Frog and Toad Together

Frog and Toad Together

Author/Illustrator: Arnold Lobel
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Awards: Newbery Honor Award
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: Toad starts his day by waking up and making a list of what he has to do today. He wakes up (crosses that off), he eats breakfast (crosses that off), and he heads to frogs house (crosses that off). Toad and Frog are best friends and they love spending time together. They decided to go on a relaxing walk, because that was next on the list, and Toad lost his to-do list to the wind! So Frog goes on a search to find the list for him because Toad does know that he does not have "go find lost to-do list" on his list. Frog is very grateful to have a brave friend like Toad. Frog and Toad learn that it's okay to be scared or be brave, as long as they are there together supporting each other. This witty children's novel is attention-grabbing, fun, and challenges the reader to think about their own relationships.

Illustrations are present throughout the whole book, although they are more of a sub note to the text. Readers do see a few illustrations of Frog and Toad, being pale light green, full of expressions, and ready for adventure.

In my classroom, I would use this book to read a couple pages daily and allow the students to make predictions of what Frog and Toad will do next in the story. I would also have students reflect in their journals some other fun things they like to do with their friends.

Working Cotton

Working Cotton

Author/Illustrator: Sherley Anne Williams/Carole Byard
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Age Level: 5-10 years old

Summary: From a child's point of view using Black English, the reader is given a look into the African migrant life of days spent o the cotton fields. Her days begin while it is still dark out and she is fast asleep. With a hazy sky and cold temperature, the African family can't wait for the sun to be out to burn out the fog and warm up the sky. Even though she is becoming a big girl, she still can't carry the weight of her own cotton sack so she has to help pile the cotton that her mom picks. The descriptive words for the smell of cotton brings the reader to a place side-by-side of the young girl as she expresses the endless rows of cotton ahead. Her daddy works hard and always has the longest sack. Mama brings lunch for the family to relieve the family and give them so time to rest. The little girl always sees kids on the field and expresses how she rarely sees the same kids twice because they move to different fields so rapidly. Finally, at the end of a tiresome day, the bus picks them up and brings them back for a quick night's rest only to repeat again.

Illustrations: Impressionist paintings are the bold coloring of choice. The illustrations of the cotton seem to be so fluffy as if they could be plucked right off the page. Eyes of the characters stand out, as for they are sad and helpless eyes.

In my classroom,  I would read this book to the students for a history lesson. I would bring in real dried cotton and allow them to feel the texture and respond to how the book made them feel. Appreciation and thankfulness to live in a free world now would be expressed throughout the lesson.

Hot Air

Hot Air

Author/Illustrator: Marjorie Priceman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: Hot Air is a report of the first hot air balloon take off at the palace of Versailles in France on September 19, 1783. The story begins with describing the even including scientists, schoolchildren, opera singers, and architects. When the demonstration began after months of sleepless nights from the inventors, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, they could not wait for their invention to take flight. This historical and impactful even from the Montgolfiers constructed many others since the first flight including the Avignon, and Annonay. The story takes a silly turn when the duck, sheep, and rooster are launched into the air. They pop, they quack, they cluck, they even duck while passing through the cloudy skies. As the animals return safely, we applaud them for the efforts. Readers can appreciate the intelligence and perseverance it took to invent the first hot air balloon.

Illustrations: The colorful pages were full of cartoon-like animals and human. Onomatopoeia fills the pages while the animals fly through the light blue/pink skies. The expression painted on each character was dramatic and original.

In my classroom, I would have my students represent their own hot air balloon including its passengers. This would allow room for creativity and at the same time a fun way to learn about the historical event of the first hot air balloon. If any students have ridden in a hot air balloon prior, this would be a great time for them to share their own personal experience to the class.

Ferryboat

Ferryboat

Author/Illustrator: Betsey & Giulio Maestro
Genre: Historial Fiction
Awards: NA
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: The ferry on the crossing the river at Chester is a popular place to be, talking cars and trucks across the river daily. As families cross the river, they park their cars on the top deck and step outside to watch the duck families paddle by. The author describes the feeling of standing on the ferry, vibrating and humming as water lightly sprays on the passengers' faces. When the captain pulls up to the other side of the river, families hurry back to their cars and the ferry glides into the dock. The reader learns toward the end of the book the historical correlation that the ferry has to America.
This story is about a Ferry that began operating in 1969 called the Chester-Hadlyme. The ferry was renamed Warner's Ferry because of the owner. Warner's Ferry connected the King's Highway in Fort Hill, Parish of Chester in Saybrook, to the Norwich Road in Lyme. During the years of the Revolutionary War, the ferry was a used to transport supplies. The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry is the second oldest ferry in service to this day.

