Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

image from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228696.Owl_Moon

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Published by Scholastic: 1987

Picture Book

1988 Caldecott Medal Winner

Summary:

A young girl is exciting to go on her first owling trip with her dad. She has heard stories from her older brothers about the outing and knows that must be followed when it is finally her turn to go along. She heads into the woods with her dad. They stop and her dad calls for an owl – no response. It is cold out, but the little girls keeps going, hope and excitement driving her. They come to a clearing and her dad calls out again. This time a response and before she knows it she is looking at a large beautiful evening. The owl leaves and so do they, walking home under the light of the owl moon.

Response:

I really enjoyed this story. There was something very simple about it that really appealed to me. The physical structure of the words initially threw me off, but soon enough I caught on. I often pictured myself as a little girl trudging through the snow following my dad on an adventure. The little girl’s message of hope created a very heart warming feeling inside of me.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for all ages. The younger readers may not be able to read the story for themselves, but it would still be a wonderful story to read to them.

Equal Shmequal by Virginia Kroll

image from: http://www.fun-books.com/mathematics.htm

Equal Shmequal by Virginia Kroll

Published by Charlesbridge Publishing: 2005

Picture Book

Summary:

After watching children play tug-of-war at recess mouse decides that she wants to play too! So she gather a bunch of her forest friends who want to play as well. They struggle to find a way to make equal teams. Meat eaters vs. plant eaters? Fur vs. no fur? Three vs. three? They find that none of these work. Finally they use the teeter totter to divide the teams by weight. It is a tough battle until bear is distracted by bees and honey allowing the other team to win.  

Response:

I really enjoyed this story. It is categorized as a math adventure and I can see why as it helps to illustrate what it means for something to be equal. As a future teacher this is definitely a book that I could use in my classroom. The pictures as also very appealing and well done and complement the story line well. At the end of the story there is also a little conclusion that explains what equal is in a more mathematical and formal way.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this story for children starting in kindergarten. At that age I would not use it for the mathematical lesson it is taught, but for the story itself. Even at a young age children can take playground applications of ‘equal’ away from the story that they can use.

For any teachers out there, this story would work well with introducing inequalities in Grade 4 with the Alberta curriculum.

The Boxcar Children #1: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

image from: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/gertrude-chandler-warner/boxcar-children.htm

The Boxcar Children #1: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Published by Scholastic 1989

Novel

Summary:

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are orphans who have run away from the cruel grandfather. They find a bakery where they work in exchange for shelter. One day they overhear the owner talking about taking Benny to a boy’s home because he is young so the children again run away. They find an old abandoned boxcar in which they make their home. Henry goes into the city and works odd job to make money for food. They also find a stray dog whom they take in and name Watch as he is their watchdog. The children are getting by fine until Violet gets sick. They need to take her to a doctor so they take her to Dr. Moore who Henry has been helping. Dr. Moore read that the children’s grandfather was looking for them and was offering a reward to those who could help find him so Dr. Moore calls him. Not wanting to scare the children away again, the childrens grandfather calls himself Mr. Henry. The children come to like the old man and are shocked to find out he was their once mean grandfather. The children go back home with their grandfather and to their delight he moves the boxcar into their backyard.

Response:

After reading the baby-sitters club book I wanted to find a series that would be more appealing to both genders and came across The Boxcar Children. I quite enjoyed this book and liked how it would appeal to a variety of different readers due to the gender and age variety of the characters. Children running away and living in a boxcar is not super realistic though, and I would hope that reading this story would not make any child want to do so. Regardless, I empathized with the children and hoped that they would find a happy family, though I was surprised to find out it would be their grandfather.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for children starting at about grade two. It is a great chapter book series that would help early readers transition into longer chapter books. As previously mentioned I think that this book would appeal equally to boys and girls. The series continues on as a mystery series.

Similar to the Baby-Sitters Club I did a search and was again surprised to see that there were 127 books in this series and 21 Boxcar Children Specials. I do not recall hearing much about these books as a child so I was very surprised to see that there were so many.

The Babysitters Club #1: Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

image from: http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com/adults/pass-it-on/give/kristys-great-idea-ann-m-martin

The Babysitters Club #1: Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

Published by Scholastic: 1986

Novel

Summary:

Young Kristy sees her mom trying to find a babysitter for her little brother David Michael. While watching her mom make call after call Kristy comes up with a great idea – the babysitters club! Kristy, along with her friends makes up the club where parents call with the potential of four babysitters to possibly help. It sure beats making four different phone calls! Babysitting aside, the story also explores the everyday lives of the girls. Kristy’s mom is engaged and she is not sure how she feels about her future family. Between the babysitting club and everyday life these girls sure keep busy.

