Dr. Quinn's Book Blog

Picture Book Update

2010-08-16T10:23:00.007-04:00

Here is a small list of some picture books I have recently enjoyed:

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
By Marilyn Singer
Illustrated By Josee Masse

Poems from Fairy Tales written from two perspectives (reversible text). Radical Change.

Personal Thoughts: Loved it!

Gods & Heroes
by Matthew Reinhart & Robert Sabuda

An Encyclopedia of mythological tales
Traditional Sabuda Pop-Up construction

Personal Thoughts: Engaging and educational tool to cross curricula. Fantastic!

City Dog. Country Frog
By Mo Willems
Illustrated by Jon Muth

A city dog's adventure in the country. Friendship, gentle example of a friend's passing. Seasons

Personal Thoughts: What a great combo...Willems and Muth. Not what we have been seeing from Willems, but absolutely wonderful.

The Chicken Thief
By Beatrice Rodriguez

Wordless picture book. Quick story of misunderstanding. Friendship and adventure

Personal Thoughts: I love almost any wordless picture book, and this one is right there.

Chester's Masterpiece
By Melanie Watt

Book Writing. Radical Change.

Personal Thoughts: Melanie Watt is quickly becoming one of my favorite author/illustrators. Loved the dialog in this book.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Catching Fire

2010-07-29T15:34:00.006-04:00

Catching Fire
By Suzanne Collins

Second Book of The Hunger Games

If you haven't started this triology now is the time, because the final book, Mockingjay, comes out Aug. 24.

The adventure continues for Katniss as she makes her Victory Tour and gets back into the arena for the 75 Annual Games.

Personal Thoughts: On the way to being my favorite trilogy. Again, the whole romance thing is not my favorite, but I can handle it.

Star Rating:

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Four New Reads...all good

2010-07-24T15:59:00.006-04:00

Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs
by Ron Koertge

Baseball, poetry, and teenage love

Sequel to Shakespeare Bats Cleanup

Personal Thoughts: Well written and creative. There were types of poems I have never heard of before.

Out of My Mind
By Sharon Draper

Special Needs, Quiz Bowl

Connections: Stuck in Neutral

Personal Thoughts: I have enjoyed many of Draper's books, but this is my personal favorite. Excellent.

Mockingbird
By Kathryn Erskine

Special Needs~Asperger's Syndrome, School Violence, Healing, Communication

Personal Thoughts: Very good read.

Borrowed Names
by Jeannine Atkins

Poems about: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, & Marie Curie

Personal Thoughts: I did not think I could handle this book...I was very wrong. I was engaged the whole time.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

New Posting Format

2010-07-24T15:50:00.005-04:00

Since I have gotten out of the habit of updating my blog (something people continue to remind me about), I have a new strategy. Rather than trying to think what to write (the major reason I don't post) I have decided to primarily list the books I am reading. I will continue to give them star-ratings as long as they are not in contention for the Notable Award. I might even get a little brave and add a sentence or two, but don't count on too much more.

I'm not trying to be lazy, it just takes me too long to figure out what to write. Okay, maybe I am lazy.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Summer Class: Response to Literature

2010-06-11T16:59:00.005-04:00

EDU 570 Response to Literature
Taylor University

I have just finished teaching a three hour graduate class titled Response to Literature. The class ran from 8:30AM to 4:30PM for five days. Our culminating activity was a Mock Caldecott. This year we used 2009 and 2010 books. The winner of our EDU570 Mock Caldecott was Testing the Ice written by Sharon Robinson and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The class also choose four honor books: Finn Throughs a Fit (09), I Need My Monster (09), 14 Cows for America (09)and Chester's Masterpiece (10).

I am wearing an Ohio State jersey because too many of the class members were anti-Buckeyes. GO BUCKS!

The following photos are from our Reader's Theater activity:

Creak! Said the Bed by Phyllis Root

Barnyard Slam by Dian Curtis Regan

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Meanwhile

2010-06-09T13:41:00.005-04:00

By Jason Shiga

Desiring a creative "radical change" graphic novel? Then Meanwhile by Jason Shiga would be a great choice. This "choose your own adventure" style book has 3,856 different story possibilities. Your first choice is chocolate or vanilla ice cream, and then the adventure begins.

At this point I have only tried a few paths so I can't give you a lot of feedback about the book, but I can tell you that I like chocolate better than vanilla.

I love this quote from the author, "With perseverance and curiosity, you too can unlock the book's secrets and find your way home. Good luck and choose wisely!"

Grade level: upper elementary

Happy Adventuring,

Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott (9:00)

2010-01-08T10:03:00.008-05:00

Here are the winners of this year's Mock Caldecott
(my 9:00 class):

Medal Winner

14 Cows for America
by Carmen Agra Deedy & Ill.by Thomas Gonzalez Honor Books

Testing the Ice
by Sharon Robinson & Ill. by Kadir Nelson

The Lion & the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney

I Need My Monster
By Amanda Noll & Ill. by Howard McWilliam

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott (8:00 Class)

2010-01-07T09:23:00.011-05:00

Here are the winners of this year's Mock Caldecott
(my 8:00 class):

Medal Winner

14 Cows for America
by Carmen Agra Deedy & Ill.by Thomas Gonzalez

Honor Books

The Lion & the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney

Mama Says
by Rob D. Walker & Ill.by Leo & Diane Dillon

Finn Throws a Fit
by David Elliott & Ill.by Timothy Basil Ering

I Need My Monster
By Amanda Noll & Ill. by Howard McWilliam

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

YA List

2010-01-04T09:59:00.010-05:00

I had actually thought about stopping my blog since I have neglected it for so long. However, just this past weekend two past students told me how they use it, and that I better not stop. So I guess I'll do some posting again and see how it goes.

Today's post will have a list of books that are a part of my YA class. This class is an elective for any student on campus. However, it usually fills up immediately with elementary education majors. Just a little about the format of the class. The class is a part of Taylor University's January term. We meet twice a week in the evening at my house. We discuss YA books, drink coffee, and eat dessert. Plus there are no papers! Just read and discuss.

Here is this year's list: Stuck in Neutral, Cruise Control, Speak, Inexcusable, Monster, American Born Chinese, Give a Boy Gun, Wintergirls, Mexican Whiteboy, Hunger Games, 13 Reasons Why, Before I Die. Several of the books have already been mentioned on the blog so I will just briefly discuss some of the others.

Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins

This has been the best book I have read in quite awhile. I loved the action, description, plot, and characters. I found Hunger Games to be a very engaging read, and I highly recommend it for middle school.

Quick Summary: This is a futuristic tale and the US is called Panem, and it is divided into 12 districts. Each year one male and one female (age 12-18) from each district must participate in the Hunger Games, a televised event where contestants fight to the death. The last on living wins.

There was a bit too much romance for me in the book, but I understand the role it plays, and how it will impact the second book in the trilogy.

Rating:

Give a Boy a Gun
By Todd Strasser

This is a difficult read that I like to pair with Nancy Garden's Endgame. The premise of this story is about two boys that have been teased and harassed throughout school. Finally they take situations in their hands during a school dance.

The story is told in first-person by various characters of the book including the suicide notes from each of the two boys. Various factoids and news snippets are found throughout the book in regards to real school violence events. The format of this book would be identified as radical change.

Wintergirls
By Laure Halse Anderson

This 2009 book tells the story of two friends that struggle with an eating disorder. After a falling out Cassie makes a desperate but unsuccessful attempt to connect with her former friend Lia. The result is death for Cassie and potential death for Lia. Throughout the story Lia tries to put the puzzle pieces of Cassie's death together while also putting herself in a downward spiral towards death.

13 Reasons Why
By Jay Asher

In this story a high school girl commits suicide, but before doing so she sends 13 cassette tapes to 13 people who had an impact of her decision.

Asher write the book in a radical change format. He tells the story of Hannah via cassette tapes by writing it all in italicized font. Then he adds to the story by inserting the voice of another character by printing it in a regular font. This formatting allows the reader to "hear" the tapes while getting immediate insights from a living character in the book.

I found this book very creative, insightful, and engaging. Asher did a great job illustrating how rumors can snowball and have a negative impact on people.

Keep reading and I'll try to keep posting,

Dr. Quinn

Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road

2009-11-17T15:25:00.008-05:00

Written by Kate Klise
Illustrated by: M. Sarah Klise

The Klise sisters kicked off their 43 Old Cemetery Road series with this creative and unique mystery titled Dying to Meet You. The book introduces the three main characters of the series: I. B. Grumply - a children's book author, Seymore Hope - 11 year-old boy, and Olive C. Spence - the woman that built the home on 43 Old Cemetery Road (she died 97 years before the story opens). Together these three live in the old home; however, the living arrange is not a smooth one at all. One is self-centered and grumpy, one is abandoned, and one is a Ghost.

The book is composed of letters, notes, newspaper articles, and drawings which makes it so creative. I enjoyed it, and I am interested in the next title. However, I think I am more interesed in the format than the storyline.

Age level: 3rd through 5th grade

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #7 '09

2009-11-17T15:00:00.010-05:00

Katie Meets the Impressionists
Written and Illustrated by James Mayhew

For her Grandma’s birthday, Katie goes on a trip to the art museum with her. At first, Katie only sees dots and spots, even when her Grandma says that they are flowers. Katie learns to take a step back and look at the entire painting. When she does this, she is able to jump into the paintings. While in The Luncheon by Claude Monet, Katie befriends Jean, Monet’s son. Jean helps Katie pick some flowers for her Grandma’s birthday. Once Katie jumps out of the painting, Katie notices that her flowers are wilting. She then goes on an adventure throughout many Impressionist paintings to get a nice bouquet of flowers to give to her Grandma.

Katie Meets the Impressionists is a good book to introduce Impressionist art to children. They learn about a few Impressionist artists and are exposed to many Impressionist works of art. Also, the back cover of the book contains small biographies of the artists mentioned in the book and the paintings mentioned. This story also helps children learn that art museums don’t have to be boring. There is always something new and interesting to look at and explore. The illustrations are absolutely wonderful and James Mayhew’s renditions of the famous works of art are incredible. LL

Me Too!
By: Mercer Mayer

Me Too! was written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer. This book is a great children’s book for younger siblings, but especially for little sisters. It’s about a little boy porcupine who wants to do his normal activities throughout the day. However, he has a little sister who wants to do everything he does. Whenever he says he wants to do something, his little sister always says, “Me Too!”. This frustrates him, but he knows if he doesn’t let her do everything he does, she will become more annoying and he’ll get in trouble. At the end of the story, his little sister is eating a candy cane, and all he wanted was to have some of it and she gave him some.

I could relate to this book in so many ways. I have three older brothers, and when I was little, I wanted to do everything they did. They were my role models, and when I saw that they were having fun, I wanted to have fun too. I also know many younger siblings that always want to do everything their older siblings do. This book proves that you have a better chance of being rewarded if you are consistently patient and kind to others. SH

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
By: Mem Fox
Illustrated by: Julie Vivas

In Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, the title character is a little boy who lives across from the nursing home. After school, he likes to visit with the old men and women of the home because of their interesting personalities. When he finds out that one of his friends is lost her memory, he inquires from several people what a memory is and gets many varied and abstract answers. So the boy goes out searching for objects that fit those descriptions. When he returned to the old woman with the basket of “memories”, each object reminds her of a story from childhood. So in a way, the boy did help find her memory.

I like the way this story approached Alzheimer’s disease, because young children may not fully understand what is happening, even if explained. Though the solution about how to heal someone’s memory loss in the story is not comparable in a real-life setting, the story emphasizes the importance of listening to the elderly and their tales. I think that this story, aside from its main purpose, introduces to some children that the elderly are not scary, but on the contrary fascinating people to invest your time with. This water colored book can open discussion about a heavy topic. I think this is a whimsical tale that skillfully deals with a difficult issue. MW

Keeker and the Sugar Shack

By Maja Andersen

Catherine has a large family and many friends. They all call her Keeker. During mud season, which is a time where it rains a lot in their area, she gets really board stuck in her house. At any sunny opportunity she takes her pony Plum out for a ride. On one of her rides she finds that someone is moving into the old crab apple field. She comes to the conclusion that this person is a witch and her big dog is a wolf. The “Wolf” spots her and plum and chases them into the witch’s house. Inside she finds her mom eating pancakes with the “Witch” who is actually just a nice old lady.

My emotions were very mixed during this book. I tried to look at the book objectively but it was hard. The plot and the ponies were kind of stupid but I know a lot of young girls who would probably love this book from the way it’s written. The one part that confused me was whether or not the horse was actually intelligent. The horse has its own thoughts, but cannot speak. By the text alone I cannot tell if the child is imagining the horse as thinking, or if the horse actually thinks. The pictures were ok I guess. Personally I thought that the pictures were weird, however, they did go with the story very well. On the other hand, many other people would probably describe them as cute and disagree with me. JS

Keep Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #6 '09

2009-11-16T06:34:00.008-05:00

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
By John Steptoe

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is a wonderfully written book about the relationship between two sisters and the importance of having a kind heart. Manyara and Nyasha are two sisters who are very different. Manyara is a mean-spirited individual who is jealous of the attention her sister Nyasha receives from their father. Nyasha is known for being a kind girl with a servant’s heart. When the king of a land far away seeks out a bride, Manyara plans to beat her sister Nyasha to the kingdom so she can be taken as his queen. But as she travels on her journey, she encounters different people along the way that she treats poorly. When Nyasha journeys the same path, she encounters the same people and she shows them kindness as she shows to everyone. In the end, Nyasha is chosen as queen after the king reveals that all the people along the journey was actually him in disguise. Because she showed the lowly people kindness, he knew she would make a great queen.

This book is beautifully done and I loved the storyline and the illustrations. The story shows two very different personalities and it teaches a strong moral lesson in the end about showing kindness to others. The illustrations are fabulous and they truly give life to the story. They are bold, bright and beautiful and I loved looking at the pictures even without the story behind it. I would definitely use this story in my classroom as it highlights many different facets of literature. AW

Love you Forever
By Robert Munsch

This book starts off with the first scene of a mother holding a child and softly singing, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”
As the child grows up and goes through all the stages of his life, he becomes more independent and separate from his mother. But no matter how old he is and what stage in life he is in, his mother quietly goes in his room every night, holds him and sings him that song. One day, his mother becomes very sick in her old age and her son goes and sees him. She sees him and tries to sing him her song, but she cannot finish, but her son finishes for her, substituting the last line with “as long as I’m living, my mother you’ll be”. Then he goes home and sing the same song to his own child, his new baby daughter.

I loved this book because although the words were simple and the book was short, the words and meaning were so powerful. It showed how a mother truly loved her son throughout all her life, through all the ups and downs and was there for her, and he was able to be with her and tell her through her song, how much he loved her and how much she means to him and will show his children the same kind of love his mother showed him. DW

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
By Robert Barry

The story all begins with Mr. Willowby and his tree that is just too big for his house. He finds the solution to cut of the top and pass the top of the tree along with Christmas joy to his maid. The story continues because the tree just always seems to be to big for each person that finds the past recycled tree top. One top of a tree makes it to the home of Miss Adelaide, Tim the gardener, Barnaby Bear, Frisky Fox, Benjamin Rabbit, and Mistletoe Mouse and it continues to get smaller and smaller. This is a rhyming story of Christmas cheer passed from one family to the next.

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is a classic Christmas story everyone can enjoy. The illustrations are very detailed and majority pen. In the older addition of the story the illustrations are black and white with green contrast. I love how one tree goes to so many different people and animals and they don’t even all know one another. I loved the end of the book through the illustrations that it makes a full circle. I love house the tree makes its way to and the joy each family has when receiving it. AJ

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Bryan Collier

I thought this non-fiction children’s book about Martin Luther King, Jr. was excellent. Rappaport told King’s story starting from when he was a young boy to the time that he died, sharing with us his personal beliefs and how those beliefs drove him to inspire action among blacks and become an incredible leader of the civil rights movement. Some of King’s powerful and inspiring words, that I found to echo many Biblical concepts, are found on every page of the book and tie in with the rest of the text; Rappaport says in her note at the beginning that they came from King’s autobiography, speeches, sermons, and articles. There was repetition throughout his story of the phrase, “Martin walked with them and talked with them and sang with them and prayed with them…” which I thought was a powerful tribute to King’s character. Bryan Collier’s beautiful artwork, made through a combination of watercolor and cut paper collage, conveys a certain seriousness and emotional quality that fits wonderfully with the text. The author’s note, illustrator’s note, and timeline at the end are also great aspects of this book.

