin Soup and Bob Graham's Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child.

International Book from Australia "Jethro Byrd"

Graham, Bob. (2002). Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

*Note: Book was originally published in Australia.

This storybook is about a young girl named Annabelle and her fascination with a make-believe family of fairies. She discovers the fairies one day through a small opening in her fence. Annabelle strikes a friendship with the family, which consists of a boy named Jethro Byrd, Offin Byrd (the father), Lily Byrd (the mother), Cecily (the baby), and Grandma Byrd. Annabelle decides to ask the fairy family to come and have tea at her house. The family accepts her kind offer and she asks her mother to prepare the tea. Annabelle brings the fairies to meet her parents. Her parents can't actually see the "pretend" fairies, but they play along with Annabelle and say that they can. However, Annabelle realizes that her parents can't see the fairies and asks Lily why. Lily explains that grown-ups aren't able to see fairies, but children can. Annabelle's mother ends up preparing fairy cakes and tea to share with the fairies. The fairies enjoy an afternoon of tea with Annabelle and then say that they have to go to a "Fairy Travelers' Picnic." Annabelle begs to go with them, but they explain that she can't go. Jethro leaves her with a fairy watch so that she will be able to tell fairy time. The watch was big enough to fit on her finger like a ring. She runs proudly to parents to show them her new watch, but of course they play along to amuse her. That night before Annabelle fell asleep wearing her fairy watch, she looked out her window to see a sky filled with fairies.

I would highly recommend this story for young children. This book involves the fun of a child's brilliant imagination! I relate to Annabelle's strong love of pretending and creative imagination because I was also a child that loved playing make-believe games. Other young children would definitely enjoy reading about the fairy family, especially girls. I loved how the author gave small details of the afternoon tea that Annabelle had with them. Graham described the music played by Offin Byrd and his fiddle, Lily's dancing and the wind chime sounds created by her bracelet charms hitting together, the sound of Jethro's silver whistle, and the sweet singing voice of Grandma Byrd. I could easily create these images and sounds in my mind as I read the story.

Bob Graham is a children's author and illustrator in Australia. He has written other children's books such as: Max, Greetings from Sandy Beach, and "Let's Get A Pup!" Said Kate. His works have received many awards. Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child actually was recognized in 2002 for Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award and won the Kate Greenaway Medal (2002).

International Book from Australia: "Let's Get a Pup" Said Kate

Graham, Bob. Let's Get a Pup! Said Kate. Candlewick Press, 2001.

This book was originally published in Australia. Young Kate wakes her parents up one morning and announces that she wants a puppy. After looking through the newspaper at breakfast, the family decides to go to the Animal Rescue Center and look for a pup. The family carefully looks at each dog and points out the differences in size, color, temper, and ect. They decide to take a small black and white puppy named Dave. As they are leaving the family spots a dog named Rosy. She was an older gray dog that the family immediately fall in love with her, too! They decide to keep their first choice, Dave. As the family walks away from Rosy, they look back at her in the cage several times. When they arrive home with Dave, he acts just like any young pup does. He is active, playful, and cried the whole night. None of the family could sleep for his crying. They decide to take Dave and make a trip back to the rescue center. Rosy and Dave end up coming back home with the family of three. Just like with Dave, Rosy had problems, too! After a while the family becomes comfortable with their two new dogs!

I found the illustrations visually appealing because they were created using a mixture of pen, ink, and watercolors. I was shocked to see how the appearance of the parents were depicted within this child's storybook. The father is shown with earrings and the mother with a nose ring. Both parents also have visible tattoos. I understand that this is a part of our culture in the United States, but it must be more widely accepted in Australia. I don't think I have ever read a storybook from the United States that shows characters in this manner. It seems as if authors from the United States usually illustrate children's book characters in a "clean cut" and conservative appearance.

This work helps readers recognize the importance of pet adoption if they are considering adding a pet to their family. Readers get a basic glimpse into a rescue center and see how difficult it can be walking away from animals that tug on their heart strings. No one wants to leave a pet behind, but one also must realize that they can't adopt every pet!

International Book from France "Lizette's Green Sock"

Valckx, Catharina. Lizette's Green Sock. Clarion Books, 2002.

This book was originally published in France in 2002 under the title, La chaussette verte de Lisette.


