It's Raining Pigs & Noodloes

Thanks, Kyra Tucker. Including this one here as you recommended it so highly!

Prelutsky, J. (2000). It’s raining pigs & noodles. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Jack Prelutsky individually authors a collection of more than 100 poems in It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles, a specialized poetry book. Each poem is accompanied by a pictorial depiction by illustrator, James Stevenson. The illustrations are simple and done in black and white, so as not to distract from the poetry itself. The book is full of a collection of hilarious, pun-filled word play-driven poems. The poems include both lyric poetry and narrative poetry as the author ranges from using poetry to focus on one topic to telling a story with his poems. “Hiccup!” is an example from the collection that could be considered a lyric poem as it focuses of the terrible torture of uncontrollable hiccups. The poem, excerpted from It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles, titled” Chillotta Lott” is an example of a narrative poem that tells the story of a woman who was always cold no matter the blistering temperatures outside or the number of layers she wore. One of my favorite selections from this poetry book is the poem titled, “I’m Caught Up in Infinity.” This particular poem is unique in that it is a concrete poem. The poem is written on the topic of infinity and it’s never ending existence. The words of the poem form the shape of the infinity symbol. Thus, this particular poem cannot be thoroughly enjoyed as it should be unless it is both heard and seen.

The mass variety of poems in this collection make it ideal for the classroom. I think it’s most obvious and practical use would be to encourage an appreciation for poetry. The poems are written with the child in mind. They are humorous, wacky, and some are just down-right silly. Allowing students to see that not all poetry is stuffy or unbearably verbose will enlighten them about poetry and its many forms.  Some of Prelutsky’s poems are, in fact, completely nonsensical. The humor and the unorthodox content and format of these poems will delight children and have them constantly giggling. The poems also focus on a multitude of topics, some of which could be useful in connection to other content areas. For example, the previously mentioned poem, “I’m Caught Up in infinity” could be a fun and beneficial way to open a discussion and promote understanding about the meaning of infinity in math. Another poem that would be useful for cross-curriculum connections could be the one titled “Questions.” Each line of the poem is in the form of a question, which could be useful in teaching young students about what about the format of a written question makes it a question( the beginning word-“who, what, does” and the punctuation). Prelutsky's poems are often funny because they are irreverent and unexpected. It's Raining Pigs & Noodles is humorous because we expect to hear the idiom "raining cats and dogs." The author often takes tired expressions and turns them around. An activity to relate to this trait of the book would be too read a few poems from the collection, It’s Raining pigs & Noodles, that showcase altered version of familiar idioms. Then, ask students to create new idioms. There would be a classroom discussion about idioms and how they are phrases that are not literal in their meaning. Students could take a favorite idiom and alter it as Prelutsky does to create a new phrase. Then they could share their new idioms with the class. All of Prelutsky’s poems are full of literary elements such as, alliteration, rhyming, onomatopoeias, etc. that would make It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles a useful collection for dissecting these elements and their role in the poems and their roles in literature as whole.

The standards that align with these activities are:

LS.1.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

RS. 5.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as similes and metaphors.

 A few big questions I would ask my students in correlation with this book, could be:

1.      Why do you think the author chose the title It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles? Does that phrase sound similar to a phrase we already know?

2.      Is this poetry? What makes it poetry? If this is poetry, do you like poetry?

One World, One Day

Thanks, Shawnetha Watson, for another good photo essay book.

Kerley, B. (2009). One world, one day.  Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Reading Level: Easy Non-fiction, K - 2nd grade

Summary: 
This photo essay book tells a story with a series of photographs.  The story tells what children around the world do in a day. The words are few, but the pictures speak for themselves. The photos tell a story about what children do from sunrise to sunset.  All children "get up, wash up, and celebrate a new day."  They all have breakfast, travel, go to school, head home, work, play, eat, spend time with family, and get ready for bed.  "Around the world, kids dream of tomorrow and all the possibilities of just one day."  By showing pictures of how one day is spent around the world, children can see how they are all different, yet all the same. 

Literary Terms:  

The illustrations are the most evident feature of this non-fiction book.  This book uses a total of sixty-three photographs to tell a simplistic yet powerful story.  Each photograph is mentioned at the end of the book with a title, location, and caption.  It is truly amazing to see where all of the photographs come from and how they all tie in with the story.  There are photographs included from the USA, Cambodia, India, Israel, Myanmar, Iraq, and China, just to name a few.  

The author of the book is able to connect children around the world with the use of photographs.  For example, the reader will see a series of photographs when the author is describing children having breakfast.  We see children eating different breakfast foods, such as churros, toast, hot sweet tea, pancakes, and porridge. By reading the explanation of the photographs in the index, you will see that the "Porridge" photograph is from Korea, the "Pancakes" photo is from the United States of America (taken in Sevierville, TN), the "Churros" photo is from Spain, the "Toast" photo is from Australia, and the "Hot sweet tea" photo is from Bangladesh. Our foods may be similar or different from other countries, but we all share the common thread of having breakfast.  This is just a part of the theme, which is that we all have much in common.  In the words of the author, "the more we can embrace our commonality, the more tolerant we can be of our differences."  