This is definitely a quality book to read to students or have in your classroom. It can tie in well with a history lesson on Martin Luther King, Jr. or the Civil Rights Movement, and the events of his life and of the Civil Rights Movement are simplified in a way that young students will be able to understand. There is a strong theme of love and its powerful impact upon the world and also of justice, taking leadership, and doing the right thing, which are all great messages for children. JH

The Lemon Drop Jar
Written by: Christine Widman
Illustrated by: Christa Kieffer

This is a delightful story about a little girl who goes to visit her Great-Aunt one Autumn. The two spend the weekend together playing in the leaves, sipping tea, and remembering favorite family traditions. The girl’s favorite tradition is her Great-Aunt’s lemon drop jar. Great-Aunt Emma only brings the jar out in the winter to remind her of the sun on cold, grey, gloomy winter days. As the little girl grows up, she and her Great-Aunt Emma remain close friends. When the girl is away at college, she grows homesick for the sun and her Great-Aunt Emma mails her a package containing a special lemon drop jar all her own so that she too can have dozens of her very own little sunshines on cold, winter days.

I loved this heart-warming story. The illustrations are beautiful and the story could be used in the classroom to bring about discussion of the students own family traditions. It’s a great story to read annually, late fall. JB

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #5 '09

2009-11-10T10:32:00.006-05:00

Tough Chicks
by Cece Meng

Tough Chicks is a fun book with a great story. There is a group of three chicks that are always getting into trouble. They are constantly doing the opposite of what people want them to. The chicks are always finding some way to get into trouble and their mother is always standing up for them trying to convince the other hens “They are good!” One day the farmer’s tractor breaks down on a hill over-looking where the animals are. It starts to roll towards the hen house. The chicks decide to try and save the day.

This book makes a great read-a-loud. There are fun words and the pictures are really funny. Tough Chicks has an overall message that children can relate to. There are animals they can easily identify with and children will love some of the repetitive words and colorful pictures. S.N.

Beyond the Great Mountains
By Ed Young

Beyond the Great Mountains is a visual poem written and illustrated by Ed Young. He was born in China, and he shows his love for his home through this poem. The pictures that Young uses bring the words to life. While the poem is only a few lines long, he shows how much he cares for China. The pages of the book gradually get bigger, so if the reader wants to read the poem all on one together they can do that, then they are able to look at the pictures. The book also shows the Chinese characters for some of the words in the poem. At the end of the book there is a list of Ancient Chinese characters alongside the modern Chinese characters with the words that the characters represent.

This book is a lot of fun. The illustrations are colorful, and each page is unique in color, design, and even size. Beyond the Great Mountains is set up to allow the reader to choose how they want to read the poem. Whether they want to read line by line and study the illustrations at the same time, or they would like to read the entire poem and look at the pictures after, they have the options because the pages are layered on each other. I really enjoyed looking at the characters in the back to see how they have changed, and it is a good way to incorporate cross-cultural learning. K.B.

Pirates Don’t Change Diapers
By Melinda Long

Melinda Long’s book, Pirates Don’t Change Diapers, is a fun sequel to How I became a Pirate. In this sequel, Captain Braid Beard and his crew show up once again in Jeremy Jacobs’s life, but this time it’s at his own house. The pirates have run aground and wrecked their ship and need the treasure buried in Jeremy’s backyard to fix it. The only problem is Jeremy needs to babysit his little sister but the pirates need his help. Will they be able to babysit and find their buried treasure? And when the baby goes missing along with the treasure map, Jeremy and the pirates worry that the ship will never be ready to sail again.

This book is great for children of all ages. The story is unique and engaging and the pictures add so much to the story. There is so much humor hidden in the illustrations that David Shannon creates. Everyone I have read this story to have loved it and it quickly becomes a favorite story time book. D. R.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Lion and the Mouse

2009-10-27T12:03:00.004-04:00

Jerry Pinkney's retelling of The Lion and the Mouse is fantastic. Masterful watercolor paintings combined the most simple text will provide the reader with a truly aesthetic experience.

I have read this fable many times, but I have never experienced it like I did this version. This book has moved to the top of my list in regards to Pinkney's work.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #4 '09

2009-10-26T12:36:00.008-04:00

Yo! Yes?
By Chris Raschka

Yo! Yes? is a witty book of simple words by Chris Raschka. The entirety of this book is expressed mainly through the pictures. This book would be wonderful for beginning readers just starting. Yo! Yes? begins with two boys, one of which is shy and friendless. The other boy reaches out to him and befriends him. In the end, the two boys become good friends.

This book makes a great tool in teaching children how to read with expression and understand the punctuation marks. The illustrations express the majority of how the story is to be read. It would make a wonderful read-a-loud! KM

Kitten's First Full Moon

written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes

This book is about kitten's first full moon and how she thinks that it is a bowl of milk in the sky. She really wants to get to it so she closes her eyes and stretches her neck and tries to lick it but she just gets a mouthful of bugs. Then she springs towards it and falls down the steps. Next, she chases it down the sidewalk but cannot get close to it no matter how fast she runs. She climbs a tree and still can reach it and then she sees the moon reflecting in the pond and thinking it is an even bigger bowl of milk, she jumps into the water. Cold, wet, and hungry, kitten goes home to find a bowl of milk waiting for her!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a creative and had a fun plot. It would be a wonderful book to read as a class because I can see children laughing and interacting with the story and really enjoying it. The illustrations were also great. Even though they were in black and white, they catch your attention. This was a fun and creative book that would be agreat one for the classroom. EM

Flotsam

by David Wiesner

Flotsam is not a typical picture book. The story is developed like any other, but only through pictures. The pictures are unique and straightforward, which is how it received the Caldecott Medal. The story is about a little boy who finds an underwater camera on a beach one summer day. When he finds the camera he takes the film out to be developed. Through the developed photos a history is unfolded, as well as an entire underwater world that no one would think exists. Along with these underwater photos there is picture upon picture upon picture of children who have discovered this camera in the past. The boy takes a picture of himself and then sends the camera off into the sea to find the next lucky child.
I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to get into at first without words, but after the first few pages you get very familiar with the style. It is surprising how developed the story can be without dialogue and narration. This book also opens up a variety of lesson ideas with writing and story development. MO

Stuck in Neutral

By Terry Trueman

This book is about a 14-year-old kid who had cerebral palsy. The cerebral palsy causes him to not be able to control a single muscle in his body. To everyone else, Shawn is a vegetable. Little do people know, Shawn is actually extremely intelligent and can remember every word/sound that he has ever heard. He has an extremely detailed memory recall but it does him no good when he can’t communicate that to anyone in anyway.

He loves his life and his family and they love him in return. The real question has become, “is killing Shawn – the vegetable – showing the ultimate love and putting him out of the misery?” Shawn’s father is researching and writing a book about a man pleads guilty for murdering his son that was also nonresponsive. Does Shawn really suffering? Would it really be in his best interest to be killed? These are the questions Shawn’s father is struggling with. Read the book to find out more! KH

Student Post #3 '09

2009-10-05T20:48:00.008-04:00

Maniac Magee
By Jerry Spinelli

Jeffrey Lionel Magee is a young boy, orphaned at an early age and sent to live with his aunt and uncle who despise each other. After spending eight years living in the middle of a home battle, he runs away and from then on is his own caretaker. During his independent journey, he befriends many different people who he invests his time into. He also is responsible for many different “impossible” acts that bring his name fame after which he is always then referred to as Maniac Magee. He appears in a town that is racially segregated, daring to be the only one to cross into both the West End and the East End. He creates friends and enemies in both ends of town and gradually brings them together all while he is searching for a home.

The Newbery Award winner of 1991 has become one of my new most favorite books. It deals with race, segregation, homelessness, and death of a loved one in an interesting yet powerful way. The events kept me wondering what amazing act he would do next and I appreciated the character of Jeffrey Lionel Magee because he is shown to be a genuine, caring, and compassionate person, someone I desire to be just like. JK

Nothing but the Truth
by Avi

Philip is a typical high school student and doesn’t misbehave until one day he is suspended from school for singing while the national anthem is played. After a reporter finds out, Philip becomes national news with supporters from across the country, everyone except his friends. Once Philip does return to school things have changed and Philip has to decide if he wants to change schools.

Unlike most novels this one is written as a documentary. Everything is recorded as it happened. At first this can be difficult to follow because characters don’t have introductions they just appear. Since it isn’t written from any one point of view though, I was constantly was changing my opinion on who was right. It is a great novel for students but as an adult you can read between the lines for much more meaning and understand different points Avi is making. AG

The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman

This is a great read for those looking for a short story that starts with a plot that does not slow down. The book illustrates a story of two boys, struggling in their social classes, must depend on each other for survival. Many readers have made connections with this book and Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick, adventurous read.

The whipping boy, Jemmy, is a boy that receives the beating for Prince Horace who many people call Prince Brat. Jemmy was an orphan who used to catch rats in the sewer but is now receiving the prince’s punishments. In desperation to gain his fathers attention, the prince decides to run away. But before he can escape, Jemmy is drug along come along to accompany him. During their escape the two young boys encounter the dangerous villains, Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy. Running away from villain’s captivity, the boys encounter many other characters and adventures as the travel back to the freedom of the palace. IB

Calico Bear
By Angela Elwell Hunt
Illustrated by Natalie Carabetta

The story of Calico Bear is a heartwarming tale about God’s unchanging love. Tyler receives Calico Bear for a present and loves him very much. They spend all their time together. Soon Tyler begins to grow up and does not want to be still playing with baby toys. Even though Calico Bear is sad, he is happy when he is made into a warm loving quilt. Tyler grows up and becomes a father himself. The quilt that once kept him warm is turned back into a beautiful quilted bear. Tyler’s daughter is so excided to love this new Teddy Bear as much as her father had loved his fist Calico Bear.

This story portrays the growth of children and how love continues throughout ones life. The illustrations are warm and convey a calming atmosphere. I can still remember feeling safe and loved while my grandmother would read this book to me as a young child. AF

Student Post #2 09

2009-09-20T21:02:00.005-04:00

Owen
By Kevin Kenkes

Owen loves his blanket Fuzzy. Owen really loves his blanket Fuzzy. Fuzzy goes everywhere Owen goes; in the tub, in the sandbox, even to the dentist. Mrs. Tweezers doesn’t think Own should carry around a blanket, so she encourages Owen’s parents to wean him off Fuzzy. Nothing seems to work. But Owen can’t go to school with Fuzzy. Eventually Owen’s mother finds the perfect solution.

Owen, written and illustrated by Kevin Hekes, is a heartwarming story that children of all ages can relate to. Everyone has had one specific item that has a special place in his or her heart. At some point, everyone has to grow up and leave that special item behind while we go off into the world. I really enjoyed the pictures which were beautifully drawn with only a black pen and water colors. KK

Elijah of Buxton
By Christopher Paul Curtis

This is a great read and well deserved of the numerous awards it has been given. At first I was weary of it because of the use of language. The author uses words the character would have used, and are spelled phonetically as such. I quickly became intrigued by it because of the depth it added to the characters and plot. I felt very involved in the story.

Here is a brief summary of the story. Elijah, 11, was born free in Buxton, Canada (just across the way from Detroit). This book is a narrative telling of Elijah’s coming of age story from being a fragile boy, into someone who is “growned”. The audience also gets a chance to learn more about what slavery was like and the social impact it had.

Give it a try, and fall into Buxton! BM

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
By Dr. Seuss

One Fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish is a fantastic children’s book by Dr. Seuss that is a great book for beginning readers. The book is about a series of made up creatures seen by two children. The kids sometime interact with the creatures and other times, the just observe and describe. The children follow around, visiting and describing different imaginary characters. The ending also lends itself to a wonderful bedtime story.

The book is a great tool for teaching children to read. Each page often as a set of sounds that rhyme, making the read somewhat repetitious, thus helping young readers learn certain sounds. Dr. Seuss does a wonderful job of adding amusing illustrations to his created fantasy world, further enticing young children into reading. His distinctive cartoon drawings bring the imaginary creatures to life and hold the reader’s attention tremendously. I was constantly read story as a child, my mother says pretty much daily, and it played a big part in my learning to read. TM

Max, the Bad-Talking Parrot
By Patricia Brennan Demuth
Illustrated by Bo Zaunders

I was first drawn to Max the Bad-Talking Parrot because it was a story about a parrot, and I have a pet parrot at home. What makes this story worth reading is that it describes a situation many readers have found themselves in at one time or another. Max woke up from a nap and thought he heard his friend, Mrs. Goosebump, say that he was an ugly bird. In reaction to the comment, Max began to talk badly to Mrs. Goosebump. He may have continued to act poorly if it wasn’t for a major unexpected event that caused Max to rely on Mrs. Goosebump for help. After the situation was resolved Max was able to talk to Mrs. Goosebump about the comment and found out that he had misheard Mrs. Goosebump.

This story is fun to read out loud because Max speaks only in rhyme, the other characters, Mrs. Goosebump and Tille, are such sweet ladies, and there is a minor element of drama and suspense towards the end of the book. Max the Bad-Talking Parrot reminds all readers the importance of clarifying what you think you hear before reacting to uncharacteristic comments. MK

Student Post #1 09

2009-09-11T12:25:00.008-04:00

There is a Bird on your Head

By: Mo Willems

There Is a Bird on Your Head is one of several books found in Mo Willems' "elephant and piggie book" collection. Whether you are two or ninety-two this amusing story will put a smile on any child's face. Piggie and Gerald are best friends. Though they are very different they stick together through the thick and thin. When Gerald discovers a bird on his head he thinks that nothing could be worse. However, Gerald quickly learns that there is something much worse. By the end Gerald needs the help of his best friend to get three baby chicks, two birds, and a nest off his head.

From the very first time that I read this book I loved it. It is one that can be read over and over and never seem to get old. I think that Piggy and Gerald are a dynamic duo always ready to entertain their readers with their interaction. A couple of my favorite aspects of this book are the development of the story and the illustrations. From each turn of the page something exciting happens. First its one bird, then its two, then a nest, and then three chicks! Mo also does a great job with his illustrations in order to capture exactly how Piggie and Gerald are feelings throughout the book. LG

Best Friends
By Steven Kellogg

Best Friends, written and illustrated by Steven Kellogg is a cute story about two best friends, Kathy and Louise, who are inseparable. They shared a love for horses, chocolate milk, and imaginary play inside their fantasy world. However, when summer came, Louise went on vacation with her aunt and uncle, and Kathy was left all alone. When she hears that her best friend has made new friends on vacation, Kathy is hurt and becomes angry. She decides Louise was her worst friend and sets out to find a new friend; but when Louise returns from vacation, their friendship is rekindled.

Steven Kellogg does an excellent job illustrating this story using many creative details and bright colors. I really enjoyed this book and the detailed illustrations. I also really liked how Kathy’s emotions were expressed through the pictures because it brought the character closer to the reader. This book would be a great free read for elementary students who are beginning to form those close friendships. SL

Jimmy: The Pickpocket of the Palace
By Donna Jo Napoli
Illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner

This fantasy novel with black and white illustrations is based on the fairy tale of the frog prince.

A young frog named Timmy is distraught, because the hag has returned to the pond and has threatened to dry up the pond. The prince who appeared at the pond the same day that Timmy’s dad left has a magic ring that will fix everything, so Timmy goes to the palace to find it. When he is chased by a cat that leaves a cut in his leg, the princess, who is desperate to have a pet, kisses his wound.

Timmy turns into a clumsy boy that has a bad lisp and tries to leap instead of walk. Not only is Timmy (known as Jimmy to the humans) having trouble walking, but he is worried about his little sister who has been trapped by the princess, is trying to find his dad and to get the ring from the prince. Timmy gets caught stealing the ring and is taken to prison. Eventually, Timmy discovers that the prince was his father who had once been turned into a frog and then back into the prince. He is able to return to the pond, turn back into a frog and live happily with his family.

This was a very fun book that could easily tie in to a variety of classroom themes. It challenges the reader to look at life from a different perspective. While it is very light-hearted, it has a number of interesting facts about frogs in it as well. EM

Walk Two Moons
Sharon Creech

In Walk Two Moons Salamaca, a thirteen-year-old girl, takes a journey with her grandparents across the country to bring her mother back. During her trip she tells the complex story of her friend, Phoebe, and inadvertently, her own. Phoebe’s mother unexpectedly leaves and Phoebe suspects that she was kidnapped by the “lunatic”, a young man who kept coming by the house. As Phoebe struggles to reconcile her mother’s unexpected abandonment, Sal relives many of her not-to-distant emotions her mother’s desertion. To rationalize her emotions, Phoebe fantasizes that her mother is kidnapped or that the neighbor, Mrs. Cadaver killed her. Unlike Sal’s mother, Phoebe’s mother returns to the family after a couple of days with the lunatic in tow. It turns out that the “lunatic” is her son, whom she had given up at birth. As Sal tells Phoebe’s story, she begins to understand her own emotions surrounding her mother.

During the trip, Sal is able to bond with her grandparents and follow the journey her mother made to Idaho. The experience gives her strength to go on when her grandmother suddenly has a stroke only miles from the place where her mother is. Sal drives herself along the high mountain road until she is stopped by the police and taken to her mother’s grave.