The book is about a little bird named Lizette. She decides to go for a walk one day and finds a pretty green sock. Lizette is thrilled about this unusual find and proudly puts the sock on as she continues her stroll. She journeys upon two brother cats, Tim and Tom. The brothers love teasing Lizette and start to aggravate her about wearing only one sock. Lizette decides that she needs to find the matching green sock in order to make a pair. She returns home, unable to locate the matching sock. Lizette explains to her mom about finding the one sock upon the ground. Her mother takes the sock and washes it clean. Lizette's mouse friend named Bert comes to visit while she watching the sock hang on the clothes line to dry. Bert thinks the green sock is a cap and wants to try it on. As Bert is trying the sock on his head, Tim and Tom sneak around the corner and announce that they have found the second green sock. The brothers dart off with the sock with Bert and Lizette quickly running after them. The brothers run to a pond and toss the sock into it. When Bert and Lizette finally catch up, the brothers claim the sock flew away. Lizette and Bert walk back home while discussing how mean the brothers are. Since the cap looked so nice on Bert, Lizette tells him that he can wear the cap for a while. When the pair of friends return home, Lizette's mother has a wonderful surprise waiting for her!



This would be a good story of friendship and sharing for young children. It also provides a good example of teaching children not to tease others. Children would definitely enjoy the characters composed completely of animals. There are two birds, a mouse, two cats, and a fish. I wished the illustrations had been a bit more detailed, but they would probably appeal to children because they have a simple coloring book appearance.

Caldecott Honor "Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride"

2006 Caldecott Honor book


Priceman, Marjorie. Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride. Atheneum, 2005.

The illustrations are wonderful and remind me of the Madeline books created by Ludwig Bemelmans. This story is also set in France, which is another similiarity to the Madeline stories. Each coloful illustration looks as if it were painted and then outlined with black. Although I was impressed by the illustrations, I found the story a little hard to follow on the pages with only illustrations and no words.

The story is based at the Palace of Versailles (France) in 1783. It describes how two inventors named Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, started testing the first hot-air balloon for a crowd of people gathered at the palace. The crowd witnessed a duck, a sheep, and a rooster be the first passengers of the balloon. This historical flight of barnyard animals lasted around 8 minutes and traveled about 2 miles. Parts of the story are based upon factual information and parts are exaggerated to express the feelings that the animals may have had while in the air.

My favorite part of the book was the last two pages which provide a brief history of the hot-air balloons created by the Montgolfiers. Important dates and events are described that relate to the history of hot-air balloons. Each event is also depicted in a small illustration beside the description.

The only part that disappointed me about the book was the fact that the author stopped writing the story after the animals were launched in the balloon. The remaining parts of the story were only told through illustrations and I wasn't really sure what was happening until I read the timeline at the end.

I think students would find the book extremely interesting! They would definitely enjoy learning about how animals were launched in the balloon instead of people. Students might also enjoy trying to decipher how the illustrations are telling the story towards the end.
This story taught me that children's books can describe a historical event using facts, but also with the incorporation of fiction components to spice up the interest of the story for young readers.

Caldecott Honor "The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins"

2002 Caldecott Honor Book



Kerley, Barbara. (2001). The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. New York: Scholastic Press.

It my sound childish, but I actually chose this book based upon the uniquely designed cover that has no title on the front. It has a picture of a man with spiked white hair holding a statue of a dinosaur. There is a large dinosaur head located behind the man. By reading the title on the spin of the book, I figured it was something about dinosaurs but I had no clue what the words "Waterhouse Hawkins" would mean.

I thoroughly enjoyed this true story based upon an artist and lecturer named Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins. The story begins in London in 1853. Waterhouse is reminiscent of his childhood love and passion for sketching, drawing, and painting animals. However, his ultimate fascination was in sculpting models from sketches he had made. In his adulthood, Waterhouse was working on a very exciting project, one in which involved building dinosaurs for display at the Crystal Palace belonging to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. At this time in history dinosaur fossils had been discovered, but no one really knew what dinosaurs looked like. To figure out the mystery and art, Waterhouse worked closely with a scientist named Richard Owen. As Waterhouse sketched pictures of the dinosaurs based upon the fossils, Owen checked his work for accuracy of every muscle, bone, and spike placement.

The book also describes the process that Waterhouse followed while building full-scale creatures. Readers can read about the process and then look at the carefully labeled illustration of the six steps. The author also outlines the major successes throughout the life of Waterhouse. By 1868, Waterhouse was invited to build American dinosaurs for the Paleozoic Museum in Central Park and also to present dinosaurs at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. After dedicating two years of work in preparing the dinosaurs for the Paleozoic Museum, a terrible halt is brought to the project due to actions by William "Boss" Tweed. Then in May of 1871, Waterhouse faces another problem when some vandals broke into his workshop and destroyed his dinosaurs.