Response:

I never really read the Babysitter’s Club books as a young girl so I figured now was as good a time as ever to read them. It really is a nice, fun story that I think many girls would enjoy. The story itself is also quite realistic to the struggles and lives that girls today would have. With it being an older series the biggest thing children today reading the series would notice would be the lack of technology. This is not to say than technology is not found in the book, but it has a much smaller presence than we would see today. Personally, I think that is nice as it focuses the reader on the girls and their stories rather than being distracted by additions and the little things.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for readers starting around the grade three level. There is simplicity to this book that is really enjoyable and that I think young readers will be attracted to. The main characters in the story are all girls and as such, I strongly feel this book would be much more appealing to young girls than boys.

On a side note, out of curiosity I did a quick search to see how many books were in this series. The answer astounded me – 132! That number is only for the original series and does not include any of the Super Specials, Baby-sitters Club Mysteries, Super Mysteries, Special Edition Reader’s Request, Portrait Collections, or Baby-sitters Club Friends Forever. Talk about super series. Hopefully your child doesn’t get hooked on them or you could be spending a lot of money getting them through this series.

Bella’s Tree by Janet Russell

image from: http://letitread.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-mark-governor-generals-literary.html

Bella’s Tree by Janet Russell

Governor General’s Award Winner for Children’s Literature

Published by Groundwood: 2009

Picture Book

Summary:

Christmas is coming and Bella’s Nan is not in the happiest of moods. To cheer up her Nan, Bella convinces her Nan to let her go and cut down a Christmas tree. Bella is positive that this will make Nan happy. When Bella finds a nice alder she asks the birds in it if she can cut it down to use for a Christmas tree. The birds agree on the condition that Bella lets them come on Christmas and sit in the tree and sing. Bella agrees and brings the tree home to her. However, Nan tells Bella this is not the right tree. They decorate the tree anyways and Bella goes out to find a new tree. Nan says the same thing when Bella comes home with a spruce tree and pine tree. Finally Bella returns with the right tree – a fir – but they have used all the decorations. On Christmas morning the birds come and sit in the tree and sing creating the most beautiful Christmas tree ever.

Response:

I really enjoyed this story. The bond between the girl and her grandmother is very tender and I love how Bella is trying to make her Nan happy. I think it really shows the importance of grandparents and those older than us in our lives. Janet Russell is a Canadian author which adds some appeal to this book as I always enjoy reading books by Canadian authors. With the winter season coming the illustrations also have me looking forward to the snow that is coming.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for those in grade two to four. It is a picture book, but it has some nice themes in it and a more diverse vocabulary that I think would be more appreciated and understood by older children.

The only caution I would have for this book is that it does involve Christmas and the tradition of the Christmas tree which is not necessarily supported or followed by all.

The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Anderson read by Natasha

image from: http://readingtomyself.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Anderson read by Natasha

From: http://storynory.com/2006/03/04/the-princess-and-the-pea/

Audio Book

Summary:

This is the story of a prince looking for a princess. Not just any princess however, but a true princess. The Prince searches far and wide for a true princess to marry, but cannot find one. One day a girl shows up at the palace gate seeking shelter from the rain. She claimed to be a true princess, but the queen was not sure. To test the princess the queen placed a pea beneath twenty mattresses and twenty quilts. If the girl was a true princess she would feel the pea. The next morning the queen asked if the princess had slept well; the princess had not. So it was confirmed that she was a true princess and married the prince.

Response:

I have never really been interested by the story of the Princess and the Pea. It is not a typical fairy tale that one would expect. It is very short and sweet, but for the most point I just don’t get it. Since the girl is super sensitive this makes her a princess? Personally I really cannot make any sense of this. It has been a very long time since I have heard this story and I thought that now since I am apparently much older and wiser I would finally get it. Sadly, I still don’t.

For the Reader:

This particular audio book uses the old English language that would have been used in the time of Hans Christian Anderson. Since it is a different form of language to what we are used to today, it may be difficult for some young children to fully comprehend. Also, the lady who reads the story is British and has a definite British accent. This may compound with the old language to make it even more difficult for some children to understand. Personally, I loved the accent as I felt it added a regal feeling to the story, as if it were being read to a real princess or queen.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

image from: http://keriansthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/03/kate-dicamillo-miraculous-journey-of.html

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Published by Candlewick: 2006

Novel

Summary:Edward is a very exquisite and expensive porcelain rabbit owned by the young Abeline. Abeline loves Edward dearly. However, Edward is a very conceited rabbit and thinks of only himself and feels he is superior to others (toys and humans alike). Abeline and her family go on a vacation aboard a big ship and naturally Abeline brings Edward along. Tragically Edward is lost to the sea. He is finally recovered by a fisherman, who takes him home to his wife. Edward continues on his journey being disposed of and then found by someone. Through this journey Edward learns to love those who take care of him and much as they love him.

