1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395913675
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Kit Tyler has just moved from Barbados to Connecticut in 1687 after the death of her grandfather. Her life in Barbados had been carefree and fun, and she expects Connecticut to be similar. She arrives to the surprise of her Aunt Rachel, Uncle Matthew, and their two daughters, Mercy and Judith. Kit comes to learn that Puritan Connecticut is much different than Barbados and there is unrest among the colonists due to the King of England and his appointed governors. Kit learns to work hard, but she never really fits in until she befriends an old lady by Blackbird Pond, Hannah. Amidst Kit’s confusing love life, she begins to come to love Hannah and is shocked when she is accused of being a witch. After helping Hannah escape, Kit is accused of witchery and brought to trial in this story of staying true to yourself and befriending those who are different.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Elizabeth George Speare creates a very likable character in Kit. Readers can really feel her conflict between wanting to please her new family and staying true to her upbringing. Readers can feel the tension that existed at the time between loyal followers of the King and those who wanted to rebel. Readers also get a great look at life in Puritan Connecticut and how everything they did was dedicated to God. The subplots of several romances allow readers to connect to Kit and her cousins as well as the three men they are involved with. The underlying message of friendship and differences in others is reflected throughout the story and readers who feel that it is not “cool” to befriend the “weird” kid will be able to connect deeply to Kit’s conflicts.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Hurt's use of vocal inflection and expression make this an excellent choice for listening whether as an enrichment to the social studies curriculum or purely for pleasure.”
BOOKLIST: “Strong plot, fully realized characters and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great book to read to introduce a lesson on Colonial America
Students can take sides in a debate on weather to follow the King of England or rebel
Students can lead a “witch trial” to understand what life was like during those times
Other books related to Colonial America:
Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. ISBN 0440442508
Latham, Jean Lee. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. 0618250743
Collier, James Lincoln. My Brother Sam Is Dead. ISBN 0439783607
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Avi. 2002. Crispin: The Cross of Lead. New York, NY: Hyperion. ISBN 0786808284
2. PLOT SUMMARY
“Asta’s Son” has just lost his mother when he is accused of stealing from the manor house in medieval England. He is declared a “wolf’s head,” which means anyone can kill him on sight. Before running away from his home of Stromford, his priest tells him that his name is really Crispin and that he needs to a larger city in order to gain his freedom. While trying to stay hidden from the men trying to kill him, Crispin meets Bear, a juggler, who becomes Crispin’s master. Bear takes Crispin under his wing while they travel from town to town and find out more about why Crispin is being hunted. Bear also has a secret of his own, and everything comes to light in the town of Great Wexley during the Festival of St. John the Baptiste. This is a great story about finding oneself and learning to trust others.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Avi’s writing style in Crispin: The Cross of Lead allows readers to be brought back in time to medieval England. The voice of Crispin echoes that of medieval English using a lot of “thees” and interesting sentence structure. As Crispin and Bear travel across the land, readers get a feel of what the world was like back in the fourteenth century. Readers learn about a different type of slavery while following the action and mystery of the story line. Readers are also able to connect to a character from long ago by realizing that Crispin struggles for the same thing that many people struggle to find today, a sense of self and learning to trust completely. Crispin’s innocence and growth reflect those of modern day readers.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY : “Avi's plot is engineered for maximum thrills, with twists, turns and treachery aplenty, but it's the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear that provides the heart of this story.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great book to read to introduce a lesson on medieval England
Lead discussions with readers to discus the connections between life as a slave in Civil War Era America and life under a master in fourteenth century England
Other books related to Medieval England:
Avi. Book Without Words, The: A Fable of Medieval Magic. ISBN 0786816597
Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. ISBN 0763643327
The Sequel to Crispin: The Cross of Lead:
Avi. Crispin at the Edge of the World. ISBN 078685152X
Avi. 2002. Crispin: The Cross of Lead. New York, NY: Hyperion. ISBN 0786808284
2. PLOT SUMMARY
“Asta’s Son” has just lost his mother when he is accused of stealing from the manor house in medieval England. He is declared a “wolf’s head,” which means anyone can kill him on sight. Before running away from his home of Stromford, his priest tells him that his name is really Crispin and that he needs to a larger city in order to gain his freedom. While trying to stay hidden from the men trying to kill him, Crispin meets Bear, a juggler, who becomes Crispin’s master. Bear takes Crispin under his wing while they travel from town to town and find out more about why Crispin is being hunted. Bear also has a secret of his own, and everything comes to light in the town of Great Wexley during the Festival of St. John the Baptiste. This is a great story about finding oneself and learning to trust others.