By the end of the story, Waterhouse decides to display American dinosaurs in another way. He goes to Princeton University and the Smithsonian Institution to paint a series of painting that showed he development of life on Earth. These paintings included his dinosaurs. At age 71, he returns back home to London.

I love how the book ends with a present-day representation of the dinosaurs created by Waterhouse. The author describes how people can still come to Crystal Palace Park and Central park to view the magnificent works built by Waterhouse.

I think students would love this book, especially boys! They can learn about the actual history of life-sized dinosaur models and the life of the famous artist responsible for creating them for the first time! This entire book was a learning experience for me! I have always loved learning about dinosaurs, but I have never learned about Waterhouse and his important achievements. This would be a great book to incorporate into a science lesson.

Caldecott Honor "Noah's Ark"

Caldecott Honor book for 2003.

Pinkney, Jerry. (2002). Noah's Ark. New York: SeaStar Books.

This storybook tells the biblical story of Noah's Ark. The story starts with God not being pleased with the way people were acting on earth and did not follow His word. However, there was one man that pleased God and loved Him. This man's name was Noah. God decided to send a great flood upon the earth that would destroy all living things and He instructed Noah to build an ark. After the ark was build, God wanted Noah to bring two of every creature onto the ark. Noah could also bring his family to the safety of the ark. Noah carefully obeyed God and followed His instructions. After finishing the ark, Noah and his family gathered food to store on the ark. Other people noticed the large ark and questioned why Noah had built it upon dry land. Then one day the rain clouds started to form. God began assembling the animals to load the ark, two by two. Noah and his family, along with all of the earth's creatures, were safe and sound within the ark when the rains started pouring down. Every part of the earth was flooded and it rained for forty days and nights. To stop the rain, God sent a powerful wind across the earth to make the waters recede. Finally, the ark landed on the top of the largest mountain, which was surrounded by water. Noah knows that there is dry land when he sends a dove out to check. The dove returns with an olive branch. Everything upon the earth started flourishing and growing once again. The creatures on the ark was released back upon the earth to resume their lives. Noah and his family started preparing for their first harvest and thanked God for keeping them safe.

I have heard this Bible story many times throughout my life. However, I have never read it in the form of a storybook. I thought it was written in a manner that would be very easy for young children to understand. I would definitely recommend it, especially for Sunday School classroom libraries! The illustrations were wonderful as well! Pickney did a great job using his famous technique that involves the mixture of pencil, colored pencils, and watercolors.

Pickney has written and illustrated many other children's books such as: The Nightingale, Jump at the Sun, Goin' Someplace Special, Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me, & The Old African. Pickney has a wonderful website (www.jerrypickneystudio.com) that highlights each of his written and illustrated works. The website also provides a description of the many awards he has received and a biography.

Pinkney Illustrated "Back Home"

Pinkney, Gloria. Back Home. Dial Books, 1992.

This book is illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Each page is carefully illustrated using pencil, colored pencils, and watercolors. The images are interesting to look at because they are detailed, but not perfect in appearance because the watercolors merge together to form many different shades of color.

Back Home is about an 8 year old girl named Ernestine. She takes a trip over the summer to stay with her great-uncle, great-aunt, and cousin on their North Carolina farm. Ernestine has a special bond with the farm because it is where she was born. Ernestine and her cousin, Jack, have a few problems at first. By the end of the story, Jack allows Ernestine to name his new baby goat and gives her a small pouch of dried corn to take home for a keepsake of the farm. The two cousins realize how much they care for one another and look forward to the next summer's visit.


I was a little disappointed because the story uses little African American dialect. However, I did enjoy how the author described typical farm life with things such as plowing with mules and raising baby animals. I can definitely relate to the farm life from this story because I grew up around farms. I love to read stories where children have opportunities to explore the many things to do on a farm.

This story taught me that illustrations play a major role in determining the overall effect on a story. The blended colors and variety of shades help to set a calming mood during the story. The colors seem to relate wonderfully to farm life and the time period of the story, the 1930s or 1940s.

Pickney has illustrated many other children's books such as Aesop's Fables, The Ugly Duckling, The Patchwork Quilt, and Goin' Someplace Special. Recently, Jerry Pickney won the 2010 Caldecott Medal for his adaption of an Aesop fable called The Lion and the Mouse.

Caldecott Award "So You Want o Be President?"

