Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstiltskin

Author/Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Age Level: 5-8 years old

Summary: Rumpelstiltskin begins the story in a late medieval castle. Trying to impress the king, the miller speaks of his daughter who spins straw into gold. The king was a fool for gold and immediately asked the miller to send his daughter to the castle. She is frightened as she was thrown into the castle without any knowledge of how to spin straw into gold. Suddenly, a little man steps in and makes a deal with her. He spins the straw into gold ad she gives him her necklace. The next morning, the king steps in and sees all the gold made from last night. His is a greedy king and tells her to keep spinning gold if she valued her own life. This pattern continued three times; the girl had no clue what to do and the little man kept spinning gold for her. The third time the girl has nothing left to give so the little man makes her promise to give her her firstborn child and he will keep spinning gold. She accepts the offer. The girl later marries the king and has a young handsome baby boy. The little man comes back years later demanding what she promised him. She pleads with him and ends up agreeing that in three days if she knows his name, she can keep the child. The queen asks her most faithful servants to search for the name of the little man. The answer was not to be found.  When he arrives the third day she calls him Phil. The little man runs away screaming, "the devil told you that!" He then flew out the window and was never to be seen or heard from again.

Illustrations were dramatic, unique and colorful. The illustrator paid close attention to detail with every single piece of straw in the castle. Characters were life-like, excluding the little man.

In my classroom, I would use Rumpelstiltskin to instill the meaning of humbleness into the students. I would have them reflect upon the story and state how they would act differently.

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood

Author/Illustrator: Brothers Grimm/Debbie Lavreys
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: NA
Age Level: 5-8 years old

Summary: The story of Little Red Riding Hood follows the theme of good and evil. One day when Little reds grandma gets sick, she is sent off into the woods to bring cake and wine. Little red gets stopped by a big, bad, scary wolf. He is a devious and hungry wolf who has grandma and little red on his mind for dinner. Once little red gets to grandma's house, she sees her grandma with bigger eyes, bigger ears, and bigger hands that before. Little red hopes for the best and believes that that is her grandma. She soon finds out that the wolf ate her grandma and is waiting for her to eat next. This story encourages readers to follow a safe path and don't talk to strangers. Illustrations filled the pages with warm colors and simplistic forest images. The color tones were color soft and the characters faces' had bright features.

I would use this in my classroom to set an example for the students and have them learn about listening to directions. Little Red Riding Hood would be a great first or second day of school read-aloud so that the students pay attention to how they are getting home and to be well aware of their surroundings at all times.

Uni the Unicorn

Uni the Unicorn

Author/Illustrator: Amy Krouse Rosenthal/Brigette Barrager
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Awards: NA
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: Uni the Unicorn is a magical story about believing. Uni is described as a marvelous magical unicorn that dares to dream. She believes that little girls are real and has dreams of the day that the little girl will play with her, explore with her, and twirl with her. None of the other unicorns believe in little girls, not even her parents. Even though this makes Uni sad, she never stops believing. The story concludes with a little girl being laughed at her by her friends saying that unicorns aren't real. The little girls' parents agree with them. Just like Uni, the little girl dreams of the day that she will be free to laugh and play with the unicorns.

Illustrations in this book are colorful, vibrant, and exciting. I loved the bold colors and dramatic detail on each of the unicorns. Uni the Unicorn is a vibrant and inviting read for all readers.

I would use this in my classroom as a segway into learning about genre types for the children. Dramatic play for the students and teacher would enhance the reading. As a class, we could all make our own unicorn horns to remind us to never stop believing in your dreams.

All the World

All the World

Author/Illustrator: Liz Garton Scanlon/Marla Frazee
Genre: Poetry
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book (2010), New York Times Best Seller,  Cybils Award (2009), and A Parent's Choice Gold Award
Age Level: 5-7 years old

Summary: All the World follows through a day from morning to night. This book appreciates the small and the big things of life. The rhythmic text flows eloquently page to page."Road, street, track, path. Ship Boat, Wooden Raft," writes Liz Garton Scanlon. The author uses a technique of beginning with words as simple as "body' and "shoulder" and can relate it to the big picture of building a moat on a beach. All the World represents the whole world

Illustrations in the book were very powerful and all encompassing of the pages. From the tree to the corn field, to the puddles of water, Frazee paints a bright and beautiful picture of what the world is. With simple characters, the illustrations are bright and inviting to any reader.