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Avi’s writing style in Crispin: The Cross of Lead allows readers to be brought back in time to medieval England. The voice of Crispin echoes that of medieval English using a lot of “thees” and interesting sentence structure. As Crispin and Bear travel across the land, readers get a feel of what the world was like back in the fourteenth century. Readers learn about a different type of slavery while following the action and mystery of the story line. Readers are also able to connect to a character from long ago by realizing that Crispin struggles for the same thing that many people struggle to find today, a sense of self and learning to trust completely. Crispin’s innocence and growth reflect those of modern day readers.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY : “Avi's plot is engineered for maximum thrills, with twists, turns and treachery aplenty, but it's the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear that provides the heart of this story.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be a great book to read to introduce a lesson on medieval England
Lead discussions with readers to discus the connections between life as a slave in Civil War Era America and life under a master in fourteenth century England
Other books related to Medieval England:
Avi. Book Without Words, The: A Fable of Medieval Magic. ISBN 0786816597
Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. ISBN 0763643327
The Sequel to Crispin: The Cross of Lead:
Avi. Crispin at the Edge of the World. ISBN 078685152X
THE GREEN GLASS SEA
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York, NY: Viking. ISBN 0670061344
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Dewey Kerrigan is an eleven year old girl whose mother left her when she was a toddler and her grandmother can no longer take care of her when her dad is gone for work. Dewey moves to be with her father in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where scientists are working on a way to stop World War II. She is different than all of the other girls because she likes science, so she works on her projects to keep herself from being lonely while her father works long hours on the “gadget.” Soon though, her father is sent to Washington and she moves in with Suze, another girl in her grade. Dewey and Suze slowly develop a friendship that is forever cemented when Dewey’s father is killed. In the end, the development of the atomic bomb is complete and Dewey and Suze become “sisters.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ellen Klages connects history and a personal story in a way that will capture many readers. By going back and forth between the characters of Dewey and Suze, readers are able to understand multiple points of view of Los Alamos during World War II. Facts about the town, are interwoven into the story and readers familiar with the history will have no trouble realizing that the “gadget” is the atomic bomb, readers who have never heard of Los Alamos will slowly start to realize what the “gadget” is as the story progresses. Klages is able to capture the many emotions that Dewey felt during her lonely period and the pride that the American people had of their country during the war. Klages also includes a list of books about Los Alamos at the end of the story.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O’Dell Award Winner
Judy Lopez Memorial Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way.”
BOOKLIST: “The novel occasionally gets mired down in detail, but the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This is a book that should prompt discussion about the ethical issues of the atomic bomb and how it affected people in the US and other countries
This is a great book to tie into a WWII history lesson.
Other books related to WWII:
Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. ISBN 0684865130
Zollo, Burt. Prisoners. ISBN 0897335155
The Sequel to The Green Glass Sea:
Klages, Ellen. White Sands, Red Menace. ISBN 0670062359
Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York, NY: Viking. ISBN 0670061344
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Dewey Kerrigan is an eleven year old girl whose mother left her when she was a toddler and her grandmother can no longer take care of her when her dad is gone for work. Dewey moves to be with her father in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where scientists are working on a way to stop World War II. She is different than all of the other girls because she likes science, so she works on her projects to keep herself from being lonely while her father works long hours on the “gadget.” Soon though, her father is sent to Washington and she moves in with Suze, another girl in her grade. Dewey and Suze slowly develop a friendship that is forever cemented when Dewey’s father is killed. In the end, the development of the atomic bomb is complete and Dewey and Suze become “sisters.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ellen Klages connects history and a personal story in a way that will capture many readers. By going back and forth between the characters of Dewey and Suze, readers are able to understand multiple points of view of Los Alamos during World War II. Facts about the town, are interwoven into the story and readers familiar with the history will have no trouble realizing that the “gadget” is the atomic bomb, readers who have never heard of Los Alamos will slowly start to realize what the “gadget” is as the story progresses. Klages is able to capture the many emotions that Dewey felt during her lonely period and the pride that the American people had of their country during the war. Klages also includes a list of books about Los Alamos at the end of the story.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Scott O’Dell Award Winner
Judy Lopez Memorial Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way.”
BOOKLIST: “The novel occasionally gets mired down in detail, but the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This is a book that should prompt discussion about the ethical issues of the atomic bomb and how it affected people in the US and other countries
This is a great book to tie into a WWII history lesson.