St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be President? Philomel Books, 2000.

This book received the 2001 Caldecott Award for amazing illustrations created by David Small. Each page is illustrated in a detailed comic-like appearance. I have to admit that I gazed at each illustration for a long time after I read each page. It reminded me how a child usually studies and explores illustrations with a long gaze in between reading each page. I loved the detailed facial expressions used in each illustration!

This is a wonderful book that teaches children about presidents from the past. It is packed with fun facts, characteristics, biographical information, family ties, notable achievements, and embarrassing moments of our past presidents. The book definitely helps children become familiar enough with our presidents to be able to compare and contrast them. I was pleased to find a page in the back that lists the names of each president in each illustration. There were also four pages at the end that provided a presidential timeline for readers. It included the name of the president, years they served, birthplace, death year, and notable accomplishments made during presidency.

My only fault is that the book is slightly dated because it only runs through President Clinton. One has to keep in mind though that it was written in 2000 and you could also encourage your students to do their own "updating" of the book for our last two presidents.

I have always enjoyed learning interesting and fun facts about each president, which made this book right up my alley! My favorites were about the pony that Teddy Roosevelt's children brought into the White House elevator and that William Harrison journeyed to the market each morning to do his own shopping. I think children will definitely get a kick out of reading about William Howard Taft's specially designed bathtub that could hold four men!

I have never read any other works of Judith St. George or from the illustrator, David Small. Both did an excellent job at combining their talents to create a great storybook that is entertaining and educational. I definitely want to check out some more of their work! This book helped me realize how important illustrations are to the overall effectiveness of story. The detailed, but comic-like illustrations helped create a storybook that had pictures that would appeal to a child and correlate smoothly with the story.

Corretta Scott King Award "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, Christopher P. Elijah of Buxton. Scholastic Press, 2007.


This is one of the best children's novels that I have ever read! I would pick it up now and easily read it once again! Elijah of Buxton is historical fiction that is set in 1860. The story revolves around an eleven year old boy named Elijah Freeman. He lives in Buxton, Canada, a town where slaves from the south are fleeing to for safety as they travel in the Underground Railroad. At the end of the book, the author even includes a brief summary about the actual Buxton settlement that was started in 1849 by Rev. William King.



I loved that this story kept me in suspense throughout the entire book. I couldn't put it down! I also loved the imagery and details that Curtis used to describe the slave treatment. At one point Elijah witnesses slaves hanging and secured to a wall in another town. You can almost close your eyes and see exactly what Elijah is seeing. The southern-style dialect that the author incorporates helps to establish an accurate representation of the culture. It brings such life to the story, but did slow down the reading process slightly. Sometimes I had to go back and read sentences a second time to decipher exactly what the words were suppose to be. That was actually the only downfall I had to the story.

I have read quite a few books and watched many movies depicting African American slavery. Many memories and images from these works flooded my mind as I read this book. It was almost as if I recognized Elijah and was familiar with the African American culture from this time period. The horrible slave treatment described in this book were very similiar to descriptions I had read and heard before.

I have read one other book by Curtis, which was Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963. It also addressed African American history, but focused on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. However, both stories were written around main characters that were young African American boys.

Elijah of Buxton is for older children. I would recommend it for 5th grade and above. It is a story of hope and determination to surpass the most difficult obstacles that one may face. Elijah faces death, dishonest people, and the realities of slavery. This work helped me understand that children's literature can tackle difficult situations, such as slavery, and present it in a way that a child's mind can grasp.

I think this book was very deserving of the Corretta Scott King Award in 2008 and the Newbery Honor Award in 2008. It addresses diversity by helping the reader understand the horrors and difficulties that slaves faced in America. Elijah is a symbol of freedom to his town and helps readers realize that freedom is not something we should take for granted. This is a wonderful story to show children the importance of the Underground Railroad.

Newbery Medal "A Year Down Yonder" By Richard Peck

Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder. Dial Books, 2000.

A Year Down Yonder received the 2001 Newbery Medal Award. This story starts in the year 1937, while the U.S. economy is experiencing a recession. Times are very difficult and nearly 10 million people are out of work. Mary Alice is a 15 year old girl from Chicago and her parents have decided to send her to southern Illinois in order to live with her grandmother until times improve. The story is told from the perspective of Mary Alice after she becomes an adult. She has to adjust to the country lifestyle of the rural town where her grandmother lives. I enjoyed watched how Mary Alice's relationship with her grandmother is transformed throughout the book. Her lively grandmother definitely adds a spark of energy to the story and involves Mary Alice in some strange/funny situations. This story came to a surprising close by traveling forward a few years after Mary Alice has reached adulthood. She travels back to see her grandmother and share a very special moment with her.