I applaud Sharon Creech for writing this 1995 Newbery Award Winner. I would consider using this book in a middle school or junior high students, because it discusses difficult topics such as death, divorce, and parental dating. Even though it contains mature themes, I found that as I reflected on the fictitious story of Salamaca, I sorted through some of the emotions surrounding death in my own life. I strongly encourage you to read this book, because you won't regret it. RK

Keep Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Let's Do Nothing

2009-09-08T13:22:00.003-04:00

Tony Fucile's Let's Do Nothing is fantastic. This picture book tells the story of two friends that think they have done everything there is to do. They have played every board game, read every comic, played every sport ever invented, etc. Then it hits them that they can now just do nothing, but this turns out to be more difficult than they could ever imagine. Finally, Eureka, they discover that there is NO WAY to do nothing so they decide to do SOMETHING!

A fun read aloud for those of us that think there is nothing to do.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Dunderheads

2009-09-08T13:10:00.003-04:00

I have been a big fan of Paul Fleischman for years. I love his out-of-the-box thinking and his radical change approach to many of his books. Well his newest book, The Dunderheads, may not be so much of a radical change style book, but it is a different style for him.

This quick read is about a class of students with some unusual talents. Together the students combine their talents to outwit their mean teacher, Miss Breakbone.

A fun read aloud with neat illustrations by David Roberts. For those of you that have elementary-aged children, the artwork will resemble that of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, although the latter does not compare to The Dunderheads.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Bird Poems

2009-09-08T12:58:00.003-04:00

Although I am not a bird person, I really enjoyed Micheal Rosen's collection of bird haiku. The book includes soothing haiku poetry, short informational details and soft watercolor paintings of the various birds. Some birds included in this text are cardinals, owls, kingfisher, hummingbird, etc.

Bottom line, I loved it.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Higher! Higher!

2009-09-08T12:45:00.003-04:00

I loved Leslie Patricelli's Higher! Higher! Throughout the book she uses the phrase Higher! Higher! along with some fantastic, simplistic, child-like acrylic paintings to tell this story. It's the classic demand of push me higher on the swing Daddy mixed with a young child's imagination that takes this story to new heights.

A fun read for the young child, but a text-to-self connection for many of us.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Swamps of Sleethe: Poems from Beyond the Solar System

2009-09-08T12:31:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for a out of this world book of poetry, then here it is...Jack Prelutsky's The Swamps of Sleethe. From nonsense words to crazy adventures, young space fans will enjoy this collection of wacky poems. Here are a few titles for you: "The Cold of Drifig Prime," "The Globulings of Wolvar Sprod," "The Monopods of Odgofod," etc. Not only do some titles play on words (when unscrambled), but Prelutsky also includes a pronunciation guide as well.

A fun book of poetry.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Our Children Can Soar

2009-09-08T12:22:00.003-04:00

Michelle Cook created this wonderful story that celebrates history and how it has impacted today. Our Children can Soar can best be summed up by the subtitle on the front cover...A celebration of Rosa , Barak, and the pioneers of change.

The simple but powerful text is supported by outstanding illustrators such as Bryan Collier, E.B. Lewis, James Ransome, Leo & Diane Dillon, and more.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

A Book

2009-09-03T11:07:00.006-04:00

Mordicai Gerstein's A Book is a creative and unique picture book. A young girl wakes up from her sleep when the reader opens the book. Throughout the story she searches for "her" story. Her parents each have a story and her brother has a story, but she doesn't know her own story. Via text-to-text (intertextual) connections, she visits various characters from other stories...all trying to help her find her story.

From the concept of the book, to the illustrations, to the mix of speech bubbles and traditional narrative, Gerstein has put together a fun read.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems

2009-09-03T10:44:00.006-04:00

Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems is a fun collection poetry. Since we all make lists and most of us do this daily the book promotes a natural connection. Georgia Heard has collected a variety of list poems that readers will enjoy. Titles include: In My Desk, Lost & Finds, Things to Do If You Are A Pencil, Test Day, and many more. Poets include: Lee Bennet Hopkins, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Eileen Spinelli, Jane Yolen, and more.

After reading this collection, I would bet many young writers will want to create their own list poems.

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie

2009-08-30T11:36:00.007-04:00

My niece (an 8th grade teacher) recently recommended that I read the YA book titled Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Although the novel was first printed in 2004, this was the first time I had heard of the book. Sadly, I wish I would have read this years ago, because I could have shared it with many of my students.

Super quick summary: The plot is about Steven (age 14) and how his world gets rocked when he discovers that his brother, Jeffrey (age 5) is diagnosed with Leukemia.

As I read the book I had a mix of emotions...from sadness to outward laughter. Sonnenblick did a great job making this book real for the readers. He took us through the day to day struggles that a middle school boy might go through while dealing with this difficult situation and other typical middle school trials.

Rating:

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

2009-08-10T10:32:00.008-04:00

I have always been intrigued by the the fairy tale "Hansel & Gretel". So recently I started collecting various versions of the story (primarily in picture book format)...please note that it is a very small collection, so feel free to send books my way.

About a week ago I was sent The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan. So off course I was very excited to receive this modern version of the tale to read and add to my collection. Here were some of my initial thoughts: great looking cover, creative title, & fantastic potential. I was anxious to get started.

However, it took me a little while to get into the book. Of course I understand that McGowan needed to set the stage for this story, but it just wasn't working for me. Although the book is only 176 page, it actually took me several days to finish it. I'm sure it is because it was not what I was expecting. The book did have some creative and interesting parts, but overall I found it very average. I am glad that I read it, but I do not think I will do much with it.

Keep Reading,

Dr. Quinn

The Q Formula

2009-07-23T20:14:00.006-04:00

I have just come up with a new formula, titled the Q Formula: Beach + Book + ADD = not much being read. I have recently spent 9 days on the beach and only completed one book...Maximum Ride. I seem to look up every time there is a person, bird, wave, or whatever moving past me. Recently, I decided to not even take a book down to the beach...I guess we must all find ways to cope with our problems.

By the way, if you have seen Pixar's newest movie...UP, and you remember the part where Dug the talking dog loses focus during a conversation: "My master made me this collar. He is good and smart, and he made me this collar so that I may talk...squirrel." Then you have seen me on the beach. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxoWHeoYU3g, a media to self connection!

I guess I will just have to wait until I get back home and can read on my hammock.

Keep Reading (this goes for me as well),

Dr. Quinn

Maximum Ride

2009-07-18T23:01:00.007-04:00

I have had several students encourage me to read James Paterson's Maximum Ride. They have made comments such as...filled with action, each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, quick read, kids will love it, similar to X-Men but kids 6-14 in age, short chapters. What they didn't tell me was that the book was over 400 pages. That is nothing compared to the recent Harry Potter books, but 400+ pages is a lot for someone with a short attention span like me.

I originally picked up the first book in the trilogy, Maximum Ride The Angel Experiment, several months ago. I started it and enjoyed it, but I would only read a little at a time...not a specific choice, rather it just seemed to happen that way. After several months I decided I must finish this book. So today I read 200+ pages while sitting on the beach in Seaside, FL. I can now say that I have completed the book, and I am glad I did.

I thought the book was all it was hyped up to be...(see above). I found it entertaining and an easy read...once I set my mind to completing it. I can't wait to pass it on to my 12 year old son.

Now that I have completed book one, will I complete the next two? Great question. To tell the truth I'm not a huge fan of books in a series; however, to get the complete story I probably need to read the next two.

Rating:

Keep Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Anything but Typical

2009-07-09T19:48:00.006-04:00

Nora Baskin's Anything but Typical is just what the title states...anything but typical. The story is told by the protagonist, Jason Blake, a 12 year old autistic boy. Through his words Jason shares his thoughts, feelings, and emotions. He gives the reader a glimpse of his world as he describes excitement, anxiety, love, frustration, embarrassment and so much more.

The jest of the storyline is that Jason is an excellent communicator when it comes to writing stories. He often posts his work on a storyboard computer site. As a part of these postings, he connects with another writer from a different state. As part of a reward for not getting sent home from school for behavior, Jason's mother takes him to the storyboard convention where he will have the opportunity to meet his distant friend. Of course this is easier said than done because she is NT (neurological typical) and he is anything but typical. Ultimately Jason learns to except who he is..., "This is who I am. This is me."

I believe that Baskin did an excellent job of sharing Jason's thoughts with the reader. This book had some strong intertextual connections to Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral and Cynthia Lord's Rules...two other books that I enjoyed.

I highly recommend this book for upper elementary.

Keep reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Wednesday Wars

2009-07-05T18:52:00.006-04:00

I may have just found a new favorite book. I know that many of you have already read this Newbery Honor Book, but I just picked it up for the first time.

If you haven't read Gary Schmidt's book, then here is a quick summary. Holling HoodHood tells about his 7th grade school year (1968-67)...each chapter is a month. He starts by sharing how his English teacher, Mrs. Baker hates him, and why they will be spending every Wednesday afternoon together. Throughout the year Mrs. Baker challenges Holling to read various Shakespeare plays. Holling's year is filled with real-life adventures and interesting happenings.

I love it when I come across a book where I feel like I am right there in the story, and with all my personal connections to the book I truly felt like I was Holling. Here is a shortlist of these personal connections: I missed school to go to an MLB opening day game (Reds not Yankees); I ran cross country; I didn't have a great relationship with my father (home builder not architect); one of my sisters ran away; our sixth grade class had a camp out; I am a Jesse Owens fan; I am all about teacher-student relationships, etc.

Gary Schmidt, great job!

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Read Aloud in the DR

2009-06-30T15:02:00.005-04:00

This is a video of me reading Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus to Miss Brewer's class in the Dominican Republic. Miss Brewer and Miss Jantzen, both Taylor graduates and current teachers at Jarabaocoa Christian, do a great job sharing literature with their students.

As always, I love the chance to read to children. Thanks Miss Brewer for recording this read aloud.

One Year of Blogging

2009-06-28T09:58:00.005-04:00

It has been one year since I started this blog. Hopefully each of you have found some helpful information during your visits and possibly found some new favorites. It has been fun to do this, but I feel bad when I have long intervals between posts. Thanks for your patience and for putting up with my spelling errors.

Here are a few stats from the year:
Total Postings...73
Most Postings in a Month...Dec. (9)
Least Postings in a Month...Aug, Feb, Apr (2)
Most Frequent Label...Picturebooks (30)

Rating System
5 Star books...(7)
4.5 Star books...(2)
4 Star books...(9)
3.5 Star books...(9)
2 Star books...(6)
2.5 Star books...(4)
2 Star books...(2)
1.5 Star books...(0)
1 Star Books...(1)

Country Totals (37)
1. United States (US) 1,106
2. Dominican Republic (DO) 22
3. Canada (CA) 17
4. France (FR) 11
5. United Kingdom (GB) 10
6. Germany (DE) 8
7. Australia (AU) 5
8. China (CN) 5
9. Mexico (MX) 4
10. Greece (GR), Poland (PL), New Zealand (NZ), Italy (IT), Philippines (PH) 3

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Scaredy Squirrel at Night

2009-06-24T14:31:00.004-04:00

If you haven't read the original Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt, then I highly recommend that you do. Believe it or not, Scaredy Squirrel is ready for another adventure...night.

In this book, Scaredy Squirrel worries about bad dreams and the creatures that might be in those bad dreams...ghosts, dragons, polka-dot-monsters, etc. So he decides to make a plan so he can stay up all night; however, he will have to deal with side effects such as energy loss, moodiness, hallucinations, etc. As you can imagine, it will be an adventurous night for Scaredy Squirrel.

Once again, Watt stays consistent with her usual layout and strong illustrations.

I definitely recommend this fun book.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Chicken Cheeks

2009-06-24T13:55:00.005-04:00

Let me just get to the bottom line, Chicken Cheeks is a funny book kids will enjoy; however, I'm not sure that parents will find it appropriate...although I'm okay with it. This comical book shares various names for the posterior end of various animals.

The storyline is about a bear who wants to get some honey, but he is not tall enough. So the bear gets some help from various animals. Animal are stacked on top of each other until they reach the honey.

The author is comedian Michael Ian Black and the Illustrator is Kevin Hawkes. Black's word choice is creative (i.e., duck-billed platypus gluteus maximus, polar bear derriere), and Hawkes illustrations humorous.

Recommendation: I say yes, butt not for everyone!

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The End

A Friend

2009-06-24T13:18:00.001-04:00

We all need friends and sometimes we need certain friends for certain situations. This is the premise of Anette Bley's picture book titled A Friend.

This book will encourage students to think about all their friends and what makes each friend so special.

Bley's illustration formatting is very clever and often changes (i.e., part of an illustration may be on one page, while the completion of the illustration is on the next page).

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for the elementary classroom. Although the text is simple and more appealing to younger students, the underpinning of the story will impact all ages.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Living Sunlight

2009-06-23T13:46:00.001-04:00

If you are looking for a good picture book about photosynthesis, then take a look at Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm.

This book has strong information and wonderful illustrations to accompany the simple text. More detailed information about photosynthesis can be found at the end of the book. A winner all around.

Happy Reading,
Dr, Quinn

Cruise Control

2009-06-21T09:12:00.001-04:00

Less than a year ago I read Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral (see December 17)...The story is
about Shawn McDaniel a 14 year-old boy with Cerebral Palsy which limits him from any voluntary movement and the whole thing is told from Shawn's point of view.

Yesterday I just completed Cruise Control, a companion book to Stuck in Neutral. In this book, Paul McDaniel, Shawn's older brother, tell his side of the story. Paul is a hard and bitter young man who is especially angry at his father for abandoning the McDaniel family. Throughout the book, Paul deals with his anger via sports, fighting, and alcohol...primarily through sports. Paul has a change of heart near the end of the book, but readers will have to see what happens.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought that Trueman did a fantastic job of showing Paul's anger throughout the book. However, I had one big problem with the ending. As a high school coach for many years and someone who has been around sports his whole life, I found the state title basketball game much too unbelievable. Persoanlly the ending turned me off.

Rating: (due to the ending)

Happy reading,
Dr. Quinn

Dork Diaries: Tales of a Not-So- Fabulous Life

2009-06-14T16:53:00.001-04:00

Rachel Russell's Dork Diaries is an entertaining read for upper elementary and middle school students. Many readers will easily connect with the protagonist Nikki Maxwell. Nikki is an eighth grade girl going through all kinds of typical middle school scenarios; however, her biggest problem is MacKenzie Hollister...the most popular girl in eighth grade.

Russell does a great job of integrating current pop culture into the book...current musical artists and YA authors, tattoos, TV shows, and more.

The storyline here is be yourself, a universal theme that many teenagers need to hear over and over.

Fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series will also enjoy this book.

Personally, I found it a fun read, and the illustrations complimented the text well. I would recommend this book.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Dragonbreath

2009-06-05T20:16:00.000-04:00

Ursula Vernon's Dragonbreath is a book that both late bloomers and procrastinators will be able to connect. The protagonist is Danny, a fire breathing dragon; however Danny has not matured enough to breathe fire. Danny also hasn't matured enough to complete his homework on time. After earning an "F" on a science paper, Danny decides to do some firsthand research for his "Ocean" report. Both Danny and his best friend meet up with Danny's uncle, a sea serpent, to explore the sea. During this exploration the two youngsters run into a little trouble.

Vernon mixes cartoons, illustrations, and narrative to tell this story. This book would fit under the radical change category. It is a light read that will appeal to 3rd and 4th graders.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

The Day-Glo Brothers

2009-06-04T12:20:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago, I received a box of books to review for the NCBLA. To my surprise, one book initially stood apart from all the others...The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob & Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand New Colors written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tony Persiani. When I first saw the cover, I immediately went back to my childhood days and remembered how excited I was to get anything fluorescent (i.e., crayons, black light posters, super balls, etc). With this in mind, off course I had to read this book first from my box of books.

Barton does a fantastic job taking the reader through the life and times of the Switzer brothers. He shares how these two brothers experimented and problem-solved to created fluorescent paint and how that paint has been used to enhance magic shows, theater costumes, Christmas displays, road signs, and more.

Persiani's retro illustrations are "highlighted" with various day-glo colors. Even the end pages use these electric colors to support this fun and informative book.

I definitely recommend this book.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

P.S. If you would like to read an interview of Chris Barton click on this link to Lewis Harris' blog.

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen: The Potato Chip Puzzle

2009-05-30T12:33:00.000-04:00

I have just finished my first Winston Breen book and was happily satisfied. I believe upper elementary readers will enjoy this puzzling and interactive book as well. This book has a familiar format for those of you who enjoyed The Westing Game. I also noticed some similarities to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and some reviews, which I agree with, compare it to Encyclopedia Brown books. The bottom line is that this book is fun and creative.

Summary: Winston Breen is just finishing his 8th grade year when he solves a puzzle for his school's principal. By solving the puzzle Winston's school is invited to participate in a puzzle adventure set up by Dmitri Simon, President of Simon Snack Foods. Winston's school along with several other will all compete in an all day adventure with the winning school receiving $50,000 for their school. Of course the adventure is filled with tricky puzzles which the reader has the opportunity to solve, but there are also other problems to solve along the way. Let me just say there is a cheater in the competition!