Illustrations: Illustrations seem to be colored through the use of water paint. Lively and colorful pictures were drawn for each page. My favorite page was the pink, purple, and green sunset. It encompassed two whole pages and filled the tone of the book with calamity and peace.

In my classroom, I would like to share this book before a break such as spring break or summer when the students tend to be traveling the most. Hopefully, after reading this book, they will become even more excited about their trip and get rid of and fears or hesitations about riding on a boat.

I, Too, Am America

I, Too, Am America

Author/Illustrator: Langston Hughes/Ryan Collier
Genre: Poetry
Awards: Coretta Scott Award
Age Level: 5-6 years old

Summary: This poem is about a young "darker brother" who sings to America. He is sent to the kitchen when company arrives on the train and while some would be upset or embarrassed, he shrugs it off and turns it into positivity. One day he will be at the company at the table and wishes to pursue a brave life full of wisdom and truth. The purpose of this poem is for the darker children to feel beautiful and unashamed of what color they are. The actions in this poem are depicted by traveling passengers, magazines, newspapers, and jazz music albums.

Illustrations soar through the pages showing time from the past and encompassing two full pages. They are illustrated through the collage technique. Some images seem to jump off the page.

In my classroom, I could read this poem and show illustrations for the students to create their own personal life collage. Students can relate to the children in the book as well as feed off of the unique, bold, and colorful collages that fill each page.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Author/Illustrator: Carole Boston Weatherford/Kadir Nelson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Age Level: 5+ years old

Summary: Harriet is strong in her faith and uses God to be her comfort and peace of the night. She devises a plan to escape with an ax to chop wood and consistently asks God to keep her eyes steady on him. She then begins to chant a song in hopes that her loved ones here her so they can leave and begin on their way to freedom. Harriet traces through swamps  and woods with her heart pounding land asking God if she was doing the right thing. She falls into a deep sleep in the underbrush with Gods hand resting upon her and protecting her. Once she finds her way out, she prays to God asking him to lead her to protection, and to the house that she can trust to be safe. She passes men on wagons and boatman's rowing praying to be led to freedom. She is tired and weary from the journey. As she continues to find a stopping place, she finds the holy ground along the Underground Railroad for slaves to travel to freedom. Harriet finds the safe haven and returns to the South to retrieve and rescue her family. This is when God calls her to be the Moses of her people. Being a woman of God, she leads her family to safety. This fictional story depicts the spiritual journey of Harriet Tubman.

Illustrations captivate the entire page and the background colors seem like they were "powdered" on. The colors are mostly warm colors and the texts strays from page to page. Texts even wrap around images to encompass the focused illustration.

This book could be a great read-aloud option in my classroom before the social studies unit involving the Underground Railroad and slavery.  Students could use the Author's Note in the back for researching the subject further.

Freedom School, Yes!

Freedom School, Yes!

Author/Illustrator: Amy Littlesugar/Floyd Cooper
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: NA
Age Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: Chicken Creek was home to the Freedom school. On the night that a new teacher came to town there was a brick thrown through the window of Jolie's house. Jolie was frightened and called for mama to come see what happened. There was a note wrapped inside the brick saying "FREEDOM SCHOOL TEACHER- GO HOME OR ELSE." This was not the end of the scary and hatred things placed upon the Freedom School teacher. The nineteen-year-old school teacher that was hired was named Annie. Once things started to calm down, a fire overcame the church. Flames climbed high, and the men and women of Chicken Creek were terrified. Reverand Wilkins surprised everyone as he sang praise in the midst of all the fire and suffering. Finally, the church was redone and Annie was as "Brave as a lion." Annie and Jolie beat the hostility from the danger of the local whites. Freedom School, Yes takes place during the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project. During this time period, civil rights of black people have been denied. This story represents a time when black families faced hostility to local white families.

Illustrations in Freedom School, Yes consumed the entire page. The characters looked very real and had intricate details on their hair  and facial features. The illustrations as a whole looked as if they are dusty and faded.

In my classroom, this book would be read to the students during black heritage month. Freedom School, Yes would encourage questions about ancestry and culture.