Other books related to WWII:
Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. ISBN 0684865130
Zollo, Burt. Prisoners. ISBN 0897335155
The Sequel to The Green Glass Sea:
Klages, Ellen. White Sands, Red Menace. ISBN 0670062359
Saturday, July 18, 2009
WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Freedman, Russell. 2008. Washington at Valley Forge. Singapore: Holiday House. ISBN 0823420698
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In Washington at Valley Forge, Russell Freedman shows the reader all about the hardships and sacrifices made during one winter of the American Revolution. George Washington is in charge of the American troops, but Philadelphia has been taken and the army needs someplace to stay for the winter, so the bunker down at Valley Forge where they quickly run out of supplies. This biography reflects the courage and persistence of the men at Valley Forge and how they flourished under General George Washington’s leadership, and eventually won the war for freedom.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Russell Freedman’s writing style turns an historical character into someone that all readers can relate to. Through Freedman’s extensive research, readers are able to read diary excerpts from men in the war and how they felt about George Washington’s character. We are able to see the human side of Washington: he was a little insecure in his abilities at first, determined to make his army the best it could be under harsh circumstances, and that he even and a soft side: “at times his eyes filled with tears” when discussing the poor living conditions of his troops. Although the book starts slowly, then jumps back in time for a brief history lesson on the war, it quickly gets into the main topic of life at Valley Forge. Readers wanting to go back to reference a certain quote or topic are able to do so by going through the indexes, as well as the table of contents.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "In a gripping, gritty account of the months that General Washington and his troops spent camped at Valley Forge, Freedman deftly brings to life this storied, nearly mythic period of the Revolutionary War."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Lacing facts and history into a winning, if not always tremendously exciting, narrative, this solid book will dispel any fogginess children may have about why that winter in Valley Forge was such a pivotal time in our country’s founding.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Read this book while studying the American Revolution
Have students create a play based on the events that took place at Valley Forge
Other historical biographies by Russell Freedman:
Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. ISBN 0395518482
Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. ISBN 0395845203
Freedman, Russell. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane. ISBN 082341082X
ENCANTADO: PINK DOLPHIN OF THE AMAZON
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy. 2002. Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618131035
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In Encantado, Sy Montgomery takes the reader on a magical journey through the Amazon to find the mysterious Encantado, or pink dolphin. Readers are led through the rainforest rivers in search of this magical creature, but on the way, they discover many interesting facts about the Amazon basin. Readers take a canoe trip along with tour guide, Moises Chavez, and uncover legends about the Encantado, as well as meet up with many new creatures and people.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Montgomery’s relaxed, second-person writing style invites readers to immediately immerse themselves in a canoe trip along the Amazon River and its tributaries. Readers are easily able to picture themselves along for the scientific journey of a life time due to the photographs by Dianne Taylor-Snow. One of the best parts of this book is that a reader might pick it up thinking that it is just about dolphins, but it is much more. Readers can learn that dolphins are in fact whales, but they can also learn about how locals are protecting the Amazon from destruction. Montgomery introduces many new types of animals, such as caimans and piranhas, as well as different plants that can be found in the Amazon.
Reading the book can be difficult at times due to the fact that Montgomery can skip around from subject to subject and that pictures on pages often do not correspond with the text on that page. A map at the front of the book, instead of seemingly randomly placed in the middle, would have been a helpful reference point, but readers are still able to understand the main points of the book and will find it interesting that Montgomery actually took this exact trip before writing the book. Another great source of enjoyment are the Amazon facts at the end of the book.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "The author's sense of wonder at this spectacular environment and this unusual animal is infectious and makes for a nonfiction title that inspires as it informs."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “children with a taste for adventure will enjoy this enthusiastic field trip to the rainforest and chance meetings with everything from cute monkeys to stinging black ants.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This would be a great book to connect with a science lesson about the Amazon
Have students create their own journey through the Amazon by researching another animal and writing a story
Other animal books by Sy Montgomery:
Montgomery, Sy. Search for the Golden Moon Bear. ISBN 0618356509
Montgomery, Sy. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea. ISBN 0618496416
Montgomery, Sy. The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans. ISBN 0618494901
Montgomery, Sy. 2002. Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618131035
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In Encantado, Sy Montgomery takes the reader on a magical journey through the Amazon to find the mysterious Encantado, or pink dolphin. Readers are led through the rainforest rivers in search of this magical creature, but on the way, they discover many interesting facts about the Amazon basin. Readers take a canoe trip along with tour guide, Moises Chavez, and uncover legends about the Encantado, as well as meet up with many new creatures and people.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Montgomery’s relaxed, second-person writing style invites readers to immediately immerse themselves in a canoe trip along the Amazon River and its tributaries. Readers are easily able to picture themselves along for the scientific journey of a life time due to the photographs by Dianne Taylor-Snow. One of the best parts of this book is that a reader might pick it up thinking that it is just about dolphins, but it is much more. Readers can learn that dolphins are in fact whales, but they can also learn about how locals are protecting the Amazon from destruction. Montgomery introduces many new types of animals, such as caimans and piranhas, as well as different plants that can be found in the Amazon.