I recommend this read for 4-6 grade students.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Subway Ride

2009-05-28T14:56:00.000-04:00

"Step down below to see the world." This is a line from a new picture book titled Subway Ride, written by Heather Lynn Miller & illustrated by Sue Rama. Subway Ride takes the reader to 10 different subways around the world. Each page has a simple rhyme and fantastic illustrations. Rama's illustrations are digital collages of watercolor. At the conclusion of the story, specific information about each subway is provided.

I recommend this picturebook for k-1.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Amiri & Odette: A Love Story

2009-05-26T17:19:00.000-04:00

The folktale of Swan Lake is retold as a poem by Walter Dean Myers and set in an urban environment. This creative poem combined with the fantabulous (yes I said fantabulous) artwork by Javaka Steptoe make a wonderful book.

Personally, I am not very familiar with Swan Lake, but I must say that I enjoyed this version. Since it was quite new to me, I must admit that I was engaged with the text and loved the trickery by the antagonist. In my opinion Myers did a wonderful job of transforming the story to the Swan Lake Projects.

Steptoe's collages are brilliant! He used slabs of asphalt as his canvas highlighted with acrylic paints and various materials such as 14k jewelry, candy wrappers, newspapers, and more. I truly cannot say enough good things about these paintings.

I highly recommend this book for upper elementary or even middle school.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

2009-05-26T10:54:00.000-04:00

This historical fiction novel by Rodman Philbrick will take the reader on a wild adventure with Homer P. Figg (age 12) as he seeks to find his 17 year old brother who has been sold into the Civil War as a soldier. Homer's adventures begin and end in Maine, but he has various stops at New York City, Gettysburg, and other places along the way.

As I read this book, I couldn't help but make several connections with other books...Elijah of Buxton and The Whipping Boy. Homer's various adventures reminds me of the adventures Elijah had in his book. Both books were filled with smaller stories that all lead up to the overall exploit. In regards to The Whipping Boy (a book I haven't read for years), Homer's wit and resourcefulness remind me of Jemmy (the whipping boy), and how he escaped from thieves and dangerous situations.

At the end of the book Philbrick provides the reader with a section titled "Some Additional Civil War Facts, Opinions, Slang & Definitions, to be Argued, Debated, & Cogitated Upon."

A positive way to give young readers a fun adventure with the Civil War, and a strong example of reading across the curriculum.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

You Are the First Kid on Mars

2009-05-23T21:19:00.001-04:00

Before I start the blog entry for this book, I must apologize to my readers. I have not posted since early April. However, school is out and I am ready to roll. I have a couple of books that I want to enter this next week, and after that I hope to get more NCBLA books to review.

Today's entry is about a new book by Patrick O'Brien, You Are the First Kid on Mars. This book is an information book that mixes a narrative storyline with non fiction information about Mars. The storyline takes a young boy from Earth to Mars where he lives with his family for a while and then back to Earth. Integrated into the story are bulleted facts to provide the reader with specific information about space travel, Mars, and more. The end of the book supplies the reader with "More Information About Mars". I also feel that O'Brien's painting truly support the text.

Since this is a NCBLA (Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts) book, I will not rate it, but I will say that I highly recommend it for 3rd and 4th graders.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Here is a photo of my youngest reading this book on our hammock.

Tales from Outer Suburia

2009-04-05T21:33:00.000-04:00

If you haven't experienced a book by Shaun Tan, be sure to do so. Last year I was introduced to his work via The Arrival, a graphic novel. The illustrations were fantastic. I was amazed at the storyline and creativity.

Today I introduced myself to his newest text, Tales from Outer Suburbia. Once again Tan's illustrations are fantastic. However, this book is composed of a collection of short stories...all from outer suburbia. Let's just say these stories are definitely out there, wow! If I were to use one word to describe the collection of tales, it would be...Random. These tales are just simply bizarre, creative, but bizarre. My two favorite tales are "Grandpa's Story" and "Alert, but Not Alarmed."

Again the illustrations are superb. From the front cover, to the table of contents, to the endpages, Tan fills the pages with creative illustrations and formatting.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

DR Read Alouds

2009-04-02T14:37:00.000-04:00

While in the Dominican Republic I had the opportunity see two recent Taylor graduates. Both are teaching in Jarabacoa Christian School. Brooke teaches 5th grade, and Natalie teaches 4th grade. Both requested that I read my two new dinosaur books (Dinosaur Versus Bedtime & I'm Bad). I wasn't real sure how this would go with upper elementary students, but let's just say some of the students laughed so hard they fell over. After I read these books, the classes asked me to read one of the pigeon books by Mo Williems. Of course I had to say yes. For those of you that have heard me read before, you can imagine that my voice was nearly gone at the completion of our time together. Below are a variety of photos from the two read alouds.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Dominican Republic

2009-03-19T21:54:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I will be leaving for an eight day mission trip to the Dominican Republic. I will be accompanied by 18 Taylor students, 2 teenage girls (one is my daughter) , and my co-leader. During our trip we hope to serve and help out any way we can. All of us will stay at Students International's base in Jarabacoa. Each day we will separate to various sites (education, sports, medical, social works, special education, art, dental, & social work). I will be housed at the sport's site where I will play baseball, lead a running clinic, and share my faith to 110 8-20 year olds. The last day I will put on a 2k race and distribute shirts the 110 Dominican boys. As a team we will also do two evenings of outreach (singing, drama, & testimony) in local villages.

One day I hope to take 10 of our elementary education majors to two of the Christian schools in Jarabacoa. We will take tours and see two recent TU grads (Natalie & Brooke). I am hoping for an opportunity to read out loud to both of their classes. TU also has two recent grads teaching in Santiago (Christie & Dave). Sorry you two, we will not have time to tour your school, but feel free to see us at the base.

When I return I hope to get to work on the NBLA list, and keep my blog updated better.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

2009-03-07T19:21:00.000-05:00

I have just finished Jeff Kinney's last installment of the Wimpy Kid series. It was entertaining and like his previous diarys, I laughed out loud at times. However, I felt like I had been there and done that. The novelty of the format and the storyline seemed to wear off a little. Although, I do think Kinney writes about topics in which many readers will connect or at least be entertained.

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Two Fun Read Alouds

2009-03-06T18:06:00.000-05:00

Today I had the privilege to read to a first grade class and two third grade classes. Those of you that have had me as a professor know how much I love to read stories out loud. So you can imagine how happy I was to be in multiple elementary classrooms today.

Since I had been in these classrooms before, I asked them what they wanted me to read. Interestingly, both grade levels chose Dinosaur Versus Bedtime and I'm Bad. Personally, I love both books as read alouds because I can add a lot of energy to them, but I was a little surprised that the third graders wanted these as repeats. I would have thought they would want something a little more mature. After a quick informal survey with a few students, they said, "It's all about the voices." I tried to persuade them to let me read some new books to them, but they wanted the comfort of those books they enjoy. This was true in the first grade as well, because they chose the two dinosuar mentioned books above and two Pigeon books by Mo Willems.

Here is the bottom line: I love to read out loud; students love read alouds with dynamic voices; & if you haven't read either of the dinosaur books, you need to do so.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

The Little Word Catcher

2009-03-05T10:32:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and the word you are about to say seems to have completely left your mind? Imagine that this begins to happen more and more frequently. How might it impact those around you? In The Little Word Catcher by Danielle Simard (Author) Genevieve Cote(Illustrator) young Elisa is worried because her grandmother is forgetting words more and more often.

This recently translated book is written and illustrated wonderfully. I love the connection between the grandmother and the granddaughter, and I especially appreciate the manner in which the two "share" words.

A gentle look at some early stages of Alzheimer’s

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Don't Give Up on Those Non-Readers

2009-02-26T09:27:00.000-05:00

Imagine the following elementary or middle school student... a nice, polite, and respectful child filled with energy and creativity. He likes school, but he is just not real strong at it. He has average grades but weak literacy skills. However the student has a love for books. The youngster enjoys getting books at the library and of course ordering them through mail order book clubs (Scholastic). He has great intentions to read these books, but after reading for the smallest amount of time his mind is elsewhere. The book is put down with only sporadic and feeble attempts to complete the task at later times.

This was me, and it wasn't until I was a junior in high school that I actually completed my first chapter book. I was a late bloomer academically. Sometimes I think about the alternative route that I could have taken if I would have let my lack of academic skill guide my life. Fortunately there were various stakeholders in my life that keep challenging me to reach my potential. These stakeholders range from my grandfather (the original Dr. Quinn) to my parents and my teachers (many of them) to my college professors (especially Dr. Pat Scharer from The Ohio State University). However, I must give a shout out to the one that knew my path and helped place these stakeholders in my life, and that is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Right now I see my youngest son following step for step in my path. This great kid is so creative and has such a fun demeanor about him. However, his literacy skills are identical to mine at that age. I hear him read out loud or practice his spelling words and I just laugh, because I get it. I know exactly what he is thinking and how he is processing it. Each night I see him pick up a book to read just before bed, and then I peek in and see the book on the floor and a Lego magazine in his hand or an action figure rescuing some stuffed animal in his bed.

As an educator, I have many goals, but one is that I can help prepare pre-service teachers motivate and support all their students. For anyone who actually reads my blog, I challenge you to support and be patient with those individuals that struggle in school. God has a plan for them, and you may play a large role in that plan.

By the way you should see how many spelling errors I have when I first type a blog entry. I am able to catch a lot, but I also know there are some that I just cannot see... so thanks for your patience with me as well!

The photo above is part of a promotional for Taylor University put together by the admissions team. Click on it to find out a little more about me.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Sorry & Rating System

2009-02-24T14:57:00.000-05:00

It has been nearly a month since my last entry, and I am sorry for that. My excuse is that I am teaching an overload this semester with one brand new class (so most of my reading has been for that class), I am co-leading a trip to the Dominican Republic in late March, and I have just started a new running club on campus. I know that everybody is busy, but I just had to use that as an excuse. Bottom line...I have been lazy with my reading.

However...I just picked up Jeff Kinney's newest book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The last Straw. I hope to read this in the next day or two, so I will post after I complete it.

Some texts for Notable Books in the Language Arts have started to arrive at my office. So as I read what I consider worthwhile texts, I''ll post them on the blog. To be fair I may not use my current rating system. However, if I come across a fantastic new book, I'll still give it some type of shout out. Otherwise, most books I post for a while will able be considered good reads.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

A Great Honor

2009-01-31T09:46:00.000-05:00

I have just agreed to a three year term to be on the review board for the Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts. This a yearly list compiled by a seven-member committee selected by the Children’s Literature Assembly, an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English. The list identifies 30 exemplary works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written for children, grades K-8. I will be examining between 800-1,000 books per year.

I'm not sure how it will impact this blog, but I have to think my readers/students will be introduced to a lot of new books for the next three years.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

New Valentine Book

2009-01-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

It is always a happy day when a new book arrives at my office...especially when it is a gift directly from an author or illustrator. Today I was greeted with Jerry Pallotta's new book, Who Will Be My Valentine This Year? Pallotta and David Biedrzycki team up again to create this fun book. The two have done several similar books together prior to this one: Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight?, Who Will Help Santa this Year?, & Who Will Haunt My House on Halloween?

Like the others, Pallotta's humor is clearly present throughout the book. My favorite line is when the protagonist, a pink hippo, asks three pigs to be her valentine.

"Pigs, please, let's be valentines!"

"Burp!, Bad idea. We eat like pigs. You have manners."

Biedrzycki's illustrations are colorful and creative. Make sure you take time to look at all the extras he has added.

The book is just off the Scholastic press. It will be a fun read for many Valentine Days to come.

Thanks Jerry!

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Newbery & Caldecott

2009-01-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Today the real winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Award were announced:

Newbery Award

The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman

Honor Books: The Underneath, The Surrender Tree, Savvy, & After Tupac & D Foster

Caldecott Award

House in the Night
By Susan Marie Swanson & Ill. by Beth Krommes

Honor Books: A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, How I Learned Geography, & A River of Words

Congratulations to the winners and the honor books

ALA Press Release with all award winners

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (Senior Capstone)

2009-01-15T14:04:00.000-05:00

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott
(Senior Capstone Class)

Medal Winner

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

"This was my favorite book not only for the illustrations but also for the plot and the way it was written in verse. I know we are supposed to focus on illustrations but I have to say that the book is amazing and I definitely want to incorporate it into the classroom. It tells the story of Rosa Parks in a powerful way. Most of the power lies within the illustrations. I liked how the endpages were wispy and overlapped the color. I also enjoyed the way the illustrations were abstract and really focused on the use of color to convey meaning. Like Lindsey said, my favorite part of the colors was the dark, deep black that loomed over the capital building or the rest of the picture to display the suppression of the Jim Crow laws. During times of hope when the people were gathered together the scene lightened up and become hues of yellow and orange. Most of the book is shades of blue. I just LOVED the symbolism in the colors. This book was so powerful."

"I loved the way that the story was actually written to the child. I could almost hear a grandparent telling this story to their grandchild. The use of color in this book was incredible. I love how Jim Crow was sumbolized as the black scribbles... you could almost see his wings and talons sticking out. I also really enjoyed the accent colors in the book. The bright colors accented the background and really drew your attention to the object which was usually a beacon of hope in some way. I really liked the scene of all the empty dark buses and all the colorful people walking on the sidewalks."

Honor Books

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew
by Zachary Pullen

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Silent Music: The Story of Bagdad
By James Rumford

Abe"s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
By Doreen Rapaport, & Ill. by Kadir Nelson

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Endgame

2009-01-08T10:20:00.001-05:00

Last year I was introduced to Endgame by Nancy Garden. Several students and I decided to use it as a part of our small book club. I was impressed immediately!

This year I decided to assign it to my seniors as a part of their capstone class, the culminating education class at Taylor. After reading the book we did had two hours of discussion (only one hour was planned). It was absolutely amazing to see the emotions that this book evoked in myself and my students. By the time class was over there were tears, heartache, prayer, and a genuine determination to seek out those students that are bullied, different, loners, etc.

If you do not know the book. It is a YA book about a 14 year old boy that is bullied at school and treated unfairly by his father at home. Ultimately he takes the situation in his own hands by taking a loaded gun to school. I'll just leave it at that for now.

I know there are plenty of fantastic books that touch this subject, but I must admit I found this one to be very powerful. I am embarrassed to admit that eyes were opened!

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

New Friends

2009-01-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

While at NCTE's Annual Convention in San Antonio I had the opportunity to meet several children's authors. This is a photo of Roland Smith, Jerry Pallotta, Deb Marciano-Professor at Washington College, Pam Munoz Ryan, & myself outside a wonderful restaurant, Azuca Nuevo Latino Restaurant, where we had some fun and fellowship

Each author was generous enough to give me a signed book. Jerry went out of his way to connect me with Michael Shoulders and a publishing house. Thanks for a great time everyone.

http://jerrypallotta.com/
http://www.pammunozryan.com/
http://www.rolandsmith.com/index.php?page=home
http://www.michaelshoulders.com/
http://books4children.blogspot.com/ Marciano's blog

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

A Taste for Red

2009-01-02T20:41:00.000-05:00

I was recently sent a copy of Lewis Harris' new book titled A Taste for Red. I believe this book will be released in June of '09. It is always nice to have an opportunity to read a text prior to the release date...thanks Marjorie.

First of all, I would like to share what a fun read this was for me. I enjoyed listening to the protagonist, Svetlana Grimm, share her story. She kept me engaged, and I was excited to turn the pages.

Svetlana believes that she is a vampire and to confirm this theory she shares her reasons: she likes to sleep under her bed, she has a taste for red foods (red peppers, red potatoes, tomatoes, red velvet cake, etc.), she has ESP, she is fair skinned, and her senses are perfectly attuned after hours. By combining her sharp senses and her ESP, Svetlana discovers that one of her teachers, Ms Larch, is a vampire as well. However, Svetlana has difficulty discerning if her teacher is good or bad. With the help of an unique elderly neighbor, Ms Bones and Svetlana's new friends, a discovery is made that will impact the all their lives.

In this book, Harris integrated the hot topic of vampires with friendships, self identification, and the thrill of suspense to create a engaging mystery for children.

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Stuck in Neutral

2008-12-17T14:32:00.001-05:00

I just finished Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral, and I am a big fan. I love the third person voice of the 14 year old protagonist, Shawn McDaniel. Shawn was born with Cerebral Palsy which limits him from any voluntary movement. No one in Shawn's life believes he has the ability to learn or even understand; however, this is far from the truth. According to Shawn, he remembers everything that he hears. He just can't communicate that with anyone, so they all think he is profoundly developmentally disabled.

Another big problem is that Shawn believes his father wants to kill him. He thinks that his father is so sad and his heart hurts so much for Shawn that the best thing for Shawn would be euthanasia.

Where did Trueman come up with such a book? After reading the Author's Note at the end of the book I found out. Trueman has a son, Sheehan, who is diagnosed just like Shawn.