The captions in the index provide even more information about each photograph.  For instance, the caption of the "Hot sweet tea" photo from Bangladesh states "A boy helps his family by working in a restaurant pouring tea.  In South Asia, many people drink tea with milk and sugar."  Additionally, some photos like this one in particular include a photographer's note.  This note states "Roki makes tea in a restaurant in the main Bazaar in Azmiriganj, a remote town, in Bangladesh.  Roki studied up to grade four, but quit school to help his three sisters and his aging mother.  He described his day to me.  "I wake up at 6:00 am, brush, and wash dirty dishes in the river behind the restaurant.  Then I make tea until afternoon.  Later I have a bath.  For dinner, I have rice with potato.  After that I go back to work, usually until 9:00 pm, and then I go to sleep," Roki has stepped up to his responsibilities to his family, but I hope he will be able to continue his education someday." Captions and notes that go along with pictures like this one give an authentic insight into the life of a child who lives across the world.  

Curriculum Activity:

This photo essay makes me think about sharing diversity, culture, and tolerance in the classroom.  I think it would be a wonderful way to begin a new study on children around the world.  Groups of students could focus and research specific parts of a day around the world, such as "What children around the world eat for breakfast", "What school is like around the world", or "How children spend time with their families in different countries."  This book has so many possibilities when it comes to teaching students about diversity, culture, and tolerance.  

This website also has some great ideas for using this book in the classroom. 
http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/one-world-one-day.htm

Common Core State Standards:   I teach a Basic English 12 class to 12th graders with disabilities.  If I were to use this book in my classroom, the following standards would be addressed.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

BIG questions: Are we all that different from people around the world?  How can a photograph tell a story?  Do you have a photograph that tells a story? 

Rose Blanche

Thanks to Shawnetha Smith for a secondary entry.

Innocenti, R. (1985). Rose Blanche. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, Inc. 

Reading Level: 3.2 and above

Plot Summary: 
This is a story about the innocence of a child during World War II.  Rose Blanche realizes that things are changing about her as she watches the trucks and soldiers come and go in a small town located in Germany.  One day, she sees a little boy jump from the back of one of the trucks, but is the boy is quickly returned to the truck by the town mayor.  Curiosity gets the best of the young girl as she wonders where the loud, stinky trucks full of people go.  She decides to follow the truck after school one day only to find a world very different from her own.  She discovers long wooden houses, electric barbed wire fences, and many cold, hungry children. Rose Blanche begins to sneak food to the young children after school every day.  Then one morning, the people of the small town flee as a new group of soldiers arrive.  Rose Blanche was already in the woods that day to find that the camp has been destroyed as a gunshot fills the air. As spring arrives, beautiful wildflowers surround the remains of the old barbed-wire fence.   

Literary Terms:  

This book is well-known for its rich and realistic illustrations.  One of the main visual elements observed in this book is the use of color.  Throughout the book, the colors of the people and settings are very drab and gloomy, with the exception of Rose Blanche.  The illustrator and author of this book used dark shades of greens, reds, browns, and grays throughout all the pages.  His choice of color sets a melancholymood which fits right along with the reality of sadness this story conveys The only brightness the reader will see is that of young Rose Blanche, who is dressed in a bright blue coat, pink shirt, white socks, black shoes, and a bright red bow in her blonde hair.  Rose Blanche stands out against the cold winter settings and dreary-looking people.  The luster of her curiosity, child-like innocence, and good-hearted compassion for the children living in the concentration camps is shown by this contrast in color.  The written words of the story are simple enough for a child to understand, but the illustrations are so in-depth and powerful that they will remain with you after you have closed the book. 

Another important literary device found in the book is the use of theme.  There are parts of this story that are not explicitly stated by the author, but may be inferred by the reader.  For example, it is implied that Rose Blanche has died when there is a gunshot heard in the woods and “Rose Blanche’s mother waited a long time for her little girl.”  The last illustration of the book shows a bright-colored field full of beautiful wildflowers growing along the barbed-wire fences that were once part of the concentration camp.  The purple flowers seen in this illustration are also found in a previous page where Rose Blanche is holding a single purple flower in her hand as she comes upon the foggy scene of the demolished concentration camp.  This is not simply a story about war.  The author’s meaning seems much deeper than that.  There is a powerful underlying significance of the innocent mind of a child who doesn’t understand the bad things in the world happening around them.  This book touches on ethics, compassion, and innocence as Rose Blanche finds herself in the midst of war and devastation.  This emotional, haunting story has a theme that life isn’t always what it seems, especially in the eyes of a child.          