Reading the book can be difficult at times due to the fact that Montgomery can skip around from subject to subject and that pictures on pages often do not correspond with the text on that page. A map at the front of the book, instead of seemingly randomly placed in the middle, would have been a helpful reference point, but readers are still able to understand the main points of the book and will find it interesting that Montgomery actually took this exact trip before writing the book. Another great source of enjoyment are the Amazon facts at the end of the book.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "The author's sense of wonder at this spectacular environment and this unusual animal is infectious and makes for a nonfiction title that inspires as it informs."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “children with a taste for adventure will enjoy this enthusiastic field trip to the rainforest and chance meetings with everything from cute monkeys to stinging black ants.”
5. CONNECTIONS
This would be a great book to connect with a science lesson about the Amazon
Have students create their own journey through the Amazon by researching another animal and writing a story
Other animal books by Sy Montgomery:
Montgomery, Sy. Search for the Golden Moon Bear. ISBN 0618356509
Montgomery, Sy. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea. ISBN 0618496416
Montgomery, Sy. The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans. ISBN 0618494901
SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. New York, NY: Crown. ISBN 0517800136
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1914 an expedition set sail from England and headed towards Antarctica. The men on board, led by Ernest Shackelton were planning on being the first in the world to cross Antarctica. However, their journey did not go as planned. The brave men got stuck in ice flows and were never able to make it the continent. Their boat drifted with the flows until getting crushed and eventually sinking. This is the story of what happened to those brave men and how they survived the treacherous cold and beat all odds to make it out of there alive.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jennifer Armstrong’s story like writing style and descriptive details both add to the appeal of this book. Readers are easily able to get the sense of what it was like to be a crew member aboard the Endurance during the tough times they experienced in the frozen ice flows of Antarctica. Crew members’ personalities are brought out as they are described and we get to see the camaraderie and the lengths they went to entertain themselves. “Some of the men tried to create some excitement for the biologist, Robert Clark, by putting some pieces of cooked spaghetti into one of his specimen bottles of ocean water.” The photographs in the book, actually taken by the expedition’s photographer only serve to enhance the mental image readers create when reading this story.
Drawings of the ship and maps of the route taken also enhance readers’ understanding of the harrowing journey. Readers are easily able to find specific points that they would like to reference by referring to the table of contents and the index. Readers are also able to learn more about the expedition by referencing the bibliography.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
ORBIS PICTUS Award Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: "A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader."
KIRKUS review: “This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students research other famous Antarctic Expeditions
Have students create a play based on the story
Other books by Jennifer Armstrong:
Armstrong, Jennifer. Photo by Brady: A Picture of the Civil War. ISBN 0689857853
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
WITNESS
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hesse, Karen. 2001. Witness. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439271991
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Witness centers around a Vermont town in 1924 when the Ku Klux Klan moves into town and threatens the peaceful existence of the eleven main characters. Readers are brought back in time to a place where racial tensions were high and families were harmed. Community members clashed against each other in a struggle to figure out what was right and moral and readers are able to connect with each character as they tell the story though voice of individual poems.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Witness is an amazing story that allows readers to delve deeper into the emotions of all those affected by the Ku Klux Klan. Through the free-verse poems of eleven different characters, who are introduced to us through pictures and labels at the front of the book, Hesse is able to capture many different personalities and the internal turmoil that they are all going through. After reading through several poems, it becomes easier to see the similar style used each time a character is speaking. However, the voice of Esther Hirsh is harder to read at times and takes a while to get used to because of the use of unconventional English: “daddy did say he would sit at the table he would sit at the table and not have sleeps…daddy did say nobody not anybody not even klan is hurting little girls.” Readers who have never read a verse novel will enjoy the easy style of this book.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred Review in BOOKLIST: "The voices personalize the history and reveal how events felt to different people."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “The small details seem just right, and demonstrate that this is much more than a social tract. It's a thoughtful look at people and their capacity for love and hate.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Do a Reader’s Theater and assign readers the part of a specific student to read.