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (9:00 Class)

2008-12-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott

(9:00 Class)

Medal Winner

My Friend, the Starfinder
by George Ela Lyon & Ill.by Stephen Gammell

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

I really liked this book when I read it! The illustrations are vibrant and colorful in a way that sets the whimsical feeling of the book. I also love how the illustrator separtated the past and future stories so that the reader can understand what's going on in the story if he or she isn't looking at the text. He made the past stories black and white at first and then added color as the stories went on. This is definitely Caldecott material in my opinion.

I absolutely loved this book! It is my favorite one that I have read. The illustrations are so unique and create a magical feeling, which definitely coincides with the story being told. I thought it was very creative how there was the shape of a star on every page and that it was located somewhere other than the sky. I also loved how when the Starfinder was telling stories from his past, there was a lack of color. It makes the story seem old. I just think this book is excellent and definitely deserves a Caldecott!

Honor Books

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Silent Music: The Story of Bagdad
By James Rumford

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott Winners (8:00 Class)

2008-12-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

Here is the medal winner and honor books for our Mock Caldecott
(8:00 Class)

Medal Winner

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew
by Zachary Pullen

A sample of posted statements from some of my students prior to the event:

"Wow! I loved this book! I love the medium in which it was done and the way it brings texture to these incredible pages. The different views and perspectives were also interesting and made this book fun to read. I think this a great book overall and I would highly recommend it for the award!"

"So far, this is probably my top choice for illustrations. The pictures in this book are amazing and they are often the main emphasis on the page. The pictures seem larger than life, which goes along with the whole theme of the book. The details throughout the book are fantastic--from the cracks in the ground to the reflections in his father's glasses. I definitely recommend this one for the Caldecott."

Honor Books

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Too Many Toys
By David Shannon

Scoot
By Cathryn Falwell

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #5

2008-12-09T19:38:00.000-05:00

Lincoln Shot
By Barry Dennenberg & Ill. by Christopher Bing

Rating:

· Wow!
· Oversized book with an aged look to it
· The story is told through various newspaper articles
· An abundance of information…may seem overwhelming to some
· Each section (topic/chapter) has a new heading
· Authentic photographs, letters, and wanted signs are integrated into the newspaper
· Time Line, Index and credits are provided at the end of the book

Madam President
by Lane Smith
Rating:
· A young girl shares here fantasy of being Madam President
· Typical Lane Smith illustrations filled with humor
· Mixed media and computer usage to create the illustrations
· Fun, engaging, and educational

The Day Leo Said I Hate You
By Robie Harris & Ill. By Molly Bang

Rating:

· A young boy is tired of being told “no” and out of frustration he tell his mother he hates her
· A lesson for all young children
· A nice mix of media
· Bang does a wonderful job with the fonts
· Text and illustrations blend well

Hogwash
By Arthur Geisert

Rating:

· Complicated machine is used to wash hogs
· Wordless picture book
· Imaginative
· Lots of detail, yet the illustrations are not overwhelming
· Take your time with this one

Cool Daddy Rat
By Kristyn Crow & Ill. by Mike Lester

Rating:

· Cool Daddy Rat travels around town to scat & play his jazz while Ace, his son, tags along by hiding in his father’s bass case
· Watercolor, pencil, and a Mac
· Creative use of language...scat
· The scat could get old to some, but others will enjoy the language throughout the whole book

My Friend, the Starfinder
By George Ella Lyon, Ill. by Stephen Gammell

Rating:
· Once there was a man that found a falling star and was at the end of a rainbow
· Watercolor, pastel, colored pencil, and gouache
· Gammell’s illustrations were fantastic
· The abundance and/or lack of color worked great

There is Nothing to Do on Mars
By Chris Gall

Rating:

· A boy and his dog are bored while living on Mars until they discover…
· Hand creating-clay coated board
· Fantastic pictures
· Space-age look and feel
· Would be stronger as a wordless picture book
· Fun endpages

Wild Boars Cook
By Meg Rosoff & Ill. by Sophie Blackwell

Rating:

· Four hungry pigs make a Massive Pudding
· Chinese ink and watercolor
· Illustrations mix well with the white-space on the pages
· Fun and messy
· Recipe for Massive Cookie is found at the end f the book

Big Bad Bunny
By Franny Billingsley & Ill. by G Brian Karas

Rating:

· Baby Boo-Boo transforms into Big Bad Bunny (in his mind)
· Big Bad Bunny gets lost and Mama Mouse searches for him
· Mix of Gouache, acrylic with pencil
· Two formats of pictures: Big Bad Bunny & Mama Mouse
· A variety of fonts are used

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #4

2008-12-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

Old Bear
By Kevin Henkes

Rating:

· Old Bear dreams of the seasons during his winter hibernation
· This book could easily be a wordless picture book
· Fantastic colorful water color and ink paintings
· The color vividly sets the mode for each season in Old Bear's dream
· Loved this book

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy
By Mo Willems

Rating:

· As always Willems sets up extends the book with its endpapers
· Traditional Willems Pigeon book, but just as good as ever
· A slight twist to the climax and ending of this story

Too Many Toys
By David Shannon

Rating:

· Spencer has too many toys and his mother is making him get rid of some.
· Another great book by David Shannon
· Shannon’s paintings are consistent with many of his latest books, such as Alice the Fairy & Good Boy Fergus
· A variety of perspectives and layouts are used throughout the book
· Readers will find classic toys as well as toys of the day
· Classic ending!

Not a Stick
By Anoinette Portis

Rating:

· A follow up book to Not a Box
· Creative uses for a stick
· Every child can relate to this one
· Very simplistic in text and illustrations

The Little Yellow Leaf
By Carin Berger

Rating:

· A leaf is not ready to leave his tree until he finds support in another leaf
· A story of apprehension and friendship
· Illustrations are done in collages
· Several collages use notebook, graph, chart paper
· Love the colors

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tales
by Betsy Franco & Ill. by Steve Jenkins

Rating:

· A creative informational book about animals and insects
· Franco uses a rhythmic meter to share the information
· Jenkins created the collages that absolutely extend the text
· The text is creatively oriented several different ways throughout the book

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Ill by Brian Pinkney

Rating:

· “Blues infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott”
· Great illustrations
· Colored inks on clay board
· Mode and tone are a strong point of this book

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever
By Marla Frazee

Rating:

· Two boys spend a week at nature camp by day and at grandparents house by night
· Typical boys having fun together
· Illustrations were done in black prismacolor and gouache
· Illustrations definitely extend the text

Drive
By Nathan Clement

Rating:

· A young boy tells about his father’s day as a truck driver
· Simple text; usually one sentence per page
· Colorful pictures probably created with photoshop
· Unique perspective in the illustrations

The Dog Who Belonged to No One
By Amy Hest and Ill. byAmy Bates

Rating:

· A stray dog and a young girl find companionship together
· Two stories combine into one: story of the dog, story of the girl
· The text seemed a bit trite to me
· Warm watercolor pictures support the text.
· Nice detail in the paintings

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #3

2008-12-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

Scoot
By Cathryn Falwell

Rating:

· The illustrations are absolutely fantastic!
· Paper collage complimented with a few textured prints
· Detailed and magnificently intense
· Wonderful use of language
· Informative author notes on the last few pages

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime
By Bob Shea

Rating:

· A story in which all children and parents can make a connection
· A young dinosaur can take on about any challenge and win…but what about bedtime?
· Humorous
· Shea uses mixed media with bold pictures and even bolder text
· Not only does Dinosaur win, but Shea wins with this book

Grace for President
By Kelly DiPucchio & Ill. By LeUyen Pham

Rating:

· After noticing that no girls have ever been president, Grace decides to run for office
· Great book for election time
· Informative in regards to the Electoral College
· “…the best person for the job.”
· Fun and colorful illustrations
· A variety of page layouts are used throughout the book

A Kitten Tale
By Eric Rohmann

Rating: 3.5

· A good story about an adventurous kitten who is excited about snow when three other kittens are not so optimistic
· Love the artwork: black borders and outlines positively compliment the colorful prints
· A mixture of relief and monotype prints; 32 separate runs for each image

Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures
By Julie Larios & Ill. By Julie Paschkins

Rating:

· A collection of poems written about mythical creatures
· The illustrations were done in gouache
· Each picture is colorful and outlined in black
· Creative illuminated letters bring attention to the title of each poem

Little Hoot
By Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Ill. by Jen Corace

Rating:

· Little Hoot wants to go to bed, but his parents want him to stay up late like owls should
· Watercolor paintings outlined in ink set against a white background
· An abundance of whitespace is used for a clean look
· Paintings are colorful with supportive detail

Building Manhattan
By Laura Vila

Rating:

· A time line of Manhattan; from 50,000 B.C.E to the present
· Colorful acrylic paintings
· Love the various perspectives Vila used
· Paintings are excellent
· Storyline is average

One Boy
By Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Rating:

· A boy creates 10 paintings that all together make a counting book
· Cutouts are used for each painting connecting the pictures and words
· I would have liked a stronger connection among all ten paintings…seemed a little random
· The artwork is bold, simple and colorful

Bye-bye, Crib
By Alison McGhee & Ill. by Ross MacDonald

Rating:

· A young boy wants to stay in his crib rather sleep in a “big bed”
· Fun story
· Illustrations have a nostalgic look; middle 1900s motif
· Not a fan of the illustrations…due to the style
· Watercolors and pencil crayon

Potato Joe
By Keith Baker

Rating: ???

· I have no idea how I feel about this book…I need to see how children will respond
· Sing-song lyrics, “one potato, two potato, hello Joe…”
· Illustrations are done with photoshop
· Brown endpages support the story
· Unusual looking personified potatoes lead the reader through the story
· Again mixed emotions with his one…check it out yourself

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #2

2008-12-04T07:23:00.000-05:00

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Rating:

· Absolutely fantastic
· As usual Nelson’s paintings are deep and rich with color
· Paintings are based on historic photographs
· I love the endpages (brown & simple), the quotes, the history, and the paintings.
· Nelson hit a grand slam with this one!

Frankenstein Takes the Cake
by Adam Rex

Rating:

· I love the way Adam Rex thinks outside the box
· Very creative…something different on every page
· Illustration were done in pencil, charcoal, oils, and with Photoshop
· Filled with wacky poems

What to Do with Alice?
by Barbara Kerley Ill by Edwin Fotheringham

Rating:

· “How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy”
· Interesting story about Alice’s young life.
· Illustrations were done in digital media
· Fun illustrations with a since mode of the time period

That Book Woman
by Heather Henson & Ill. by David Small

· Text is filled with Appalachian dialect
· Good story about the Pack Horse Librarians
· Illustrations are done in ink, watercolor and pastel chalk
· Cartoonish look but with a touch of Trina Schart Hyman in them

The House in the Night
by Susan Marie Swanson & Ill. by Beth Krommes

· Inspired by traditional poems with cumulative patterns
· Scratchboard and watercolor make up the wonderful pictures
· In my opinion the pictures carry this story
· The pictures are black & white with touches of golden yellow to highlight specific objects on each page

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Mock Caldecott: Allotment #1

2008-12-02T19:09:00.000-05:00

Each year my children's literature class participates in a Mock Caldecott. Usually my class starts in February so the real Caldecott winner and honor books have already been chosen. However, I would ask my students to not let the real award (if they even know the winners) play as a bias to there mock award. This year my class has been moved to the fall so I have saved this event as our culminating activity for the course. It also serves as our final exam (activity).

I have approximately 70 picture books that have been published in 2008 available for my students. However, they are permitted and encouraged to add to the list if the wish. The students have one week to share information in class and on our electronic discussion board. Then at our scheduled two hour final they deliberate over those books they feel are most worthy for our mock award. Our goal is not to pick the book that the ALA chooses, rather we want to examine these books carefully and honor those books we feel are distinctive.

For this blog, I hope to add comments or thoughts from all the books I have available for the students. I will not give elaborate summaries for this activity, but later I hope to revisit some of the books I personally enjoyed as well as the books my students choose for the mock award. On the other hand, I will be rating each book that I add to the post. It is my goal to have all these posted by next week...big goal I know.

Allotment #1

Wabi Sabi by
Mark Reibstein & Ill. by Ed Young

Rating:

· Fantastic artwork: collage
· Absolutely love the collage of leaves
· Orientation of the book is vertical rather than horizontal
· “A way of seeing the world…Simple things are beautiful”
· Narrative enhanced by Haiku

I am a huge fan of this book. Both Reibstein and Young hit a home run with this one. This book would be on my shortlist for our Caldecott.

Sourpuss and Sweetie Pie
by Norton Juster and Ill. By Chris Raschka

Rating:

· Sequel to The Hello, Goodbye Window
· A story in which every child can relate,
· Raschka’s illustrations are fantastic. Mix of watercolor and crayon
· I love the full page spread of Sourpuss transforming into Sweetie Pie.
· Appropriate ending

I’m Bad
by Kate and Jim McMullan

Rating

· T-Rex narrates this energetic picture book
· I love how he asks the reader questions
· “Are you BAD? I’m REALLY bad….Bad Breath"
· Big bad dinosaur brags about his badness, hunts for food, surprises s with the ending
· Colorful and fun use of text/fonts

This book will make a great read aloud. I can't wait to share it with my wife's first grade class!

Never Take a Shark to the Dentist (and other things not to do)
by Judi Barrett & Ill. By John Nickle

Rating:

· I actually laughed out loud.
· Kids would enjoy this book
· Good for a writing prompt
· Acrylic paintings extend the simple text.
· Be sure to look beyond the initial concept of the picture...other humorous details are included

Another great book to share with students. Barrett also did Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Bear’s Picture
by Daniel Pinkwater & Ill. by D.B. Johnson

Rating:

· Originally printed in 1972 now newly illustrated by D.B. Johnson
· A nice mix of color and black & white
· Mix media was used for the illustrations.
· Bear paints a picture and two fine gentlemen challenge him
· They don’t see what bear sees
· Bear states, “It doesn’t have to be. It’s my picture.”
· Keep an eye on bear's tie throughout the story

Dog and Bear: Two’s Company
by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Rating:

· Three stories of Dog and Bear in one book.
· Colorful childlike paintings with strong black outlines
· 2nd book first Dog and Bear was published in 2007
· Reminds me of Frog & Toad, but with very simple text

Wonder Bear
by Tao Nyeu

Rating:

· Wordless picture book
· Unique Artwork is silkscreened with water-based ink
· Artwork has a matte finish with a touch of 60s or early 70s appeal
· Creative story…two children take a fantastical journey with Wonder Bear and his friends.
· The whole trip might just be a dream or is it?

1,2, Buckle My Shoe
by Anna Grossnickle Hines

Rating:

· Colorful end pages
· Photos of fantastic quilt panels make-up each page
· Visually appealing, but overall the book doesn’t do too much for me
· Retelling of the classic nursery rhyme

Boogie Knights
by Lisa Wheeler & Ill. by Mark Siegel

Rating:

· Charcoal, pencil and photoshop
· Good use of alliteration and overall language…this is its strong point
· Fun cartoon-styled illustration

If it weren't for the language usage, I would rate this as a 2-Star.

Jumpy Jack & Googily
by Meg Rosoff & Ill. by Sophie Blackwell

Rating:

· Chinese Ink and watercolor
· Starts okay, but gets redundant
· Personally not a fan

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew
by Zachary Pullen

Rating:

· Unique perspective is what makes this book
· paintings (oil)
· Caricature style pictures with big heads
· Overall I'm not a fan

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

An Abundance of Katherines

2008-12-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

About two weeks ago, I read John Green's An Abundance of Katherines. Sadly, I forgot to post my thoughts. So better late than never. Here is a quick summary and my thoughts of the book...

Colin Singleton gets dumped by his girlfriend, Katherine. It just so happens that this is his 19th time to be dumped, and each time his girlfriend was named Katherine. Colin's best friend ,Hassan, recommends that the two take a summer road trip so Colin can get his mind off the recent break-up. The two make it to Gutshot, TN, where they stop and stay for the summer. While in Gutshot, Colin's diligently works on a theorem which predicts the future of his female relationships. The story culminates as the the two boys run into some trouble with some of the local teenagers.

Personally, I enjoyed my first novel by John Green. I appreciated the added footnotes that Green used to enrich the story. I found these interesting, humorous, and informational. I found the universal topic, male/female relationships, entertaining and engaging. I would definitely recommend this YA book.

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Emily Gravett

2008-11-25T22:40:00.001-05:00

I just returned from NCTE's Annual Convention were I had the opportunity to meet several children's authors and illustrators. One of those talented individuals was Emily Gravett. Emily shared about her writing and drawing experiences at the Children's Literaure Assembly's session titled Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts.

I am a huge fan of Emily's work. I love the way she thinks out of the box and creates radical change picturebooks. I was first introduced to Emily's work a little over a year ago via Wolves. Since then I have loved all of her other books.

During the CLA session at NCTE, Emily shared two books that will be coming to the US in the future: An Odd Egg (a very fun book about a duck that finds a beautiful egg) and Dogs ( a book of opposites). She also read her newest published book, Spells....I think I may have a new favorite!