Childhood memories of my own grandmother came flooding back to me as I read A Year Down Yonder. My grandmother was very similar to Mary Alice's Grandma Dowdel. They were both hard workers, wise with money, good cooks, helpful to people in the community, would say exactly what they thought, and were constantly getting into awkward situations. It was almost as if Peck modeled Grandma Dowdel exactly after my grandmother.

I have never read any other books written by Richard Peck. I enjoyed this one so much, that I would love to read the book A Long Way From Chicago. A Year Down Yonder is actually the sequel to A Long Way From Chicago. This book reminds me of Cynthia Voigt's 1982 novel called Dicey's Song. Both novels revolve around grandmother characters that appear to be cold and emotionless. As the novels evolve, the granddaughters learn that their grandmothers are showing love for them in a different way.

After reading this story, I walked away with the realization of how important it is for authors to incorporate history into their stories. I loved how this story included important parts of American history, such as the Great Depression, the recession of 1937, the missing Amelia Earhart, WWII, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. Most of the time, students dread reading history from a textbook. However, they seem to enjoy history more when it is accurately placed within an actual story with life-like characters.

Caldecott VS. Newbery

Caldecott Award

The Caldecott Award began in 1938 and is awarded to illustrators of distinguished children's picture books. The award was named in honor of a 19th century illustrator named Randolph Caldecott. Each year the award is given to an illustrator of a book that was published in the previous year. This award is only given to children's books published within the United States. In order to receive this award, one must be a U.S. resident or citizen.

The Caldecott Award committee uses the following criteria when selecting Caldecott Award and Honor books:
1. Excellent execution in artistic technique used
2. Excellent pictorial interpretation of the story, theme, or concept
3. Appropriate style of illustration to the story, theme, or concept
4. Proper delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the illustrations
5. Excellent presentation designed for a child audience

Newbery Award

The Newbery Medal began in 1922 and is awarded to authors that have the most distinguished contribution in the field of children's literature from the previous year. In order to receive this award, one must be a U.S. resident or citizen. The Newbery Award was the first children's book award in the world and was named for the 18th century bookseller John Newbery.

The Newbery Award committee considers the following criteria when selecting a book worthy of the Newbery Award or Honor:
1. Interpretation of the theme or concept
2. Information is presented in a manner that is accurate, clear, and organized
3. Plot development
4. Delineation of characters
5. Delineation of setting
6. Appropriate style
7. Designed for a child audience

Caldecott and Newbery Award Books

Both award committees decided that they would honor additional books that were worthy of recognition. These books are designated as runners-up or commonly known as "honor books."

In my opinion, one award is not more important than the other. Both award committees refer to the same definition of a "distinguished" book deserving of their award. According to the American Library Association website, both awards view distinguished books by the following criteria:

1. Marked by eminence and distinction

2. Marked by excellence in quality

3. Marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence

4. Individually distinct

The only major difference between the awards is that the Caldecott Award features an illustrator from a story book and the Newbery Award focuses on an author. Both awards have strict guidelines that were designed specifically to help in the selection of the highest quality of children's literature. We can depend upon these committees to only choose books that have earned the title of distinguished. Both awards are also sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children.

Caldecott Honor Book "Coming On Home Soon" by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, Jacqueline. Coming On Home Soon. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2004.

"Coming On Home Soon" was a Caldecott Honor book for 2005. The storybook is historical fiction based in WWII. Woodson writes through the perspective of a young African American girl named Ada Ruth. The girl's mother decides to travel to Chicago for work opportunities. While her mother is cleaning railroad cars in Chicago, Ada Ruth stays with her grandmother. Each day they eagerly wait for letters from Chicago. During her mother's absence from home, Ada Ruth develops a bond with a stray kitten. At the end of the story, Ada Ruth's mother writes home that she will be returning soon.

I loved the detailed illustrations by E.B. Lewis. I looked back through the book several times just to admire the illustrations. Lewis did a wonderful job depicting snowy landscapes and facial expressions that captured the emotions of each character. I also loved the sensory details from the story, like when the author describes how Ada Ruth recalls her mother's many scents. It is described "like sugar some days and some days like sun. Some days like the lye soap that turned her hands yellow but got the wash clean."