Have readers continue the story in their own poems
Read this book when studying the Ku Klux Klan and the Civil Rights Movement
Other books by Karen Hesse:
Hesse, Karen. Out Of The Dust. ISBN 0590371258
Hesse, Karen. Aleutian Sparrow. ISBN 1416903275
Hesse, Karen. A Time of Angels. ISBN 1423115732
Hesse, Karen. 2001. Witness. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439271991
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Witness centers around a Vermont town in 1924 when the Ku Klux Klan moves into town and threatens the peaceful existence of the eleven main characters. Readers are brought back in time to a place where racial tensions were high and families were harmed. Community members clashed against each other in a struggle to figure out what was right and moral and readers are able to connect with each character as they tell the story though voice of individual poems.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Witness is an amazing story that allows readers to delve deeper into the emotions of all those affected by the Ku Klux Klan. Through the free-verse poems of eleven different characters, who are introduced to us through pictures and labels at the front of the book, Hesse is able to capture many different personalities and the internal turmoil that they are all going through. After reading through several poems, it becomes easier to see the similar style used each time a character is speaking. However, the voice of Esther Hirsh is harder to read at times and takes a while to get used to because of the use of unconventional English: “daddy did say he would sit at the table he would sit at the table and not have sleeps…daddy did say nobody not anybody not even klan is hurting little girls.” Readers who have never read a verse novel will enjoy the easy style of this book.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred Review in BOOKLIST: "The voices personalize the history and reveal how events felt to different people."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “The small details seem just right, and demonstrate that this is much more than a social tract. It's a thoughtful look at people and their capacity for love and hate.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Do a Reader’s Theater and assign readers the part of a specific student to read.
Have readers continue the story in their own poems
Read this book when studying the Ku Klux Klan and the Civil Rights Movement
Other books by Karen Hesse:
Hesse, Karen. Out Of The Dust. ISBN 0590371258
Hesse, Karen. Aleutian Sparrow. ISBN 1416903275
Hesse, Karen. A Time of Angels. ISBN 1423115732
FIRST FOOD FIGHT THIS FALL AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Singer, Marilyn. 2008. First Food Fight This Fall and Other School Poems. Ill. by Sachiko Yoshikawa. New York: Sterling. ISBN 1402741456
2. PLOT SUMMARY
First Food Fight This Fall centers around twelve students in Ms. Mundy’s class. From the beginning of the school year to the end, readers learn about what happens at school through poems from each student about tests, gym, lunch, and other school activities. Readers can laugh along at the funny differences of twins Jenna and Abigail, and the love-hate relationship between friends Amy and Malik. At the end of the year, readers can feel the excitement and sadness of the last day of school.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The first poem of First Food Fight This Fall introduces readers to all of the poem “authors” that they will encounter as they read. Readers unfamiliar with poetry that does not rhyme will find many new styles in this book, which keeps the story interesting and allows the poems to stand alone without the book while at the same time enhancing the overall plot. Readers are also able to relate to the story through many poems, such as “Math,” a poem that reflects the fear of going up to the board in front of the class. The illustrations by Yoshikawa serve to enhance the readers experience with bright colors and cartoon-like characters.
This is a great book to read to students at the beginning and end of the school year and allowing them to reflect on their experiences at school.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST review: "Children will enjoy the poetry and find comparisons and contrasts to situations in their daily routines."
5. CONNECTIONS
Do a Reader’s Theater and assign readers the part of a specific student to read.
Have readers create their own school related poem
Discuss with readers how the poems relate to their own life and school
Other Poetry books about school:
Shields, Carol. Lunch Money And Other Poems About School. ISBN 014055890X
Dakos, Kalli. If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School. ISBN 0689801165
Lillegard, Dee. Hello School!: A Classroom Full of Poems. ISBN 0440417775
Singer, Marilyn. 2008. First Food Fight This Fall and Other School Poems. Ill. by Sachiko Yoshikawa. New York: Sterling. ISBN 1402741456
2. PLOT SUMMARY
First Food Fight This Fall centers around twelve students in Ms. Mundy’s class. From the beginning of the school year to the end, readers learn about what happens at school through poems from each student about tests, gym, lunch, and other school activities. Readers can laugh along at the funny differences of twins Jenna and Abigail, and the love-hate relationship between friends Amy and Malik. At the end of the year, readers can feel the excitement and sadness of the last day of school.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The first poem of First Food Fight This Fall introduces readers to all of the poem “authors” that they will encounter as they read. Readers unfamiliar with poetry that does not rhyme will find many new styles in this book, which keeps the story interesting and allows the poems to stand alone without the book while at the same time enhancing the overall plot. Readers are also able to relate to the story through many poems, such as “Math,” a poem that reflects the fear of going up to the board in front of the class. The illustrations by Yoshikawa serve to enhance the readers experience with bright colors and cartoon-like characters.