Visit her site: http://www.emilygravett.com/

In the very near future I will post about my new friend Jerry Pallotta (thanks Deb!).

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #16

2008-11-25T22:10:00.000-05:00

This post completes an assignment from which my children's literature students have been creating.

Maus is graphic novel that is split up into two different books. The first one, "A Survivor's Tale" is the one that I am going to focus on. Maus is about a son interviewing his father about his experience during the Holocaust. The father's name is Vladek. He was originally from Poland before the war. He was married and lived a fairly decent life. He was very well-off, due to many contributions from his father-in-law. Life was going smoothly and soon Vladek and his wife had a son. Shortly after that, though, things began to change. Vladek was enlisted in the army and was forced to serve. Once he was back with his family, things only began to get worse from there. They constantly had to go into hiding and had to be cautious about every move that they made. They had to make hard decisions, including leaving their son with someone else to better ensure his safety. Artie, Vladek's son, is interviewing Vladek to learn as much as he can about his father's experience during the Holocaust. Through reading the novel you eventually find out that Vladek lost everyone from his family in Auschwitz.

While this book is not one of my favorites, I found it very interesting and unique. The author does a great job in character development through unique twists. Throughout the story the Jews are portrayed as mice and the Nazis are portrayed as cats. There were some parts of the novel that I did not like. I did not like the relationships in this book. Artie and Vladek’s relationship is not a healthy one and they do not relate to each other well at all. Vladek and his wife also do not model a healthy relationship. There is also a lot of language and some sexual references that seem somewhat unnecessary to me. Overall though, I think this is such a unique novel that it is worth reading. This should be a book that is only used at the high school level. I also think that because it is a graphic novel, it may appeal to more students. This could cause more students to get involved with history and to learn more about what the Holocaust was. K.S., EDU 371, Sec. I

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear
By Don and Audrey Wood

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear is a radical change children’s picture book. It is about a little mouse who finds a delicious strawberry in the forest. The narrator talks to the mouse throughout the story warning him of the big hungry bear and his love of red ripe strawberries. The mouse tries to come up with different ways to protect the strawberry. When the little mouse is convinced that nothing he can do will protect the red ripe strawberry from the big hungry bear the narrator offers an enjoyable solution.

I loved the illustrations in this book. They are very detailed and express the emotions of the little mouse very creatively. I also enjoyed the interaction that the narrator has with the mouse. This book is written from an unusual perspective which adds to its originality allowing the reader to interact with the text in an original way. I loved this book and am buying it for my classroom. C.S EDU 371, Sec. II

Purple, Green, and Yellow by Robert Munsch is a colorful, imaginative story about a young artist named Brigid. Brigid’s mother buys her different types of markers for her to draw with, but she quickly finds herself bored with each type. Finally her mother gets her the “super-indelible-never-come-off-till-you’re-dead-and-maybe-even-later coloring markers”. Once again Brigid gets bored, and she decided that it will be okay to paint just her fingernails. Her nails were so pretty that she decided to color her hands. Before long, Brigid had colored her whole body. What will happen when her mom finds out? Read Purple, Green, and Yellow to find out if the “super-indelible-never-come-off-till-you’re-dead-and-maybe-even-later coloring markers” will even come off.
Purple, Green, and Yellow is a wonderfully creative book. The patterns that it follows through the book are catchy and amusing. I absolutely love the illustrations. Helene Desputeaux, the illustrator, drew Brigid’s story in a cartoon and somewhat chaotic way, but it works! I highly recommend it. A.B., EDU 371, Sec. I

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #15

2008-11-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
By Brian Selznick

Trapped in the walls of a Parisian train station in 1931, Hugo Cabret fixes the clocks and keeps the many patrons walking through the station on time. After the death of his father and the abandonment of his uncle, Hugo only has one thing left to cling to, and that is the automaton Hugo's father had spent so much time attempting to fix. Hugo himself became obsessed with the machine and steals parts to rebuild the robot that would give him the answer to life he desperately searched for. Soon he embarks on a journey to unravel hidden mysteries behind the man at the toy booth in the train station. The man who recognizes his father's sketches of the automaton.

Based on the early filmmaker, Georges Meliaes, Selznick has created a fictional story to depict the dreams and imagination of Meliaes' films, the father of special effects, which inspired many to experiment with the boundless opportunities in film. This Caldecott winning novel is told through skillful and artistic drawings. It is such an unusual and fascinating way to portray the emotions of Hugo through his failures and discoveries as well as informing the reader of the rekindling spirit of the brilliant filmmaker, Meliaes. I loved it! J.B. EDU 371, Sec. I

Georges Melies - A trip to the moon (1902)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiDWmXHR3RQ
Start at 4:00 mark to see the moon picture found in the book

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #14

2008-11-16T17:21:00.000-05:00

Number the Stars
Lois Lowry

This book is based in 1943 during the Holocaust of the Second World War. Ten year old Ann-Marie Johnson and her best friend Ellen often think about life before the war. It’s 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with Nazis and they won’t stop, they’re just marching around town. The Jews in Denmark are being relocated and Ellen moves in with the Johansens, pretending to be Lise, their sister who died long ago. Ann Marie doesn’t find out until later that her sister’s death was not from a car accident but because of the Nazis. The Nazis are continually tracking down Ellen and her family and asks the Johansens if they were hiding the family and they had to lie about it for the safety of Ellen and her family. This was a dangerous time and Ann-Marie’s family did their best to protect her best friend. One part that really stuck out to me when Ann-Maries' dad came into her room after Ellen had moved in. He quietly whispered to her and her best friend, “Do not be frightened. Once I had three daughters. Tonight I am proud to have three daughters again.” This was so powerful that you can sense the emotion in the father. Ann Marie is then later asked to go on a dangerous mission. Her mother is asked to give a secret package to her uncle Henrick but is injured and cannot bring it to him, leaving no choice but for Ann-Marie to complete this dangerous task. On the way there, she is stopped by German soldiers and their dogs that tear the package open and examines the products but find nothing but apples, bread and a handkerchief. She manages to finally break away from the soldiers and the important package is safely delivered to her uncle. Later, she finds out that the handkerchief contained a drug that is used to deaden a dog’s sense of smell, protecting Jews in hiding from dogs. She learns that her uncle is hiding a boat full of Jews and if it was not for her, the soldiers may have found them. One thing that her uncle said which stuck out and I think showed her character was, “You kept your mind on what you had to do.” Even though they were both frightened of getting caught they had to protect all the people that needed help. The title of this book is based on Psalms 127 in which it states that God has numbered all the stars in the universe. It is tied into the Star of David which is connected to the chain worn by Ellen. Ellen's family eventually returns after two years when the war ends and reconnects with their loved one.

I really enjoyed this story. I remember reading it when I was a lot younger but forgot most of it so it was cool to reread it and re-experience everything that happened in this book. I think that this would be a good book to have in the class for students to read when we would be addressing a history lesson on the Nazis or the value of friendship or ways of breaking rules and still be ok when you have extenuating circumstances. I truly admired Ann-Marie in this book because she showed so much bravery and courage that would be hard for a young girl to do. This is a really impacting story and would definitely incorporate it in my classroom. C.C., EDU 371, Sec.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post 13

2008-11-16T17:08:00.000-05:00

Goodnight Moon
by Margeret Wise Brown

This book is a story about a young bunny who is preparing to go to sleep. There is an old rabbit sitting in a chair, telling the little bunny to settle down for the night; she is saying goodnight to all of the little pictures in his room, such as the cow jumping over the moon, and the three little bears. She also says goodnight to a bowl full of mush, and two kittens, and a comb, brush, and the stars and moon. Finally, the little bunny is lulled to sleep.

This book was one of my favorites growing up. I can remember my mom sitting next to me in bed and reading this story over and over, so much that I came to memorize it. I loved the bunnies in there, and always wanted to go to their house, for I always thought it was real. I have a stuffed bunny named Blue Bunny, and so I always made sure I had him by my side as I was listening to the story. This is one of the classic bedtime stories that could be used to lull any little child to sleep with. Not only does the content deal with nighttime, but also if one reads it in a soothing voice, it is kind of like a speaking lullaby. I love this book, and definitely will remember it in my future teaching. M.S., EDU 371, Sec. II.

Armor Dill’m
Valerie Carle

Armor Dill’m is about one of God’s smallest creatures who thinks of himself as being small, plain and not very special. One of Dill’m’s favorite things to do is sit under his favorite tree and think thoughts from his heart about God and “His bigness, His beauty, and His importance.” These thoughts truly come from deep in Dill’m’s heart, but he can’t help wishing that God was closer. When he finds out that the evil magical creature, Tabosh, is out to get his friend, Smudgins, Dill’m decides that he must try to save him. While he tries to catch up with Smudgins and before he goes into the Deep Woods, Dill’m goes through many dangerous situations. Each time he cries out to God, Dill’m is miraculously saved and comes out with a new piece of armor so that he knows that it was God who helped him. By the time Dill’m reaches Smudgins and Tabosh, he is wearing the whole armor of God, ready to fight Tabosh with prayer and scripture. With Christ’s help, Dill’m defeats Tabosh and Smudgins is saved. Dill’m realizes that God has been and will always be near to him, and he thinks that maybe he isn’t so plain and unimportant after all.

This was my favorite story when I was little, and I was so excited to read it again when I found it at my parents’ house. The picture book is for children ages kindergarten through third grade and is both written and illustrated by Valerie Carle, a writer from the United Kingdom. Her creative creatures and vibrant colors bring the story to life as Dill’m goes through his adventures with God on his side. The whole theme centers on the Armor of God and how it helps God’s children to go through any troubles that come along. Carle uses simple examples that are easy for younger children to understand but are at the same time fun and interesting to read.
S.L., EDU371, Sec. II

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

An Author from Down Under

2008-11-12T12:39:00.001-05:00

One of my students is currently doing her student teaching in a 5th grade class in Australia. I recently asked her for some book ideas from down under. Here was her response...

...there is an author named Morris Gleitzman. My class was checking out his website the other day. His books are kind of morbidly funny.. crazy sense of humor and the kids love it. There are some chapter examples on his website. One of the books is about a frog and his family who keep getting squashed by cars on the freeway and his life long ambition for friendship between frogs an humans... as he drags the dried up bodies of his squashed relatives off the freeway... you get the idea. Here's the website. http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/ where you can get more information and several audio samples from several of his books

Also, the authors Jackie French and Emily Rhoda are very popular...

Thanks for sharing with us Amy.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #12

2008-11-11T14:14:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I think that text messaging have negative results on the spelling and grammar of the youth of America. Then I read CDB! and came to two contradicting conclusions: 1. It has already been a problem, CDB! proves it, or 2: Text messaging makes great literature, CDB! proves it!

Actually, my true opinion of CDB! is that it is wonderfully creative and entertaining to decode. The book is written without words. There are letters that give meaning to the illustrations below; the catch is that it is written phonetically, sort of. Sometimes a single letter will represent a whole word, and sometimes several letters will make up one word. There is no actual story in this book, it is just a series of pictures in which its authorship is written without the conventional English script.

You will find each page to seem like an accomplishment and you will want to share it with others. Each page offers a new way to explore the sounds of letters that many have never experienced. Something to be noted is that, you may find the book is most effective when you pronounce the words with an accent. For further understanding, please pick up “CDB!” today.

Hooway for Wodney Wat is about a mouse, Rodney who has trouble pronouncing his r’s. All of the other rodents tease him as every time he pronounces a word with an r, it comes out sounding like a w. One day, a new student comes into their class and is a real bully. She is meaner, tougher, and smarter than the other rodents. They all are tired of her. One day, the students go outside for recess and Rodney is picked to be Simon Says. He gets really nervous because he is unsure of how the new student will react to his speech impediment. She misunderstands all of his commands and ends up doing different things than what he means. When he says rake the leaves, she wakes the leaves. Everyone laughs and thinks this is so funny. Eventually, he tells everyone to go rest and she goes west, never to return. Everyone thinks Rodney is such a hero!

Overall, this book is great! It encourages students not to look down on those with disabilities. I loved how all of the mice came together at the end to beat the bully. I loved the pictures, the wording, and how fun it was to read this book out loud! I would totally recommend and read this book to my students!

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a book about a story that a man is telling his grandkids. The story is about a mythical town called, Chewandswallow. This town is like no other the kids had ever heard of. In Chewandswallow thefood you eat everyday is based of the weather! It rains meatballs, eggs, hotdogs, broccoli, and everything you can imagine. The story tells of how the weather goes berserk and all sorts of crazy things happen eventually forcing the people of the town to sail away on stale loafs of bread to a new town.

I really enjoy this book. The illustrations are great and really do a great job of enhancing the story. This book is a fun way for students to look at weather and I think all kids would enjoy the silliness of it. Something else I like about it is that if a student is having trouble with vocabulary this book is great practice because the pictures to go along with the words wonderfully.

Jeff Brown’s book Flat Stanly has been a common book to use in elementary schools for quite a while. I remember reading it when I was a child, and I have seen it used in several of the classrooms that I have visited during my time at Taylor. This book is used so much, because it is so good! Flat Stanly is a transitional book that still has a silly, fun storyline. It is cleverly written, and leads to a variety of creative activity ideas.

The story is about a boy who was flattened when his bulletin board fell on him one night. He was perfectly healthy, but he was only about a half of an inch thick. Stanly, found that he could do all sorts of new things since he was so thin. He slips under doors without opening them, and he acts as a kite for his little brother. He even helps the police catch some burglars! However, Stanley doesn’t like being different, and so his brother helped him find a way to return to his usual size.

Happy reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #11

2008-11-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game begins with 16 seemingly unrelated people coming to live and/or work in Sunset Towers, a new apartment building located close to the old Westing mansion. After the apartment building is full of people, the story begins on Halloween when smoke is seen coming out of the chimney of the old Westing mansion. After hearing a scary story about the mansion, a bet is made to see how long Turtle, one of the kids who lives at Sunset Towers, can stay in the mansion. That night Turtle discovers a corpse in bed after being lured upstairs by strange whispers. The next day 16 letters are delivered requesting 16 people come to the reading of old Mr. Westing’s will. When all 16 people are assembled The Westing Game begins. They are paired off and given clues to try and find Mr. Westing’s murderer. Initially, there are protests to the pairs but in the end, each partner ends up helping the other partner. The Westing Game is full of surprising twists and an unexpected ending.

I really enjoyed reading The Westing Game. I liked getting to know a diverse group of characters and reading about how different people interacted. I learned a lot about interacting with different people. For example, even though Chris, a teenager whose family lives in Sunset Towers, was physically handicapped, he was not mentally handicapped. Additionally, several of the characters had hopes and dreams beyond what was expected of them. Throughout the book, the character I related to the most was Turtle Wexler. I enjoyed reading about Turtle finding a family with people who cared about her. Turtle is not alone in finding what she needed as a result of the Westing Game. I liked how all the characters benefited from the Westing Game. The book is hopeful and teaches that redemption can occur and one is never too old for forgiveness, love, and starting over. Initially, I did not like having to keep track of all the different characters and it was confusing that all the characters were introduced at the same time; however, the overall effect of having such a diverse group was worth it. I was able to keep track of the characters through writing the names down with a short description. E.S., EDU 371, Sec. II

Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hess

Aleutian Sparrow was written by the Newbery award winning author Karen Hesse for Out of the Dust. This story is a historical fiction that takes place in the Aleutian Island’s in Alaska during World War II. It tells of an event in America’s history that many are unaware of, the attacks of these islands by the Japanese after they had attacked Pearl Harbor. After the attacks the United States government relocated all of the Aleut people to southeastern Alaska, which interrupts their happy content lifestyle. They are forced to live in horrible conditions, worse than the Japanese prisoners of war, at first they do not even have shelters. Vera, the young girl in the story, is all alone once her mother abandons her for a one person apartment in the city. The story goes through the four years of hard life that the Aleut people have to endure while away from their native land.

Aleutian Sparrow is a great window of insight into an event that happened in our country’s history that many are not aware of. I really enjoyed reading this book once I followed what was going on in the plot. If I would use this story in my classroom I would definitely make sure that I reviewed with the children what was going on in the story as it went, especially when it first begins. Overall I felt that this book was a quick read that was very insightful and I am glad that I am aware of what happened to the native Aleut people during World War II. K.W., EDU 371, Sec. I

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling

If you have seen any of the Harry Potter movie series, you must read book this book. However, I must warn you, if you read this book you will never desire to watch any of the movies again. J.K. Rowling takes her audience into a wonderful world of magic, secrets and danger. In Harry’s fourth year of school he struggles with a whole new world of problems he has never experienced before.

The book beings with Harry snapping awake after a dreadful nightmare about his arch nemesis, Lord Voldermort. However, Harry’s scar is burning and he realizes that it wasn’t just a nightmare, the Dark Lord has returned. While in Hogwartz Harry must compete in a life-threatening tournament, which a mysterious person has entered Harry into. While trying to survive through the many trails at Hogwartz, Harry much uncover what Lord Voldermort’s evil plan he has in store for the trio of friends; Harry, Ron and Hermione.