Curriculum Activity:

When I first read this book, I immediately thought about how closely this book relates to World History.  A teacher could use this book as a reference when teaching about World War II and the Holocaust.  An idea for a classroom activity would be to ask students to describe the scenes of this war, such as the soldiers, transportation, and concentration camps.  Another activity may be to have students make a timeline of the events happening in the story as related to the war, beginning with the formation of the German army and ending with the arrival of soldiers from another country.  Additionally, this book could also be used in conjunction with The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Common Core State Standards:   I teach a Basic English 12 class to 12th graders with disabilities.  If I were to use this book in my classroom, the following standards would be addressed.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact

BIG questions:  How would you explain the concept of war to a child?  How can a child view the world so differently than teenagers or adults do?                

Connections: World War II, Holocaust, Fascism, Germany, concentration camp, wartime, hunger, innocence, compassion, death

There's a Nightmare in my Closet

Mayer, M. (1968). There’s a nightmare in my closet. New York: Penguin.

Genre: Picture Book

Thank you, Charlene Martin!

Summary: Each night as he goes to bed, a little boy closes his bedroom closet in an effort to avoid letting his nightmare (which he is certain lives in there) escape into his room. One particular night as the boy crawls into bed and pulls his cover up to his eyes, his nightmare comes true: a large, hideous monster emerges from the closet, advances toward him, and jumps on the foot of the boy’s bed. In a delightful ending, the boy not only faces his fears but also embraces them.

Terms: Mayer portrays the boy and the monster through indirect characterization, allowing the reader to make inferences about both of them. The boy, for example, is depicted as being afraid of what looms in his closet. Apparently, his fear is that a monster is lurks in his closet, so the boy is careful to close the door each night. Through this behavior as well as his jumping into bed and pulling the covers over his head, the author presents a character with whom everyone can identify, from the child who struggles with bedtime fears to the adult who wrestles with life issues. Likewise, the monster, though illustrated as a tall, ugly, pink being with green polka dots, a gaping mouth, and large ears, proves that he is quite an emotional mess himself. Such actions create the boy’s empathy for the monster, which in turn creates empathy in the reader. The story of a monster who ends up being scared himself makes the book an excellent read for young children who have similar fears at night or in the dark, but it is even better for older children since it requires an amount of inference for which four and five year olds may not be developmentally ready. While this skill may not be necessary to enjoy and understand the book, the story is enhanced by it. The boy does not say exactly why the monster is crying, for example.  He also does not tell why he shuts the closet door after he tucks the monster into bed. Children would benefit from a discussion of these events. High school students, however, are equipped to dive into the symbolism of the monster. Clearly, the monster – or nightmare – represents any fear that we create in our lives, particularly those that we allow to become “larger than life.”  In fact, one theme of the book involves an ownership of those fears and the possible outcome of not only facing but also embracing those fears.

               Interestingly, the illustrations in this book are limited to only a handful of colors, including pops of green and orange, on a muted background. The illustrations seem to reflect the simplicity of the language and syntax in sentences such as, “Go away, nightmare, or I’ll get you!” and “I was mad, but not too mad.” In fact, the pages of the book are filled mostly with the artwork, while the sentences occupy minimal space. This further underscores the theme since the idea(s) become larger, or more important, than the words that are used to express the idea.

Curriculum Connection: An elementary librarian friend recommended this book to me when I inquired about picture books I could pair with the classic literature I already include in my classes.  In the future, I will pair this book with Frankenstein in my Pre-AP English II classes. While it certainly fits nicely with the monster as a literary archetype, it also shares a thematic link. Just as the monster in that novel is unnamed for various reasons (including the fact that we can all identify with the monster on some level), the monster in this picture book is not identified nor described in detail. This helps the reader associate our own nightmares or fears in place of this particular creature.

This book would also pair well thematically with 1984, a novel in which the government, or “Big Brother” gains information about individual citizens’ greatest fears and using those fears against them. For both novel units, this picture book would be a great introduction and discussion starter to focus on such BIG questions as, “What nightmare hides in your closet?” and “What would happen if you confronted your own monster?”
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Cinderella Skeleton

Sherrie Norris, thanks for sharing your review and your excitement about reading!

San Souci, R.D.  (2000).  Cinderella skeleton. New York: Harcourt.

        I chose Cinderella Skeleton for my poetry reflection this week.  Since reading Ella Enchanted for my modern fantasy, I have been caught up in story of Cinderella.  There are so many versions of this traditional fairy tale!  To me, poetry is an expression of emotions and ideas, so I read this single-illustrated poem very carefully, ignoring the colorful illustrations of this picture book during my first reading. I wanted to visualize the characters of the poem without any help from an award-winning illustrator like David Catrow. While this picture book could be considered a fairy tale and modern fantasy, I believe it is better suited to the poetry genre.  