Response:

Overall, this was an alright book. I have read some of Kate DiCamillo’s books before and was truthfully expecting a little bit more out of this story.  It was not until the end of the story where Edward almost dies did I begin to develop a connection with the book. Personally, I find it much more difficult to relate to stories in which the main character is an inanimate object or something other than human. Nonetheless it is a heart warming tale of a conceited rabbit who learns to love.

For the Reader:

This story is quite a simple and easy read. I would recommend it for children in grade three or four.

If you are a teacher you may be interested in the accompanying teachers guide or readers’ theatre scripts for the novel. Check out the links below for more information!

http://www.edwardtulane.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Yny-zUwaGF0%3d&tabid=76

http://www.edwardtulane.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=mMUZUovpP-E%3d&tabid=77

Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour by Annette Langen

image from: http://us.books-online-store.net/node/books/children-books/explore-the-world/18391_4.html

Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour by Annette Langen

Published by Abbeville Press: 1994

Picture Book

Summary:

Felix is the beloved stuffed rabbit of Sophie. While in the airport Sophie loses Felix and is worried she will never see him again. Soon after Sophie received a letter from her beloved Felix – he is in London! Felix is trying to make his way back home. While on his journey Felix visits London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, Kenya, and New York. Felix sends Sophie a letter from each location keeping Sophie updated on his journey home.

Response:

I absolutely adored this story. The one thing I loved about this story was how the book contained actual letters from Felix! A little message from Felix would be tucked inside an envelope attached to the story page. You actually got to read Felix’s letter! I thought this was very neat and really engaging. It adds another element to the story that I feel many readers will enjoy. Though a globetrotting rabbit is not very realistic, it is a super fun story and contains some fun basic facts about the places Felix visits. I would recommend this story for children in grades one to three.

For the Reader:

The book does contain removable parts – the letters. There is the possibility for these to get lost or destroyed and that would greatly affect the telling of the story. Make sure your book has all of its parts and that young readers put everything back when they are done for the next reader to enjoy.

Bubble Homes and Fish Farts by Fiona Bayrock

image from: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2009/02/everybody_farts.php

Bubble Homes and Fish Farts by Fiona Bayrock

Published by Charlesbridge: 2009

Non-fiction

Summary:

This book explores bubbles and their use in animal life. The book takes the reader through how a variety of different animals use animals, all in somewhat different ways! From sea snails, to seals, and treefrogs each of them use bubbles to help them survive. This fun and informative book adds another element of fun and use to the classic bubbles children enjoy.

Response:

I found this to be a cute and fun book about bubbles. Even as an adult I learned about many new uses of bubbles that I was completely unaware of before. The book is laid out in a very fun manner with animals thought bubbles adding a little humour to the story. The pictures are very appealing and the text is laid out well.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for use with children from grade two to four. It can be used as a fairly basic resource book and is written in a more simple language. I am sure a greater range of children would enjoy this book, but I feel it would be primarily appropriate for use in this age range.

The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman

image from: http://www.phoebegilman.com/balloon.html

The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman

Published by Firefly Books: 1997

Picture Book

Summary:

Leora is a young princess who lives with her father, the king, and has a love for balloons. Leora’s father leaves on a trip leaving her in the care of her uncle the archduke. Should anything go wrong she is to release balloons into the sky so that wherever the king is her will see them and come home to her. Soon after the king leaves the archduke tries to take over the kingdom and orders that all balloons in the kingdom are to be destroyed and locks Princess Leora in her room. Once Princess Leora escapes she finds a balloon and plants it using a spell in hopes it will grow into a balloon tree. Magically over night the tree sprout producing more balloons than could be ever imagined. The king seeing these balloons, returns home to save his daughter and his kingdom from the archduke.

Response:

This has been my favourite story every since I was a young girl. I love the fairy tale format and the fact that the girl is the heroine who saves the day rather than the typical male character. A second characteristic I enjoyed was that the main character, and hero, is a child. As a young reader this is something that really appealed to me. Aside from the actual story I find the illustrations (also by Phoebe Gilman) to be absolutely gorgeous. The images are very intricate and detailed and will enthral the reader.

For the Reader:

This is a wonderful story, but one I feel would definitely be more appealing for young girls (especially those who think they are princesses!), rather than boys.