All the World would be a great read-aloud with the students on Earth day, April 22. Students can study the importance of environmental protection and celebrate the tiny and big things of this world.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie

Author/Illustrator: Kate Dicamillo
Genre: Fiction
Awards: Newbery Honor Medal
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Summary: A ten-year-old girl named Opal has recently moved to a small town in Florida. She is left feeling lonely in this new place without any friends. Opal is at the grocery store one day and sees a mangy puppy ransacking the store. She first describes him as "ugly" but soon falls in love once the store manager is threatening to take him to the pound. So then, Opal decides to take him home and name him, Winn-Dixie. As  Opal grows and begins befriending the people in the town, she learns more about her mother who left her and her father when she was a little girl. Friends such as Gloria Dump, Otis, and even Sweetie Pie impact her life and teach her many life lessons. Opal and her father are presented with many opportunities throughout the book to grow and learn more about each other. At the beginning, her father seems to be  closed-off emotionally. By the end of the book, Opal and her father have learned to trust each other therefore grow a deeper connection. Because of Winn-Dixie is a book about finding acceptance in oneself, having courage through scary times, and understanding  that friendship is worth the journey.

Illustrations were not present throughout the book, Because of Winn-Dixie.

Once the students have all read the novel as a class, I would allow the students to have a movie day so that they can watch the film for what they just read. This would lead to an activity involving the comprehension and understandings of the similarities and differences between the book and the movie.

I Want to Be... A Firefighter

I Want to Be... A Firefighter

Author/Illustrator: Stephanie Maze; Catherine O'Neill Grace/Annie Griffiths Belt;Nicole Bengevino; Lara Jo Regan; Richard Nowitz; Stephen Ringman; Michael Gallacher
Genre: Nonfiction
Awards: NA
Age Level: 8-12 years old

Summary: This fascinating children's book gives the reader a close-up view of what it is like to be a firefighter. With urban firefighters and wildland fire fighting descriptions, I Want to Be... A Firefighter captures the strength, courage, and determination that it takes to become a firefighter held at such high standards. The reader learns about fireman's training and education through smokejumper training, basic training, and improving fire fighting technologies. Firefighting involves special equipment, methods, and vocabulary. The last few pages of the book include fire fighting terms and definitions for the reader to expand their knowledge. Also included, are the names of famous firefights who made special contributions to firefighting as we know it. Illustrations in the book were real-life photos taken during real-life scenarios. This very easy to read and informational book teaches on the proud tradition of the lifestyle of a firefighter.

In my class, I would use this book during a social studies unit to provide background knowledge on our community heroes. I think that taking the students on a trip to a fire station would impact the student's understanding and appreciation of firefighters as a whole.

The Relatives Came

The Relatives Came

Author/Illustrator: Cynthia Rylant/Stephen Gammell
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Ages: 5-8 years old

Summary: In an old station waggon, relatives drove all day and all night to get to their families house. When they arrived, they came with a bust...knocking down the fence and knocking out all of their luggage! The relatives spent a long time hugging as if they hadn't seen their family in a very long time. The children began playing together and the adults were overjoyed by the presence of on another. Laughter, smiling faces, and hugs filled the doorways. The Relatives Came continues with a big supper for the whole family. Once everyone is content, they find their beds (Even if this means sleeping on the floors). The relatives stayed for many weeks, they even helped the family tend to their garden. The whole family appreciates their differences and works together repairing things around the house as well as playing their own music. Once the relatives leave, the house seems to be very big and very quiet. The family misses their relatives and can't wait to see each other next time. The reader sees what it's like to be a part of such a large family and understand that we need to love and appreciate them no matter what. Illustrations in this book are pastel colours and seem to be drawn in with coloured pencils. Each of the character's facial features are unique and well defined.

I would read this to my classroom before a big holiday break such as Christmas. I think that it is important for the students to see and understand all types of family dynamics even if this specific one doesn't pertain to them. A discussion would be followed with the students to explore their thoughts on what their holiday break might look like.