       This is a narrative poem which tells the story of a young Cinderella Skeleton who lives with her Stepmother Skreech and two awful stepsisters, Gristlene and Bony-Jane.  Cinderella attends a Halloween Ball with the help of a witch, meets Prince Charnel, and falls in love with her, um, handsome suitor. You know the rest of this story, but San Souci makes it an unusual tale with a “Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton” perspective.  With all of the disgustingly descriptive and narrative language that assault your senses to help you visualize these odd characters, San Souci writes a tale in which you simply can’t ignore the sense imagery along with the beautiful, and weird, cartoon art of David Catrow.  Cinderella is “everything a ghoul should be” with “dankish hair hung down hanks,” yellow nails, and green teeth.

       Much like other fractured fairy tales, this book is filled with poetic elements and figurative language hidden within an interesting and macabre twist to the beautiful, well-loved fairy tale we know and love.   For example, the sound patterns jump from the pages as you read this poem aloud. From the very first stanza, you read rhymes in words like “fright” and “right” and alliteration, the repetition of beginning consonants, can be heard with “decayed, decrepit” and “withered wreath.”   

       As for figurative language, San Souci cleverly compares characters to other objects. When Prince Charnel says, “Your beauty burns like bonfires ablaze at night,” he is comparing Cinderella’s dazzling looks to a fire burning at night using a simile. (Wow!)  When Stepmother Skreech is berating Cinderella, she calls her “common clay” meaning that she believes her stepdaughter to be plain, undecorated, and, well, ugly using a metaphor.  These are common themes from the traditional Cinderella, but the ideas are re-worked and retold to engage even the faintest of heart.

       Because of the complexity of text and abstract ideas, I would not recommend this book to students younger than fourth grade.  However, this poem could be read to older students in connection with other ghoulish literature to set the mood for Halloween in a Language Arts class.  With a quick Internet search, I found an audio version and a short cartoon version of this tale, so it would be interesting for students to experience the story in different mediums and then write a personal response about which version they liked best.  It might also be helpful to read another version of a fractured Cinderella tale and make a comparison of stories. 

Curriculum Connection: CCR: Reading Literature 6.7 Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.

Big Questions: Why is Stepmother Skreech so mean to Cinderella? How is this version different than a traditional Cinderella tale?  If we change the setting of a story or a character, like in a fractured fairy tale, does this change affect the story’s themes?

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails

Review from Bethann Neville - I think this could be used in your math classes!

Franco, B., & Jenkins, S. (2008). Bees, snails, & peacock tails: Patterns & shapes- naturally. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

An intriguing illustrated poetry book about shapes and patterns found naturally in the world from spider webs to beehives.  Betsy Franco investigates several geometrical shapes and patterns from animal’s wings to uniquely designed environments.  Accurate mathematical and scientific information, along with vivid descriptions, make it an exciting way to learn about the mystery of animals.  For example, whenever the puffer fish “senses there’s something to fear, it puffs itself up till it’s almost a sphere.” Likewise, “off comes the old skin and waiting below, repeating designs appear in a row.”

On several pages, Betsy Franco uses a form of poetry called concrete poetry, which is written and printed in a shape that signifies the subject of the poem. For example, when discussing the spirals and tiny details on topshell snails, she writes the line of print in a spiral pattern.

Betsy Franco also applies sense imagery as she uses words such as delicate and round, as well as phrases such as “slice through the air,” “travel in peace,” and “scurries about nibbling acorns” to awaken the senses while reading.

This illustrated poetry book has rhyme and rhythm that flows throughout the text. There are matching sounds at the end of most lines; however, not every line has a matching sound. This particular choice Betsy Franco made is important to its read aloud quality, as it seems natural, not forced when reading.

This poetry book allows students to easily respond through writing.  In science, students can participate in leaf rubbing.  They can write about symmetry, patterns, or shapes found on the leaf or leaf rubbing.  In addition, students can write a short poem from the perspective of an animal or insect from the book.

W.K.1 & W.K.2

Why do you think the ants walked in a very straight line?

What other animals have patterns or shapes on their body?

Swimming Upstream

Thanks Emily Martin!
George, K. O. (2002).  Swimming upstream: Middle school poems.  New York: Clarion Books.

Quite frankly, I never liked poetry at all; I hated reading it and I especially hated writing it.  Even as a student who excelled in English and literature classes, I completely despised poetry.  When I made it to college I realized that, because of my Language Arts emphasis in Education, I would have to take a poetry class or two.  Nothing could have bummed me more.  However, I left two poetry classes truly appreciating it as an art and as text---now I can’t get enough poetry!  As a teacher now, I try to find creative ways of incorporating poetry into my lessons without my students really knowing what I’m doing (many of them were like me and dislike poetry).  When I found Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems by Kristine O’Connell George, I was so ecstatic.  The middle schooler in me and middle school teacher I am could not wait to finish the anthology as it has so many true, real life experiences of what my students go through each day in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. 

Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems is a collection of fairly short poems all written for the middle school student.  The topics include being late for class, lockers, friends, gossip, and even waking up.  Each poem has been written in a way that connects with the middle schooler.  Although the book takes place from a seventh grade perspective, it works well for any student who attends middle school.  George’s book is considered to be a specialized poetry book because all the poems are written by her, all are focused on middle school issues, and naturally, are for the said age group.  The meaning of Swimming Upstream is fairly obvious (the life of a middle school student), although each individual poem has its own meaning. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems: How do you relate to the book or specific poem?  Can you identify with any situation in the book?  Have ever experienced a situation mentioned in the book?  How does your typical day compare to the day described in the book?

To incorporate Kristine O’Connell George’s Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems is so easy, especially as an English teacher in the middle school setting.  What I would like to do (other than reading these poems or using them as examples of ones students can write) is to have students compare and contrast their daily routine with that of the book’s overall daily routine.  Specific instances in the day are mentioned such as walking to class, waking up for school, getting a locker, etc., and I would have students fill in the day chronologically as in the anthology and then compare it to their day.  This assignment is a great way to begin the school year and it gives student a way to make a real-life connection.  

The President's Stuck in the Bathtub

Thanks Rachel Elam, for a good idea for secondary.
Katz, S., & Neubecker, R. (2012). The president's stuck in the bathtub: Poems about the presidents. Boston: Clarion Books.

Summary: The book The President's Stuck in the Bathtub is a specialized poetry book. This book has poems about different Presidents.  The poems include facts about the Presidents in a different way.  Interesting and silly facts about William Taft, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, and other Presidents are in the book.  This book helps to make biographies more interesting for children.

Reflection: This is a book that I can see many intermediate children enjoying.  The older students are more familiar with the different Presidents and will find the facts in the book interesting and funny.  This was an easy read.  I found myself reading the whole thing in one sitting, it just drew me in. 

Classroom Connection: There are many classroom connections with this book.  You could use it as a springboard for students to then research and create their own bio poem.  This book could also be brought into social studies content when learning about the presidents.

Standard: CC.5.RL.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

By Definition: Poems of Feelings

Thanks, Jennifer Chumley, for a poetry book for older students.

Holbrook, S., & Mattern, S. (2003). By definition: Poems of feelings. Honesdale, Pa: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.

In this specialized poetry book, Sara Holbrook writes forty poems that take us into the emotions of the preteen and teenager. With titles such as “Doubt”, which takes us into the insecurities of a young person and “Love”, which delves into the different types of love,  these rhyming poems take us into the myriad emotions young people may feel. In   Figurative language is utilized in the form of a metaphor in the poem titled ‘’Labels,” where Holbrook compares a person to “a chunk-style vegetable soup.”  For someone struggling through puberty or hoping to understand emotions, these poems are a wonderful accompaniment.

Curriculum Connection: Students can utilize the same technique the author used to write a poem about an emotion they have felt.

Standard: RL.9.10 10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Big Question: How does Sara Holbrook use the technique of rhyme to enhance the quality of the poem?

Science Verse

Thanks, Robin Baskette!

Scieszka, J., & Smith, L. (2004). Science verse. New York: Viking.

The poems in this book make science fun and funny. John Scieszka is known for his sense of humor and this is his second poetry book. He’s also written one about math, entitled Math Curse.

Some of the topics covered are evolution, precipitation, dinosaurs, astronomy, the food chain, the Scientific Method, and more.

The rhythm varies and the style is usually lyrical, but there is always rhyme. Several are funny limericks. “The Senseless Lab of Paul Revere” is more narrative, a parody of Paul Revere that describes the smells and sights in a teacher’s laboratory.

The author even confronts the fact that dinosaurs are taught constantly, to the point kids get sick of it. The poem is “Dine-Sore”, and here is a stanza:

Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus,

On and on the same old chorus,

Elementary stuff to bore us.

“No more,” we beg. She ignores.

The illustrations are brightly painted, somewhat wacky, and fit the humorous theme. The human characters are cartoonish and stay consistent throughout the book. However, the rest of the pictures are pieced together in a collage of textured paper, drawings, and scientific symbols. The entire periodic table of the elements is pasted onto the flyleaf in the back of the book.

This book is appropriate for ages 7 and up, but the humor appeals to all ages. You could use the poems with middle and high to introduce a unit or activity in math or science. In fact, there are so many things you could do with this book! One big question sparked by Science Verse could be: how has our scientific knowledge changed over the past decade?

There's a Wolf at the Door

One to remember from Chad Wells.

Alley, Z. B., & Alley, R. W. (2008). There's a wolf at the door. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

In There’s a Wolf at the Door, Zoë and R.W. Alley tie together five traditional stories and nursery rhymes about a big, bad wolf into one narrative. These stories include “The Three Little Pigs,” “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,” and “The Wolf and the Seven Little Goslings.” The wolf is portrayed as a trickster with a good fashion sense who is looking for a meal, whether that be pork, mutton, goose, or human. The book itself is oversized, making it perfect for sharing in a large reading group. Although these folktales and fables traditionally come from sources ranging from ancient Greece to medieval England, they all share the common element of the wolf. Because of the inclusion of other animals with human characteristics and human communication with animals, There’s a Wolf at the Door is a perfect example of a beast tale.