One a side note Phoebe Gilman incorporates her own family into her illustrations. See below for more details!

From: http://www.phoebegilman.com/balloon.html

“My husband, Brian is the king. And yes, he does wear glasses. My older daughter, Ingrid, (whose balloon started it all,) appears on the second page wearing a blue dress. My daughter, Melissa posed as Princess Leora when she was seven years old. Their cousin, Alexis appears on that same page wearing a green dress. The evil Archduke is modeled after a person in a painting by Jan van Eyck. His name was Arnolfini.”

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

image from: http://libraryofcleanreads.blogspot.com/2010/04/bridge-to-terabithia-by-katherine.html

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Published by Harper Collins: 1977

1978 Newbery Medal Winner

Novel

Summary:

This story follows Jesse, the middle of five children with only sisters, as he befriends the new girl down the road – Leslie. Jesse struggles to find acceptance from his father, who seems to want his only son – Jesse – to be a manly man. Shortly before school start a new family moves in down the road. Their daughter – Leslie – is Jesse’s age and after some time of Jesse trying to avoid it, him and Leslie become close friends. They create their own world, Terabithia, in which they are the rulers of the nation. It is a magical place where their everyday worries melt away. Their friendship grows until a tragic day that threatens Terabithia and all Jesse and Leslie have built.

Response:

I found this book extremely moving and emotional. I began to bond with the characters when they finally began to forage their friendship. Both seemed like somewhat of outsiders (in family or school) and they were able to build a special bond with each other. I felt for Jesse for feeling like he had to hide his the one hobby he truly enjoyed – painting and drawing. This book was first published in 1977 and the use of a somewhat older English language is used. However, I felt that this really added a certain element to the story and the fantasy world of Terabithia that they created. Some days I wish I had my own Terabithia and envy the creative minds that young children have. Leslies death caused my to cry as Jesse lost his one true friend. This may have been emphasized by my own personal experience of losing a friend at a young age. All in all I loved this story.

For the Reader:

As previously mentioned this is an older book and as such is written in a bit of an older English reader. Do not let this turn you away from the wonderful story found within these words.

This book does contain some language that may be viewed as offensive (bitch, damn, hell, lord) though nothing over the top and it is fairly minimal. As well there is some mention of religious beliefs, God and hell. Finally the story does involve childhood death, something which may be emotionally disturbing. However, I my opinion it deals with this in a very appropriate way showing how Jesse works through the death and how he deals with his emotions.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

image from: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/rebecca-stead/when-you-reach-me.htm

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Published by Wendy Lamb Books: 2009

2010 Newbery Medal Winner

Novel

Summary:

This novel follows a sixth grade girl named Miranda through a story she is telling. Miranda is writing a letter to someone, but we do not know who to, or realize what the story is till the end of the book. It starts with Miranda waiting her mother’s upcoming appearance on the $20,000 pyramid. We start with Miranda and Sal who begin to grow distant after Sal is punched on the way home from school one day. Miranda then begins to meet new friends in school, but still longs for her friendship with Sal. Soon after she begins receiving mysterious notes that she does not yet understand. These mysterious notes contain information that no one should know and hint that Miranda will play a part in preventing the death of someone close to here. Follow Miranda as she tells her story of these life changing events.

Response:

I found this book very interesting overall and it was not until the conclusion of the book did I truly come to appreciate the story. Multiple times throughout the story Madeleine L’Engle’s classic A Wrinkle In Time is referenced. However, since I have never read this story I was unable to appreciate this connection. I found the character of Miranda to be very relatable and her friendship struggles very real. The process of growing apart from old friends and gaining new friends is an experience I think most can relate to. I found the patterns in the chapter headings very amusing, and liked how it tied in with her mother’s appearance on the $20,000 pyramid.

For the Reader:

It is a fun and easy read that I think would be appropriate for young readers starting around Gr. 3. I did not find this book amazing by any standard despite the fact it won the 2010 Newberry Medal (which definitely heightened my expectations). However, after reading the book once I think a reader could gain more out of it with a second reading to the nature and organization of the story.   

Sharks by Beverly McMillan & John A. Musick

image from: http://coolidgeaz.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B206F30C0-3AF0-44ED-8413-57EFC6C6AFF4%7D&DE=%7BFD07B033-3E80-4EB3-8221-1D5942543E9B%7D

Sharks by Beverly McMillan & John A. Musick

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers: 2008

Non-fiction

Summary:

This is an informational book filled with information about sharks. It is beautifully illustrated with bright, realistic pictures and full of interesting facts. Sharks gives a great overview of sharks as well as their history. The book starts with general information about sharks, what they are, what they look like, and their characteristics. From here it moves on to talk about how sharks live, what they eat, how sharks relate to humans, and explores different species of sharks.