I thoroughly enjoyed the fourth Harry Potter book. J.K. Rowling adds another dimension to the characters by putting them in new trails. In this book, I feel that Harry beings develop himself into a gifted wizard and defender of goodness. Like always, the book ends with a twist that the readers do not foresee. Though the story ends with a bag, the reader is lead to a comfortable place for the next book to begin. I think the major drawback to this book is its length (700 pages). New readers might find themselves bogged down in the detail of the book. Overall, this is a must have in any future teacher’s classroom. S. F., EDU 371, Sec. II

Rules by Cynthia Lord

This book is about twelve-year old Catherine and her younger brother who is autistic. Catherine thinks that her parents do not do a good job of teaching her brother how to be “normal” so she takes it upon herself to teach him. One way her brother behaves is to learn rules. Catherine makes up a book of rules, about life, and tries to teach them to David. Along the way she also learns about what it really means to be a “normal” person when she becomes friends with another non-verbal child who is confined to a wheelchair at David’s Occupational Therapy visits. This is a story about not judging people because they are different. It is also a story about not being ashamed of your friends or family and accepting people just the way they are.

I loved this book and I would recommend it to children of any age. I think it would be an excellent read aloud to younger grades, and an easy read for upper grades. This book brings up a lot of good topics for conversation among students. This could be especially useful if your school practices full inclusion and you are going to have some students that would be considered “not normal” in your classroom. B. G., EDU 371, Sec. I

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2008-10-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

I have recently had several students ask me about Jeff Kinney's book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Sadly, I could only give them second-hand information about the book because I had not read it. I had heard many good reports about the book with one such report from my son (4th grader at the time). With all this in mind, I thought it was time to read the book.

Let me say that I am glad I read it. I though it was very creative, funny, and real. There were several times I actually laughed out loud while I read. I also found this book to be an extremely fast read...even for me!

I can see why so many students like this text. Kinney provides so many opportunities for the reader to connect with the protagonist. I must admit that I too had many connections...ranging from my junior high experiences (long ago) to my current role as a parent of middle school/elementary children. My next step is to talk to my children and ask them about their personal connections to the book. This could be an interesting conversation.

I am often asked if this book is considered a graphic novel. I would say technically no, but there are some elements (similar to Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpaints Series) that might make students ask the question. Personally, I would consider it more of a radical change text or an illustrated novel than a graphic novel.

Most of you are probably aware of the sequel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and the newest addition Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (coming out in January '09). Also be sure to checkout the website for the online journal...very cool! http://www.funbrain.com/journal/Journal.html

By the way, now I know why my son wants to study robotics for his independent learning project.

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

The Tale of Despereaux: The Graphic Novel

2008-10-25T18:28:00.001-04:00

Are you kidding me, I felt like I was reading a Disney animated book! I must admit this has been the worst book so far on my blog.

I was so excited to see this book in the bookstore last night along with several YA books all of which I purchased. So today between typical Saturday house/yard work and the Ohio State/Penn State football game, I thought I would read. Wow, I think I may have enjoyed the yard work in 43 degree weather more than I enjoyed this book. Before I purchased the book I should have taken more notice at the cover which reads...adapted from the major motion picture...notice it does not say it has been adapted from the book.

Personally, I do not even want to waste my time writing a review for this text, so it will be super quick! Cheesy illustrations (too movie Disney-like), cheesy link to the book written by Kate DiCamillo, and too much missing...not to mention some wacky additions. One positive about the book...at least I can use this text as a negative example in my children's literature class.

I can't imagine how cheesy the movie will be. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #10

2008-10-25T18:24:00.000-04:00

The Arrival
By: Shaun Tan

When I first picked up the graphic novel, The Arrival, I was very leery of its contents. This was my first graphic novel and I was not too excited about reading a glorified comic book. I then discovered that on top of being a graphic novel, it was a wordless graphic novel. As I started to read through the pictures, I realized that there was something more to the graphic novel genre then I what I initially thought.

The Arrival revolves around one man and his family and their search for an improved life. Leaving his wife and daughter, the protagonist embarks on a journey to a new land- a land of mysteries and of opportunities. Upon arriving, he realizes adjustment to a new land is not as easy as he thought it would be. With a new language, customs and modes of living, this foreign land seems impossible to adapt to. Hoping to secure a job in hopes that his family would soon follow him to this new land once he has enough financial stability, the man begins to discover his new land. As he investigates the new land, he comes across many others who, like him, immigrated to the new land. These people take him under their wing and show him how to function in an unknown culture. Through the help of his new-found friends, the man is able to establish himself in the new society and eventually welcome his family to the new land.

After completing the wordless, graphic novel, I realized how much I enjoyed the format of the book. Before I began, I thought that a book that contains only pictures would not require much of any thought, but I was shocked to discover that I was forced to involve even more thought than when I read a typical novel. Instead of being told what happens, I was forced to discover the storyline through using the clues the author left through his pictures. I began to realize the value of a wordless graphic novel in relation to children hesitant towards reading. A wordless graphic novel is an avenue for children who are afraid of reading or who just do not like it into the world of reading. S.V., EDU 371, Sec. I

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #9

2008-10-25T18:06:00.000-04:00

The Blue Ribbon Day

by Katie Couric & Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O’Toole are best friends and attend the same elementary school. They do everything together and one day they see the signup sheet for soccer tryouts. The next day they both decide they will tryout. Ellie had a blast and kicked the ball hard and long, but Carrie however, kept falling and wasn’t enjoying herself at all. When the team was posted the girls who made the team cheered and screamed, but Carrie couldn’t find her name anywhere and became very sad. When she got home she cried to her mother, but she just said you can’t be good at everything and must find your special knack. Carrie was discouraged, but cheered up when she saw signs for the school science fair. She partnered up with her lab partner, Lazlo and they worked very hard at making special shinny colorful rocks. Together they succeeded and were prized with a blue ribbon. Later that day Carrie went to the soccer game to cheer on Ellie.

This is a great book that teaches kids that they can’t be good at everything, but they must not become discouraged. Instead they must search for what they are good at. The young girl Carrie sets a great example for the reader by her display of perseverance and determination. I enjoyed this book and the moral which it taught. The pictures were bright and colorful which immediately catches your attention. I enjoyed every aspect of this book and would love to have it in my classroom to share with my students. M.K., EDU 371, Sec. I

Abraham Lincoln
Illustrated and authored by: Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

Since I am from Springfield, IL, and live close to Abraham Lincoln’s home and law offices, I know quite a bit about him. The book Abraham Lincoln, by Ingri & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire, starts when Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809 in a little log cabin. Abe grew up cutting wood and working the land with his dad. He took every advantage to learn from everyone who stopped by and read every book he could get. His family then moved from Kentucky to Indiana to Illinois. Abe started and helped with many stores, which resulted in debt, but Abe always paid people back. He became known as “Honest Abe”. He then married Mary Todd, and they had three sons together. He worked very hard to buy a beautiful home in Springfield, IL, get his law degree, and campaign for presidency. Everyone loved this strong, tall, honest Abe, so he because the President of the United States. He battled slavery through the Civil War because he thought all were created equal. In the conclusion of the book, Abe was able to see the end of the war and write the Emancipation Proclamation.

I liked how the authors depicted him as a man everyone liked. The only part that I am not sure if I liked is how the authors formed stories to depict every part of Abe’s life. I do not know if all of these stories have historical accuracy. They make sense but may not be necessarily true. As a whole, I think that this book gives a wonderful overview of the life of Abraham Lincoln, excluding his death, and the sweet and caring man he was. L.H., EDU 371, Sec. II

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Cut

2008-10-21T08:27:00.001-04:00

It has been awhile since I last posted a book of my own. My most recent read was Cut by Patricia McCormick. The book is about a topic for which I have very little knowledge. However, I have wanted to read it for quite awhile since it is a popular YA book, and because I wondered if it might give me some insights to teen cutting.

After reading this book I was not disappointed. I do feel that I have a little better understanding (however I know that this is only one story/example). I can understand why YA readers might connect with the book. Although the protagonist, Callie...aka S.T. for Silent Treatment, self inflicts her wounds there are many other characters in the book with other problems that teenagers also deal with. Ultimately readers might connect with the same underpinning problem that Callie had...putting blame on herself for her family's problems.

I really liked the writing style used by McCormick, a first-person voice directed to the protagonist's therapist. I liked the ending and the initial healing between Callie and her father. I liked Callie's self-realization that she does need help, and that she actually wants to get better.

I'm already giving too much away so I better stop.

Rating:

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #8

2008-10-12T18:23:00.000-04:00

Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber

Ira Sleeps Over is one of my favorite picture books of all time. My mom read it to me when I was a child, and it constantly circulated in my family. When I was in first grade, my mom read it to my class, and it quickly became one of my favorite books. I enjoyed hearing my mom read it because of the voices she used for each character. I also believe she enjoyed reading it because of the lessons incorporated in it.

Ira Sleeps Over is a book about a little boy, Ira, who gets to sleep over at his friend Reggie’s house. Ira is so excited about sleeping over. However, his sister bursts his bubble when she tells him Reggie will laugh when he finds out Ira still sleeps with a teddy bear. Before he goes to Reggie’s house, Ira debates all day whether or not he wants to bring his teddy bear. At last, it’s finally time to go to Reggie’s house, and Ira chooses not to take his teddy bear. After playing lots of fun games, Reggie and Ira decide to tell ghost stories in bed. Reggie begins the story, but interrupts in the middle because he’s scared and wants to “get something.” That something turns out to be a teddy bear. Shocked and satisfied that Reggie also sleeps with a teddy bear, Ira then walks to his house to retrieve his own. Moral of the story: don’t be ashamed of your interests because other people will have the same interests. Be yourself! K.H., EDU 371, Sec. I

Katy No-Pocket, by Emmy Payne and Illustrated by H.A. Rey

Katy kangaroo has a problem; she doesn’t have a pouch for her joey named Freddie like all the other mother kangaroos. Katy always has to bounce slowly and wait for Freddie to catch up. Katy decides that she will ask the other animals how they carry their babies and maybe she can do the same. Unfortunately, the other animal’s advice just doesn’t work. After much searching, Katy finally asks the wisest animal in the forest; Mr. Owl. He tells Katy to “get a pocket.” Mr. Owl suggests that Katy go into the city to find her answer because that’s where she can get a pocket. While in the city, Katy runs into a man with a multi-pocketed tool apron and she tells him her story. The man graciously gives her the apron, which Freddie fits into, and Katy has never been so happy.

If you are familiar with the Curious George series, then you will probably recognize H.A. Rey as the illustrator. The artwork in Katy No-Pocket is clear and entertaining and was easily understood by my children.

I enjoyed how Emmy Payne was creative in finding a solution to Katy’s problem. Who would have thought to use a tool apron for a kangaroo pouch? I believe that this story could help teach children to think “outside of the box” for answers. It may even help to engage children to be creative in their own ways of helping others. Katy is also a very sharing character who doesn’t hesitate to share with the other animals her new gift.

Corduroy is a children’s picture book about a little brown teddy bear living in a department store. One day a little girl and her mother come in and see Corduroy. The little girl wanted to buy Corduroy and take him home but her mother said no; because Corduroy was too expensive for a bear missing a button. Later, when the store was closed, Corduroy went exploring around the store in search of his long lost button. He finds a button on a bed, but then is returned back to the toy department later that night without the button. The next day Corduroy woke up to see the little girl and her mother looking at him. The little girl bought Corduroy with her savings and took him home. At her home Corduroy found a perfect bed for himself while the little girl fixed him with another button.

This book written and illustrated by Don Freeman is one of my all time favorite children’s books. The story is fun and creative, with Corduroy’s big adventures as a highlight. The illustrations are phenomenal and really make this book captivating to any reader. “Corduroy” is so good for children, because many aspects of this picture book are relatable to children and what they do daily. Overall, this is an excellent book as it opens children’s imaginations as they continue to learn about the world around them. K.K., EDU 371, Sec. I

Katy No-Pocket is a classic picture book and a must read in my house. G.B., EDU 371 Sec. II

Student Post #7

2008-10-10T15:26:00.000-04:00

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
If you enjoy young adult literature, then I’m sure you will love this book. Although the book’s title is Stargirl, it really tells the story of Leo Borlock and how Stargirl changed his life. Leo is a normal sophomore boy who just wanted to fit in. But everything changes when Stargirl moves to town and turns his world upside down. She comes to school dressed up in funny costumes, sings “Happy Birthday” to students in the cafeteria, carries around her ukulele, and makes get-well cards for perfect strangers. Suddenly, the whole school is inspired and students everywhere are expressing themselves in new ways. Stargirl is a hero. And Leo is in love.

But all that changes when Stargirl becomes a cheerleader. Unlike the rest of the world, she cheers for both teams, and this is not acceptable. When the basketball team loses their playoff game, Stargirl becomes an outcast. Throughout the book, Leo struggles with the desire to be accepted. He tries so hard to be normal, but the girl he loves is totally abnormal. Any kid in the world can relate to Leo and Stargirl’s struggles, and it would be a great book to use in middle school. Not only is it a fun read, it opens up the class for some good discussions. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, because it is cleverly written and encourages readers to be true to themselves no matter what. A.M., EDU 371, Sec. I

Student Post #6

2008-09-26T18:54:00.000-04:00

Spider Sisters
Spider Sisters has been one of my favorite books since I was a child. This is the story of two spiders who are sisters and all of the ups and downs they experience together. Perhaps it is because I have three younger sisters of my own that I am able to so easily relate to and treasure this book. This story is told from the perspective of one of the sisters and she shares with readers the positives and negatives of having a sister. She talks about the secret language the two of them have created so that they can have private conversations in the midst of a crowd, about how her sister always makes sure she is never left out, and about how her sister cheered the loudest when she hit her first home run. Although they sometimes fight and are very different from one another (she loves to play chase, while her sister loves to have tea parties), they still love each other. The story concludes with the narrator praying that one day their own children will be as close as the two of them are.

This story is written by John Trent, Ph.D. and is illustrated by Judy Love. This book is aimed at children between the ages of four and eight, but can be appreciated by anyone who has experienced the bond of sisterhood. It is an easy read, as the sentences rhyme. In addition to this, the font used in this book is very creative. It is almost as if the font itself is illustrated. For example, there is confetti above the word “party” and when the narrator says the word “waterslide,” the word goes downhill. The illustrations in this book are incredible. Love used clay and other real objects, such as pipe cleaners, to create her illustrations. They are very detailed and draw in my attention very easily. This is a Christian book, as it discusses God’s call for us to love one another. This book has been one of my favorites for years and I hope to one day share it with my own daughters. I.M., EDU 371, Sec. I

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Student Post #5

2008-09-26T12:30:00.000-04:00

American Born Chinese by Gene Yang
If you’ve never read a graphic novel before, try this one! Gene Yang does an excellent job of outlining different aspects of living as an Asian American while also crafting an interesting plot in his graphic novel, American Born Chinese. The book begins with three seemingly unrelated stories. One of the stories is about Jin, the boy on the cover. He is a young Asian American boy who really does not like looking different than everyone else. He especially hates it when he is “asked” by one of the Caucasian boys at school to not ask a certain Caucasian girl out on a date because she “deserves better.” The second story involves a monkey king who wants for anything to be something other than monkey—what he really wants to be is a deity. He does all he can to try to become immortal, but eventually must realize that he is only a monkey. Finally, the third story involves a Caucasian boy named Danny who has an annoying, obnoxious Asian cousin named Chin-Kee who comes every year to visit him. Chin-Kee embarasses Danny so much that each year he has to transfer schools after Chin-Kee’s visits. In the end, all three of the stories intertwine with a fascinating twist of events! I strongly encourage you to read this book, because not only are the storyline and artwork great, it also emphasizes the importance of being comfortable and content with who you are! J.J., EDU 371, Sec. I

Monster

Steve is a 16-year-old boy on trial for murder in the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Steve is an aspiring film-maker therefore the majority of the book is creatively written in movie screenplay format. Other parts of the book are journal entries that Steve wrote from jail or are flashback memories of his life in his neighborhood. The court scenes are written in screenplay format that recap the dialogue of each character and even include detailed camera angles as if you are reading the script of a movie.

This novel is a fun read, but it also deals with real "coming of age" issues. Steve describes the things he sees and hears in jail with detailed description and brutal honesty. He is forced to deal with the pain he causes his family, friends and community by his actions. The reader wants to believe that Steve is innocent but the self-doubt that he expresses is not convincing. The reader can see an internal fight within Steve to deal with the choices he made that led him to jail. When the prosecutor calls him a monster in the opening pages of the book, that word resides in his head and he struggles to figure out whether or not he is in fact a monster all the while trying to convince the court that he is not. Readers have the opportunity to get inside Steve’s head but at the same time never find out about every part of the story of the murder.