There were two things that I disliked about the book. First, I thought the story needed a location for the setting. I automatically assumed that it was in the south, due to the fact that Ada Ruth's mother was traveling north to Chicago. However, I think a historical fiction book such as this, needs to have a confirmed setting. I really wish the author would have named the state where they story was occurring, at least. Secondly, I disliked the fact that the author didn't use quotation marks. Instead, quotations were simply italicized. This could have been done for younger readers in order to emphasize the words being spoken. However, I still think that proper placement of quotations marks should have been used in coordination with the italicized wording.

A childhood memory of spending time with my grandmother on snowy days, influenced my reaction to this story. I could relate to the bond that Ada Ruth had with her grandmother and the love that they shared. I could also recognize that the grandmother was a hard worker, just as mine was. Her grandmother is depicted as carrying fire wood and even hunting animals.

This story reminds me of "Back Home" by Gloria Jean Pinkney. Both involve African American characters, have detailed illustrations that capture your attention, told through the perspective of young girls, and based in a similar time period. I have never read any other books written by Jacqueline Woodson.

After reading "Coming On Home Soon," I learned that recent books can be set in historic times and still have a storyline that appeals to the young readers of today. This story depicted life during WWII and was able to show readers how hard times were for some families. Ada Ruth's family had few belongings and little food. Readers are also able to recognize that Ada Ruth's mother took the initiative to go look for work in order to provide for her family. It is important that children understand how parents sacrifice and sometimes have to be away from their children in order to provide. This absence doesn't mean that the parents love their children any less.

Laurence Yep book entitled "Angelfish"

Yep, L. (2001). Angelfish. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

I recently finished reading Angelfish by Laurence Yep. I have never read anything written by Yep, but I will definitely look into more of his work. This is one of the best children's books about cultural diversity that I have ever read. It would appeal to older elementary school students and up. The story is centered on a girl named Robin that is one-half Chinese. She lives in California and is heavily involved in ballet, which consumes most of her free time. Robin accidentally breaks a window at the Dragon Palace Fish Store. Since she does not have the money to replace it, she makes an agreement to work part-time in the fish store until she has worked off the debt of the window. Robin and Mr. Tsow, the fish store manger, do not get along. Mr. Tsow is constantly insulting Robin because she speaks Cantonese and discourages her from taking part in ballet. Mr. Tsow speaks Mandarin Chinese, which he believes is the only true Chinese dialect. He is rude to Robin on a daily basis and explains to her that she is only one-half of a person, neither Chinese nor white. Robin decides to try her best to help Mr. Tsow change his narrow-minded viewpoints about her Chinese background and the importance of ballet. While trying to discover the "true" Mr. Tsow, Robin learns about the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

I would rank this book 10 out of 10 points! The story held my attention and I felt like I knew the characters personally. My favorite part of Angelfish was how Yep made a connection between the flowing movements of an Angelfish to the art of ballet. I also thought it was interesting how Yep included a great deal of facts about Chinese traditions and history. The facts are seamlessly woven into the story.

An important part of my life that has influenced my reaction to this book is the close relationship that I had to my grandmother. Robin, the main character, also has a strong relationship to her grandmother and they spend a great deal of time together. The out-going personality and actions of Robin's grandmother reminded me of my late grandmother. I can definitely connect to Robin based upon the way that she respects and loves her grandmother.

I have never read any other works by Yep. However, after reading and enjoying Angelfish, I plan to explore more of his works. I have never read a children's chapter book that is based upon the Chinese culture. I have read very few picture books that were based upon the Chinese culture. This particular story was unlike any other book about cultural diversity that I have read. It had a realistic and interesting storyline that would appeal to young readers and ordinary characters that children can easily relate to.

After finishing Angelfish, I learned that children's literature can address cultural diversity in a way that can appeal to the interest of children. An author can use a wonderful storyline and detailed characters, while still helping teach readers to embrace and respect all cultures. The cultural message can be gently woven throughout the story and make a tremendous impact on the reader. I walked away from this story with two important messages. First, we should never judge anyone based upon their cultural background. We should respect and embrace other cultures. Secondly, we should never give up on reaching out to someone. For example, Robin never gave up on breaking through to the "real" Mr. Tsow. Although it may take a long time and a great deal of patience, we must be persistent and strong like Robin. People can be hiding behind a mask of many problems and it may take a while to make them feel comfortable enough to emerge from behind their troubles.

Laurence Yep has written other novels that also reflect the Chinese-American culture. Some titles include Ribbons, The Amah, Dragonwings, Dragon's Gate, and The Cook's Family.