Response:

I am not a shark person by any means so for me this book was just alright. However any shark lover, and many young boys, would love this book. As I started reading I thought back to a Kindergarten student I had in my teaching practicum – he loved sharks and he would have loved this book. The book does a wonderful job of organizing all the information and providing a good balance of facts and information along with fun tid bits. I would recommend this for readers starting right away in Kindergarten. It really addresses a certain category of readers (young boys) that we really want to encourage to read. A book like this I feel would really engage them. Kindergarten is young for them to fully understand everything that goes on in the book, but the pictures are pretty amazing to look at too.

For the Reader:

This is a book about sharks. It is going to show teeth and it may be a little scary. No, there are no sharks eating people, but it does warn you about the possibility. Depending on how you (or parents feel) you may wish to hold back on introducing this book until children are a little older. Personally, I do not see or have a problem allowing children in Kindergarten to be exposed to this. As previously mentioned I saw a book very similar to this in a Kindergarten class where students enjoyed it and parents were fine with it.

Knots in My Yo-yo String by Jerry Spinelli

image from:  http://barrowbooks.edublogs.org/2009/10/08/knots-in-my-yo-yo-string/

Knots in My Yo-yo String by Jerry Spinelli

Published by Alfred A. Knopf: 1998

Non-fiction

Summary:

In this autobiography Jerry Spinelli shares with readers’ highlights and moments from his past. Through the book you get to know a little bit more about who Spinelli really is and where he came from. From his first home, first pet, first grade, first punch, first girlfriend Spinelli shares many firsts with his readers, his love for sports, and how he came to write. Spinelli guides us through the ups and downs in his life – the knots in his yo-yo string – and how he learned to untie them.

Response:

I am not big on biographies, but I really enjoyed this one. Jerry Spinelli tells his story as if it were truly a story. The wonderful thing about this book is that Spinelli is so normal and comes from such a normal background. Spenelli has included personal photos throughout the book which I felt made his story all that more real and helps to show that he is a real person. There are so many things that I could relate to in his story it was amazing. I mean even Jerry Spinelli hated taking out the trash! One thing I found very interesting was how he did so little reading and writing as a child and while he grew up. I sort of assumed it was one of those things you are born with and always do, but it took a while for him to really embrace his calling and passion.

For the Reader:

I would recommend this book for upper elementary children starting at around grade four. One of the neat things about this book is that I think it would really appeal to the boys. Jerry was a typical boy growing up who loved sports, rode his bike, and loved his dog. Many of his stories will be easy for young boys to relate to and it may be a good opportunity to hook them on reading (as Spinelli wishes he had read more) and writing. Also, since I have read some of his books in the past, it was neat to see how his childhood and past have influenced and been reflected in his writing.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Image from: http://fieldkids.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/lion-and-the-mouse2.jpg 

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Published by Little, Brown and Company 

2010 Caldecott Medal Winner

Summary:

In this book for young readers Jerry Pinkster retells one of Aesop's fables - The Lion and the Mouse. This fables tells of a small mouse who accidentally stumbles across a Lion one day and disturbs him. In most cases the lion would have devoured the mouse in an instant. However, on this day the lion decides to release the mouse thus saving the mouse's life. Some time late the lion is caught in a hunters trap. The mouse hears the lions great roar and comes to the lions rescue chewing him free from the ropes.

Response:

This picture book shares with everyone the importance of friends great and small and the power of compassion. In some ways it also shows the power of good karma.

The greatest thing about this story is the way in which it is shared with the reader. The Lion and the Mouse is a true picture book as it contains no words. Only wonderfully created are used to tell this powerful story. The few words used throughout the story are integrated with the text and all are sound words. I feel this would be an extremely interesting book to share with children and to hear their responses to. As there are no words the book is left open to a fair amount of interpretation. Those who have not heard the fable upon which this book is based may interpret and react differently to it than those who already know the story's intended purpose or moral.

This book tells a great story of friendship, grace, and compassion that can be of value to people of all ages.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

Hello...hello...is anyone out there?


Welcome to my blog on children's books. This is my first ever blog, so please bear with me as I figure out how to work everything. Through this blog I hope to share with you some of my favourite children’s stories, and share my thoughts and ideas (and hopefully hear some of yours!). May this blog allow us to drift back to our childhood years and re-experience the wonderful world of children’s literature.

Let our journey begin…