I was captivated by this book! I read it in a few hours in just two sittings! I would definitely recommend it for older readers because some of the content is very violent and could be inappropriate for younger students. The book is unique in its format as dialogue, flashbacks as well as personal reflection from the main character’s perspective. Myers keeps readers on the edge of their seats with the action-packed plot, suspense and detailed dialogue! K.K., EDU 371, Sec. II

Speak

Speak, by Laurie Halse Andersen, is a powerful story told through the thoughts of Melinda Sordino, a troubled teen going through her first year of high school. Melinda struggles with just about everything as she tries to make sense of what happened one fateful night at a party before school. This girl who once had friends, good grades and supportive parents is now left alone to struggle through the truth of that night. Melinda maintains a sarcastic wit, honest mindset and a brave attitude as she struggles with her secret and conforming to high school. Her safest place is inside her own mind, but even that haunts her at times. While her old friends won’t talk to her, and others keep a distance, Melinda is befriended by her art teacher, Mr. Freeman. This teacher is able to help Melinda express her emotions through her artwork. Eventually, she knows she must speak the truth.

This novel was made into a Lifetime original movie in 1999. There are little differences between the book and the movie; however, it’s recommended that reading book be the first time anyone encounters this story because it is told with vivid imagery and inside thoughts. This particular book has won several awards including: 2000 Printz Honor Book, 1999 National Book Award Finalist, and an Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist. C.M., EDU 371, Sec. II

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

The Dumb Bunnies

2008-09-12T23:05:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not I had not read my first Dumb Bunnies book until last spring. At that time I purchased two titles from Scholastic: The Dumb Bunnies & Make Way for Dumb Bunnies. Of course they were dumb, but I loved the humor in the both the text and the illustrations. OK so would I really use these in an elementary classroom? This was a question asked by several of my undergrads. Well those of you that know me know that I probably would...of course I've been known to use a lot of controversial literature in the past and the present. Personally I think these books would be a fun way to teach intertextual connections (text-to-text).

FYI, my two boys are big Dav Pilkey fans. They both love the Captain Underpants Series. My youngest is currently a third grader and a struggling reader. Last week I gave him my two Dumb Bunnies books to read. He absolutely loved them. His responses would have provided rich data for anyone studying children's responses to picture books (Larry Sipe...you would have loved it). Here were some of his responses: laughter, giggles, smiles, head nods, and quotes like "What the heck? Oh my gosh! You've got to be kidding me! They are so dumb!" Any book that encourages and engages my struggling reader can't be that bad. These books put a smile on my son's face which then put a smile on my face! Thanks Dav.

I haven't done a rating for some time so here I go:

I know that some of you may lose a little respect for me for this rating, but the books fit my sense of humor.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

Student Post #4

2008-09-12T22:38:00.000-04:00

The Giver
The Giver is a story about an eleven year old boy who grows up in a utopian world where everything runs smoothly because the “Planning Committee” controls everything. The people in the community live in a controlled environment free of pain, hunger, and danger. When Jonas turns twelve, he is assigned to his job in the community: Receiver of Memory. The current Receiver of Memory, The Giver, transmits his memories to Jonas, memories of past times, of snow, of mountains, of famine, of war, of sunsets, of love. It is not until Jonas experiences colors, cold, pain, and especially love that he questions the way things are.

I found this book very interesting and would recommend it. Lowry does a good job of creating a unique world complete with terminology that not only fits into the world, but is understandable for the reader. This book makes you think about what a life without pain and sadness could be like, and also about how valuable freedom, choices, and love are. T.R., EDU 371, Sec. I

Stellaluna
Hang in there while reading this excellent book that is sure to make you “batty’! I am always excited to share with others this classic childhood book called Stellaluna. Separated from her mother before even knowing how to fly, Stellaluna is eventually adopted by a silly family of birds. Never does she fit in as a “bird”, especially when she gets in trouble with the mama bird after teaching the three babies to hang from the nest by their toes! By the end of the book she is finally reunited with her bat mother, though she now has some pretty good friends back at the nest.

This picture book is for kindergarten through third grade age and both written and illustrated by Janell Cannon. Her spectacular stories are brought to life by her beautiful illustrations. Other books by this author include Crickwing (about an artistic cockroach), Verdi (about a young python) and Pinduli (about a baby hyena). Janell Cannon’s books renew a charm and appreciation for the sorts of animals that have had bad reputations or bring negative feelings to humans. Her books have won me over and I love the feelings that are brought out as the reader, feelings that one may never think that an animal like a bat could bring out! I would sincerely recommend this precious story to those of all ages. You won’t be able to put this heart-warming story down! A.J., EDU 371 Sec. II

Student Entry #3

2008-09-12T21:21:00.000-04:00

The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew tells the story of two children, Digory and Polly who fall into many misadventures that lead them to a magical place in the end. The story begins with Polly and Digory meeting, they seem to dislike each other at first but soon become fast friends. Soon they are exploring the attics above their homes trying to find new secret passageways and rooms. However, they stumble into Digory's Uncle Andrew's den which is off limits. What happens next is a tale of mystery and excitment that involves yellow and green rings, The White Witch, and the beginning of a land far away from London. This book is full of description, it is a fantasy novel by C.S. Lewis and is the first book in a series of seven known as the "Chronicles of Narnia." Lewis takes his time making sure each page is fresh and exciting especially for young readers. I would recommend this and the entire Narnia collection to any adult or child looking for a fun, imaginative read! R.W., EDU 371 Sec. I

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a popular book for a good reason. It was my favorite book in Elementary school. Reading it again in college gave me a whole different perspective. C.S. Lewis has an incredible way of making a fantasy story have so many deep connections to the Bible. The way Jesus is represented through a Lion named Aslan in this book really demonstrates Jesus’ character. The story is all about having faith in Aslan and to trust in him. Many of the children and other characters begin to have doubt. I was able to relate to the characters and it challenged me to have faith God and to get to know his character more.

I really enjoyed this book because it was also fun and very creative. It has so much imagination and the story line is so unique. It is very well written and can be directed towards children as well as adults. This is an excellent book to read to students because it is fun and it also teaches good values and morals. I highly recommend this book and believe that every teacher needs to read this book! R.B., EDU371, Sec. I

Student Entry #2

2008-09-10T07:03:00.000-04:00

Elijah of Buxton
The vibrant narrative style of Elijah of Buxton tells the gripping tale of an eleven year-old whose unfailing heroism is nothing short of noble. With Elijah being the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, his life has been far different from those just across the border in America. His life goes for a sudden twist when a past slave named Right Reverend Zephariah W. Connerly the Third steals money from a man of Buxton who was going to buy his family out of slavery. Elijah embarks upon this journey to America to pursue this so-called preacher and along the way; he finds the horrific life that his parents so eagerly escaped from, a life from which he’ll always be free. This story tugs at your hearts in ways you didn’t know were possible. Without the slightest bit of hesitation I would read it again. It opens up your eyes to a world in which we have not had to experience, and makes your heart flutter for the precious soul of a boy like Elijah of Buxton. M.H., EDU 371, Sec. I

Martin Luther King Jr.: The Life of a Civil Rights Leader
I really enjoyed this graphic biography. At the beginning the books skimmed through history leading up to the Civil Rights movement, then once it started in on the graphics and the story of MLK Jr. I felt like I knew what was going on. I enjoy history but I also think it can be boring at time, and reading biographies is not enjoyable; as least for me! But putting this biography into the graphics made the story more interesting, engaging, and enjoyable to read. I would definitely encourage my students as well as other adults to read graphic biographies. A.F., EDU 371, Sec. II

Student Entry #1

2008-09-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
I will start out by saying that The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is one of my all time favorite books. Charlotte Doyle, at a mere thirteen years of age, attempts to cross the Atlantic Ocean by herself accompanied only by a rough and rag-tag crew, and one refined Captain. The book is written in the form of Charlotte’s journal, building connections between early 19th century Doyle and 20th century pre-teens. Charlotte’s true confessions tell tales of adventure, fear, sadness, happiness and belonging. Her choice between what she was brought up to believe, and what she knows deep down is right, is a struggle that spans all humanity, connecting young readers to this magnificent book. M.H., EDU371, Sec. I

A Wrinkle in Time
“Mrs. Whiches voice was grave. ‘Wwhatt ddoo yyou unndderrsstanndd?’
‘That it has to be me. It can’t be anyone else. I don’t understand Charles, but he understands me. I’m the one who’s closest to him. Father’s been away for so long, since Charles was a baby. They don’t know each other. And Calvin’s only known Charles for such a little time. If it had been longer then he would’ve been the one, but-oh, I see, I see, I understand, it has to be me. There isn’t anyone else.’”

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle, a Science Fiction novel is the story of Meg Murray, an awkward and unconfident teenage girl. Her, along with five year old, very a typical brother, Charles Wallace and her popular and confident neighbor Calvin O’Keefe set off to find and save her father, who has been missing for several years. With help from three friends, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, and by means of the mysterious Tesseract, Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace embark on an amazing and terrifying adventure to try and save their father and the planet earth from “the darkness.”

I very much enjoyed this book, although it requires a lot of thought and can be confusing at some points. I don’t necessarily recommend this book for young children, especially if they are reading it on their own without and adult to help, because they could be easily frustrated. However, for older students, it is a great story with an adventurous plot that will keep you very interested. C.K., EDU 371, Sec. I

The Olympics

2008-08-21T17:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry that I haven't posted in quite a while, but I have been concentrating on recreating several syllabi for this fall. OK, that is true, but I am also spending a lot of time watching the Olympics.

The Olympics have always been important to me (mainly the T&F events), but this year, it seems as thought I watch everything I can. To tell the truth, I will be glad when it is finally over so I can get back to more reading. Of course as soon as the Olympics are over I will start watching football (The Ohio State Buckeyes & the Indianapolis Colts). The bottom-line is that at times I lack self-control to turn off the TV and pick up a book. Sorry, but that is just the way I roll.

I have a plan to integrate my students' responses to their children's literature readings to this blog, so hopefully that will give us more books to explore. Classes start in about a week, so we'll see if this pans out or not.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn

YA List from a Friend

2008-08-03T21:16:00.000-04:00

I have recently been emailing back and forth with a colleague and new friend from Minnesota, Charlotte Sullivan. In our last few emails Charlotte has given me some YA recommendations. With her permission, I have taken the words right from our email to share with all of you. Because these are Charlotte's annotations and because I have not read any of these book, I will not be rating them. Also please note that Charlotte's original intention was for my eyes.

From Charlotte...

I highly recommend Neal Schusterman's Dark Side of Nowhere. Sci Fi for kids who don't like sci fi. Strong first person voice, examples of leadership, excellent suspense and plot arc. For middle school...but also high school. There's also a great audio recording.

Also love Anne Ursu's Shadow Thieves, the first in a wacky Chronus Chronicles trilogy about contemporary kids and three main Greek gods. (You may not know that one of the doors to the underworld is in our very own Mall of America, here in MN. ;-) . Strong voices, imitates Greek epic story structure, good humor. Protagonists are two cousins, one white/ one black--one from US/ one from England. The second book is out. Haven't read it yet. I'd say, intermediate and up.

Also, you've probably heard of Lightning Thief. Another blend of today and Greek mythology. Main character has ADD.

Although City of Ember, I feel is a so-so book craft-wise, I loved challenging students to think about possibilities in the classroom. We looked at parallels to Plato's cave, and at Crown (a Christian college), the concept of having limited knowledge of the spiritual realm, or of life beyond what we know.

You might check out Pete Hautman. He won the National Book Award for Godless, about a teen who creates his own religion...but I actually like his other books. Especially Sweetblood (teen w/ diabetes, interest in vampires...but the story is real-world), Invisible, etc. These are all teen reads. Stunning, concise, first person, short chapters. He's a true artist. But he's lately done a new Bloodwater mystery series with is partner and author Mary Logue. Fun... more intermediate level.

Susan Fletcher's Shadow Spinner, is a retelling of Scheherazade story from the POV of a young, handicapped girl who happens to be a spunky storyteller herself. Intermediate. Great action, great story.

One last title. I really enjoyed Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy. Humor, fantasy, adventure, intriguing explorations of social power structures, resistance to oppression, etc. I see some post-9/11 overtones, though, I believe Stroud is from UK. Some conservative readers may object to the djinn and spirit world represented. I loved it. Also a great audio version of this.

Thank you Charlotte for sharing these titles and for permission to post them to my blog.

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Stargirl & Love, Stargirl

2008-07-27T21:47:00.001-04:00

I finally finished Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It took me almost six months because I kept putting it down and picking other books up. For those of you that have read previous posts, you know that I set a goal to finish it before reading anything else. So I spent part of a beach day completing the book. By the way, I promise not to post anymore pictures of me reading at the beach. The picture posted here is at East Beach in Santa Barbara, CA. FYI, Santa Barbara is fantastic...great weather, great food, very clean, and more. I would give it a 5-star rating!

Back to the books. I am not going to review the two Spinelli books, but I'll make a few comments and rate them both.

Stargirl
I loved it. I loved the writing style, the message, the characters, the storyline, and the potential for for classroom discussion. I am a huge fan. One of my all-time favorite books

Rating:

Love, Stargirl
I enjoyed this book, but I was not nearly as engaged in this sequel as I was the first book...maybe that is why it took me six months to complete it. I know that many of my students like this book just as much as Stargirl, but I just struggled with it a bit. Although I struggled, it was still creative. In the first book, the text is written from Leo's point of view (Leo is Stargirl's boyfriend). In Love, Stargirl, the book is one long letter written to Leo from Stargirl. I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil too much.

Rating:

Happy Reading,
Dr. Quinn

Rules

2008-07-26T01:38:00.001-04:00

I just returned from Santa Barbara, CA, where my wife and I spent our 20th anniversary. While on the trip I read two books: Love, Stargirl and Rules. I was planning to do two posts this afternoon (Saturday), however, my body seems to still be on Pacific time so I thought I would go ahead and post Rules tonight or this morning or whatever you want to call it (1:30 AM). BTW, the time stamp seems to be off by three hours.

First off let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed Rules by Cynthia Lord. I loved the honesty of the protagonist, Catherine. Catherine is a twelve year old girl with an eight year old brother, David, who is autistic. Although she loves her brother he often embarrasses her by doing things such as: pulling down his pants, dropping toys in the fish tank, opening cupboard doors at other people’s homes, etc.

Each chapter is titled with some sort of rule. Usually these rules are meant for David, but they often mean just as much to Catherine as they do for David. Sometimes to smooth out awkward situations or just their way of showing their love for each other, Catherine and David will recite lines from Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Together. These little snippets along with the ongoing list of rules that Catherine creates throughout the book are a favorite of mine.

Another storyline is the relationship that Catherine generates with a Jason, a boy in a wheelchair. Jason has difficulty communicating verbally so he uses a book full of words and words with pictures to communicate. As the story develops Catherine adds words for David’s communication book. Words such as: awesome!, whatever!, That stinks the big one!!!, and more.

Sorry if this review is a little random, just too much travel today.

Rating:

Happy Reading, Dr. Quinn

Ratings, Readings, & Travels

2008-07-16T20:00:00.001-04:00

Ratings:

After getting all excited about rating the books posted, I have mellowed a bit. Originally I had hoped to come up with a system that considered items such as level of engagement, level of recommendation and other areas; however, I think I simply want to use a one-to-five star rating system. As an educator I know the importance of descriptors, but right now my descriptors are kind of simplistic and probably even cheesy.

Loved it / Highly recommend

Liked it a lot / Strongly recommend

Enjoyed it / Recommend

Did not like it / Do not recommend

I can't believe I wasted my time / Stay away from this one

I will go back and add my personal rating to books from previous posts. Who knows if this system will stay or if I will change it in the future. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if I make some changes in the future.

Readings:

I have already made some reading changes. I am embarrassed to say that I started Love Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli in January and then I put it down for no real reason. While picking up a pile of books near my bed, I saw Spinelli's novel. Now, I am the type of person that loves a sense of accomplishment and does not like to leave things hanging. With this in mind, I decided that I need to complete this book before going to something else. So Love Stargirl will be my next read, and I think a will write it up with Stargirl as well. From there I have a few options (actually I have about six books in the same pile as Love Stargirl that I would like to get too). Remember, I am a slow reader so I truly don't expect to get all of these completed before next semester starts.

Travels:

Within the past three weeks I have been to a remote island in Canada (to work...not for pleasure), Seaside, FL (one of my favorite vacation places), and in a few days I leave for Santa Barbara, CA (20 year anniversary trip). Now many people might consider these great opportunities to read, but I like to mix reading with other ways to spend my time. For example, while on the beach, one day I read Twisted, by Anderson. The next two days on the beach, I listened to the radio and talked with family. Of course the plane ride to California would be conducive to some quality reading, but I'll probably opt for the in-flight movie even if I have already seen it. Sometimes my ADD keeps me from relaxing and focusing on a book. Sorry if that disappoints you, but that's just the way I roll.

Happy Reading,

Dr. Quinn