This is a great book to read to students at the beginning and end of the school year and allowing them to reflect on their experiences at school.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST review: "Children will enjoy the poetry and find comparisons and contrasts to situations in their daily routines."
5. CONNECTIONS
Do a Reader’s Theater and assign readers the part of a specific student to read.
Have readers create their own school related poem
Discuss with readers how the poems relate to their own life and school
Other Poetry books about school:
Shields, Carol. Lunch Money And Other Poems About School. ISBN 014055890X
Dakos, Kalli. If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School. ISBN 0689801165
Lillegard, Dee. Hello School!: A Classroom Full of Poems. ISBN 0440417775
LAUGH-ETERIA
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 1999. Laugh-eteria. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152020845
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Laugh-eteria is filled with humorous poems and drawings by Douglas Florian. Topics range from monsters, “Ogres are Ugly,” to school, “School Schedule,” to poetry, “Read this Poem.” All readers will be able to find poems in this book that relate to them and make them laugh.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Florian is sure to find a following of young readers who find these poems humorous and relatable. Most of the poems in Laugh-eteria use rhyme and rhythm to draw the reader in as well as drawings by Florian to enhance the humor. However, some of the poems, like “A Mermaid” cannot be read without the drawings if they are to make sense. In poems like “School Schedule,” Florian is really able to connect to readers’ emotions by describing the feelings of being in class and then getting to go to lunch: “We woke! We spoke! We ran! We sang!”
The layout of the book is a plus because readers are able to quickly find their favorite poems by either checking the Index of Titles or the Index of First Lines in the back of the book. However, some of the drawings do not look well put together and can distract from, rather than enhance the poems that they represent.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "Florian repeatedly shows that he knows what makes kids giggle."
KIRKUS review: "Florian's language and simple, thick-lined cartoons illustrations are equally ingenuous, and he sticks to tried-and-true subjects, from dinosaurs to school lunch, but the well of inspiration seems dry; revisit his hilarious Bing Bang Boing (1994) instead."
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students pick their favorite poems to reread together as a group outloud.
Have students create their own funny poems
Have students create drawings for their favorite poems
Other Poetry books by Douglas Florian:
Florian, Douglas. Bing Bang Boing. ISBN 0152337709
Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia. ISBN 0152013067
Florian, Douglas. Summersaults. ISBN 0060292679
Florian, Douglas. 1999. Laugh-eteria. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152020845
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Laugh-eteria is filled with humorous poems and drawings by Douglas Florian. Topics range from monsters, “Ogres are Ugly,” to school, “School Schedule,” to poetry, “Read this Poem.” All readers will be able to find poems in this book that relate to them and make them laugh.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Florian is sure to find a following of young readers who find these poems humorous and relatable. Most of the poems in Laugh-eteria use rhyme and rhythm to draw the reader in as well as drawings by Florian to enhance the humor. However, some of the poems, like “A Mermaid” cannot be read without the drawings if they are to make sense. In poems like “School Schedule,” Florian is really able to connect to readers’ emotions by describing the feelings of being in class and then getting to go to lunch: “We woke! We spoke! We ran! We sang!”
The layout of the book is a plus because readers are able to quickly find their favorite poems by either checking the Index of Titles or the Index of First Lines in the back of the book. However, some of the drawings do not look well put together and can distract from, rather than enhance the poems that they represent.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "Florian repeatedly shows that he knows what makes kids giggle."
KIRKUS review: "Florian's language and simple, thick-lined cartoons illustrations are equally ingenuous, and he sticks to tried-and-true subjects, from dinosaurs to school lunch, but the well of inspiration seems dry; revisit his hilarious Bing Bang Boing (1994) instead."
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students pick their favorite poems to reread together as a group outloud.
Have students create their own funny poems
Have students create drawings for their favorite poems
Other Poetry books by Douglas Florian:
Florian, Douglas. Bing Bang Boing. ISBN 0152337709
Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia. ISBN 0152013067
Florian, Douglas. Summersaults. ISBN 0060292679
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