The stories have been altered for a modern audience and to help the narrative flow from one story to another. Whereas, traditionally, the characters in each of these stories are not given names, in this particular telling they are. The only character that remains nameless is the wolf. There have been various aspects of both subtle and explicit humor added to the stories as well. Take for example Rhonda’s, a.k.a. “Little Red Riding Hood,” love of fashion, the fair with carnival rides that the wolf invites Blake the Pig to, and the townsperson who is illustrated carrying a blow dryer when Barry the Shepherd cries wolf. The wolf himself, having being shamed and beaten so many times, also humorously considers a change in diet by the end of the story.

It is also interesting to note that the text points out that many traditional stories have been changed in recent years to take out what is seen by some as excessive violence or frightening aspects. This is seen clearly in There’s a Wolf at the Door. For example, the wolf never actually eats anyone or anything in this particular work. Even the hunter in “Little Red Riding Hood” has been omitted.

The book has obvious benefit for an elementary classroom in that the message or moral of the traditional stories remain basically unchanged and can provide good character education. It could also be a great way to introduce these stories to children or present them in a new way with added modern humor. There’s a Wolf at the Door could also be used in an advanced art class for older students as well; the illustrations are beautifully done in cartoon art and are laid out in a graphic novel/storyboard fashion.

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World

Sharing from Krystalynn Kuehn Wilson because I definitely am hooked.
Source: Hamilton, V., & Moser, B. (1988). In the beginning: Creation stories from around the world. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Genre: Traditional
Age: 10+

In the beginning, the Raven created man... No, in the beginning, Divine Woman created Earth... or maybe it was a turtle, a feathered serpent,  or Zeus. Whomever we can thank for this awesome gift of life varies from country to county. These are considered myths by most, but there are many who believe in the validity of a few of these. These stories also show a great deal about the cultures who shared them. For example, there were a few Native American stories that were centered around the power and importance of the natural earth, which is something I would expect from Native Americans (I'm actually part Navajo, and believe in the power of the natural earth as well!). Also, of course, the Greek story focuses on Zeus and the battles of gods. Traditional literature is a great window of insight to various cultural mores.

I found this collection to be absolutely fascinating, and a great tool to use in the classroom to introduce folklore and myth. It begins with a powerful hook: "Time was, there were no people on earth. The first man still lay inside the pea pod." What a cool way to start off a story! I can imagine most young readers would see this and wonder what in the world some dude was doing in a pea pod. It turns out, a raven had been "growing" man, and when he broke free of the pod, the raven showed him what food was, taught him about the world around him, and made him a perfect "helper" or woman. (I loved that we were known as "helpers" in most of the stories...)

This is a collection of 25 stories, so I couldn't even begin to review every one; however, my absolute favorite has to be the one that includes the most conflict: "Death the Creator." The story begins with darkness, and the only beings were Sa (Death), his wife, his daughter, and God Alatangana. God felt that the world was too full of darkness, so he created plants and animals to make it better. Sa was so thankful for this that he frequently allowed God in his house. Eventually though, God fell for Sa's daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. Sa did not want to give up his daughters and continued to make excuses to prevent it from happening. They secretly married and ran off, and began having many children. Sa was so angry that the next time he spoke to God, he said, "I welcomed you into my home, and you repaid me by taking my daughter. Now you must give me one of your children on the earth whenever I call one to me." This dialogue pushed the plot forward, and kept me intrigued and wanting to read more. I enjoyed this story for many reasons; number one, it gave a its own little twist on how the earth was created, but it also tells the story of how Death calls God's children. There are many "hints" as to what will happen in the future, and the contrast of characters (and complexity) makes a story like this great to teach foreshadowing, character, and conflict. I plan to use this to aid teaching my first unit. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has interest in various cultures, and history. What a great collection!

The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm

Another winner from Sherrie Norris!

Schlitz, L.A. (2007). The bearskinner: A tale of the brothers Grimm. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
 

This week, I chose a picture book for my traditional literature reflection.  Rather, I think this book chose me because I found it resting upon “my” study table at our public library.  The beautiful illustration on the cover pulled me into its pages;  I just can’t ignore a brothers Grimm story!

  As you may notice from the title, this book is a retold tale-another version of a German fairy tale which stays true to the traditional story elements even though it has been written by a different author.  I would clarify this is not a contemporary, or modern, version of the Grimm brothers’ tale if we consider details such as the soldier travels by horseback and gold is used as the currency that fills his pockets.  Based on those observations, the setting of this story is integral because it has to happen in these woods during this time period.   However in keeping with the morose style of Grimm, Schlitz tells us a sad,  haunting story of a soldier, having nothing left after the war, makes a desperate deal with a mysterious devil. Rather than tell the story in episodes or scenes, the author uses a progressive plot to introduce the characters and then move directly to a developing conflict.  This conflict is the ultimate battle of good and evil: the honorable protagonist faces off against a devious antagonist who hopes to win another soul.  The devil demands that the soldier must wear a bearskin and follow the rules for seven years; in return, the devil will pay him untold riches.  The turning point of the story occurs when the soldier realizes that he can find some good in this awful situation through charity to others; he helps a gambler who has three beautiful daughters.  As I read, I considered what I would be willing to do for pockets full of gold, silver and gemstones.  I wondered if I could I give up my humanity just to be rich.   Sincerely, I can empathize with the soldier because I have made a bad decision or two, but I have learned from my mistakes just as this character does.  Don’t worry, even though this story is Grimm, it does have the traditional fairy tale’s resolution, a “happily ever after” ending. 

            I made notes throughout the story about the impact of the illustrations and style of writing.  The illustrator, Max Grafe, chose muted colors to complement the creepy, dark mood of the story.  The pages themselves are framed as though from an old, tattered book with rough edges and yellowed paper.  At first glance, the artistic style seems to be realistic because you can distinguish natural forms of the bear, the soldier, trees, and the devil but the dream-like quality of the sketches make these illustrations more surrealistic. The shadows and textures seem to fill the pages, especially when the devil is featured in his velvety-green coat and the soldier dons the soft, furry bearskin.  The imagery of the story is shared through such dramatic illustrations and well-written text that reaches all of your senses.  As Schlitz continues the tale and describes the soldier, the bearskin becomes rotted but Bearskinner cannot take it off.   The description of his unwashed condition, covered in lice and sores with maggots and reeking of a rotting animal skin, made me ill.  I felt sorry for this poor, desperate man and I hated the devil even more for taking advantage of the soldier’s misfortune.

           An example of my text-to-self connections happened when one of the minor characters describes the soldier, she says, "Such a fierce fellow, too! A great ugly bear of a man!”  This metaphor reminds me of my best friend's father because he was very tall and stout.  During the winter, he would grow his beard long, and I can still remember how frightening he looked to me when I was eight years old. 

           I would recommend this book for older students who can appreciate the abstract story elements; it might be difficult for younger readers to truly grasp the Bearskinner’s sadness and the opportunistic evil of the devil.  With that in mind, the curriculum connection for an English or Language Arts class would be to focus on characterization by analyzing how the author reveals the courageous Bearskinner and his awful enemy through appearance, actions, thoughts, dialogue, and interactions with other characters.  This story lends itself to a discussion about a character’s motivation as well.  Some questions to consider: How is the soldier going to survive this deal with the devil?  Is he strong enough to endure the physical and mental hardships of wearing the bear’s skin in order to reap the extrinsic reward?  If you had to switch places with the Bearskinner, would you?  What would you do differently if you were the protagonist in the story?  What motivates us?

Chicken Little

Thanks, Emily Martin, for some good work.
Emberley, R. (2009).  Chicken Little.  New York: Roaring Book Press.

The summer between my junior and senior year of high school, Chicken Little was out in theatres.  My four-year-old cousin Kathryn came to spend the week with me as her mother was at a conference in Dallas, Texas.  Kathryn had mentioned wanting to see Chicken Little and so one day during that week we took her.  I sat right beside her and was amazed by how entranced she was at being in a movie theatre.  I had never been to a movie with a toddler and to watch her giggle and laugh at all the silly things in the movie made my heart so happy!  When I saw this story on the reading list for traditional literature, I knew immediately I wanted to read it.

Rebecca Emberley’s Chicken Little is the story of a chicken, named Chicken Little, who becomes quite certain that “the sky is falling” due to an acorn falling on top of his head.  He runs to escape what is sure to be the falling sky and happens upon his other bird friends.  Chicken Little, Turkey Lurkey, Loosey Goosey and others all experience the same event (“The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!”).  Upon their escape, Chicken Little and company come across Foxy Loxy, who seems to be particularly interested in helping them find a safe place.  Will Chicken Little take Foxy Loxy’s advice?  Will the birds and fox perish from the falling sky?

As a piece of traditional literature, Chicken Little is considered to be a fable.  In a fable, the story incorporates very simple characters that are usually animals where a lesson is taught or a universal truth is revealed.  A fable can be one of those “…and the moral of the story is…”  One feature of Chicken Little being of traditional literature is the action throughout the story.  As a reader turns each page, a new comrade of Chicken Little has been added to his group as he tries to outrun the falling sky.  The action in traditional literature is typically very concentrated and fast-paced. 

After reading Rebecca Emberley’s Chicken Little, two activities came to mind.  One would be to teach elementary students the features of fables.  Teachers could use Chicken Little, in addition to a variety of other fables, to teach the elements of fables such as plot, action, characters, etc.  The illustrations are very bold and the story would lend well to a read aloud.  The other activity would be geared toward middle school students.  Teachers could read the fable and then watch the movie.  After having completed both, students could learn how to compare and contrast a book and movie or perhaps be taught how to write a movie review. 

Big questions to ask students after reading Chicken Little: Why does Chicken Little believe that “the sky is falling?”  What actions make him believe this?  What are the similarities between Chicken Little and his friends?  What do you believe Foxy Loxy’s intention was when he first saw Chicken Little and his friends?  What is the moral of the story?

Pancakes for Supper!

Thank you, Robin Baskette.

Isaacs, A., Teague, M., & Bannerman, H. (2006). Pancakes for supper! New York: Scholastic Press.

Toby bounces right out of the back of a covered wagon on the way to Whisker Creek and she lands in a soft pile of snow. Luckily, she’s wearing a new set of pretty warm clothes, but her parents are long-gone and a hungry wolf with terrible green eyes paces around her. She fends off the wolf and five more hungry forest dwellers by trading her beautiful new wardrobe for her life. Each animal claims to be the grandest beast in the forest, until they all meet. The fighting of the angry animals creates a delicious opportunity, and when Toby is reunited with her parents, they make campfire pancakes for supper.

This is definitely a beast tale, told in cumulative fashion. Six different animals confront Toby, all wanting to eat her for supper, and she outwits them in the same way. The animals are clearly on the bad side of being two-dimensional characters, where Toby and her parents are the good guys. This story begs being told aloud. The drama of the scary animals and the number of pancakes Toby eats could be exaggerated with voices and actions. Some of the dialogue is repetitive. Toby always says, “…and I will make you the grandest animal in the forest.” The animal always claims, “Now I’m the grandest beast, West or East!”

Similar traditional tales are told in many cultures. An outdated and politically incorrect version is Little Black Sambo. Another tale is Trouble with Trolls, where the author Jan Brett uses the idea of giving away clothes to animals.

Preschool and early elementary children will enjoy the plot and the boldly-colored paint style of the illustrations. The line of each drawing is distinct and the large shape of the characters balances well with the forest background. The animals really stand out in Toby’s bright clothing.

Curriculum connection: Cooking is a great intersection between practical living and math. A class could scale up a pancake recipe for the class, and practice applying fractions. In fact, there is a recipe for Toby’s Animal Pancakes on the back of the dust jacket.

Math Standard: 6.NS.1 Interpret and compute quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division of fractions by fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem.

Questions to discuss with students: What would you do if you came across a wild animal in the woods? Or became lost in the woods?

Encounter

Thanks to Amy South.
Yolen, J. (1992). Encounter. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers.

Encounter by Jane Yolen is a historical fiction picture book primarily targeted toward elementary children, but it is certainly applicable in high school settings.  Yolen’s book is one that is told from the point of view of a young Tiano Indian boy.  The young boy’s first encounter with the “strangers” is a story full of imagery and vivid illustrations, all of which work together to present teachers with many teaching points for various grade levels and content areas.

The story is written in first person point of view.  One night a young Tiano Indian boy is awakened from a bad dream by a “loud clap of thunder”.  The young boy describes his dream by saying, “But in my dream that night, three great-winged birds with voices like thunder rode wild waves in our bay.  They were not like any birds I had ever seen, for sharp, white teeth filled their mouths.”  As readers continue to read, the young boy tries countless times to warn his tribe and chief to not “welcome them”, but because the young Indian boy is just a boy, his cries are not taken seriously.  As the story’s progressive plot continues, the Indian tribe welcomes these “pale strangers” and they exchange gifts and are friendly with one another.  As time passes, the young boy’s tribe finds themselves at the mercy of the “pale strangers”, and the rest of the story can be concluded from history.

The point of view of this story is very carefully written to show readers how the young Indian boy viewed these strangers.  It is easy for readers to understand how differently the Tiano Indians viewed the white men while reading this story due to Yolen’s use of imagery (descriptive details).  For example, descriptions such as “great winged birds…rode wild in our bay...” and “sharp white teeth filled their mouths…” allow readers to see how the young narrator viewed the strangers because his descriptions speak of the white men as if they are uncommon. 

Furthermore, the imagery is supported by detailed illustrations, particularly folk art style illustrations.   In the first illustration, readers actually see the “great winged bird” and are then able to see that it’s a boat with great white wings.  Additionally, the illustrations in this book help set the mood for the reader because of the earth tone colors which give the reader the feel that this book is set in a historical setting ( the story feels “old” if you will).  Also, the book shifts between what the white men actually look like and how the Indians see them.  At one point, the narrator talks of how his tribe thinks the white men look like parrots because “they hid their bodies in colors.” This line is depicted in the illustrations by showing the white men flying from the sky with colorful wings.

Yolen’s Encounter can be implemented in many different ways on many different grade levels.  At the elementary level, the book can be used in a history lesson when students are first learning about Indians and the development of our country.  The book also serves as a great tool for higher level teachers to teach inferencing and varying points of view.  For me, I could see myself using this book as an excellent introduction to early American literature while reading other accounts from the same time period and have students compare points of view.

Big Question:  Why is it important to understand varying points of view? 

 Standards:

·         CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

·         CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.