Sidman, J. (2014). Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold. Ill. by Rick Allen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780547906508

PLOT SUMMARY

In Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold it depicts the various lives of animals and how they survive the bitter colds of the north. It includes reptiles, mammals, birds, invertebrates, a tree, and a plant. The author lets the reader know that winter is here by explaining how the snowflake trickles from the sky to ground. Everything nature!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In the Snake’s Lullaby there is a creation of rhythm just as you would hear from a children’s lullaby or nursery rhyme. Personification is presented in Dream of the Tundra Swan in line 2, “and the cold came creeping” creating a scary feeling. In Snowflake Wakes in the second stanza you find alliteration, “leaps, and laughing” making the snowflake playful. The author also uses repetition in Big Brown Moose, “I’m a big brown moose,” following the lines explaining his personalities. In the illustrations throughout the book, in particularly the snowflakes, the illustrator provides the readers eyes with a delight (imagery), making the snowflakes seem they are dancing as they fall onto the ground.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-HORN BOOK (2014) “Sidman exemplifies the survival strategies of a well-chosen sample of species. Her poems, as usual, are lovely -- precise, evocative, lyrical, varied in tone; relevant facts in succinct (separate) prose illuminate the imagery of each.”

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2014) “Readers young and old will enjoy this winter journey and marvel at the wonders of nature.”

*Junior Library Guild Selections (Elementary Selection 2015)

*SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books (Commended 2016)

*Notable Children’s Book (Commended 2015)

CONNECTIONS

Writing across content: Science. Students could research specific animals, then write in a poetry like from their findings.

Other books to consider to assist are:

ALEXANDER, KWAME, HESS, R. MARY, NIKAIDO, DEANNA. ANIMAL ARK: CELEBRATING OUR WORLD IN POETRY AND PICTURES (NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS) ISBN 9781426327674

BUILION, LESLIE. LEAF LITTLE CRITTERS. ISBN 9781561459506

Grimes, N. (2015). Poems in the attic. Ill. by Elizabeth Zunon. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc. ISBN 9781620140277

PLOT SUMMARY

In Nikki Grimes Poems in the Attic, this young girl comes across her mother’s poems. She discovers who her mother was as a child through the poetry her mother wrote to cope with her constant moving due to her father being in the military.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In Poems in the Attic there were two forms of poetry used free verse and tanka.  The little girl may be using free verse because she is young and free as opposed to the tanka form used for the mother as a child to show structure and organization because of the military family/ background. The author uses personification as they find slim fish, “our flashlights found them” giving the discovery to the flashlight instead of her. She also uses a simile, “silver as new dimes” to emphasize the shininess of the fish.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-HORN BOOK (2015) “Young poets (and their parents and grandparents) will be inspired to write poems for future generations; the author’s note and notes on the poetic forms will help them get started.”

BOOKLIST (2015) “A book about discoveries, this celebrates poetry and the quixotic life of a military family.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2015) “Rendered in acrylic, oil, and collage, Zunon's warm, vibrant illustrations complement the text perfectly. Readers with an especially keen interest in the locations highlighted can look to a complete list of Air Force Bases appended.”

CONNECTIONS

Introduction to writing poetry: teaching tanka may be easier of the two forms. 

NELSON, MARY. HOW I DISCOVERED POETRY. ISBN 9780147510051

LAI, THANHHA.INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN. ISBN 9780061962790

Singer, M. (2012). Every day’s a dog’s day: a year in poems. Ill. by Miki Sakamoto. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780803737150

PLOT SUMMARY

Join Buddy, Rosale, Barkley, and Fizz as they tell, in poetic form, what a year of a dog’s life is like in Every Day’s a Dog’s Day. The poems are through the dog’s point of view as they convey to the readers what their winter, spring, summer, and fall, along with a few holidays and general events/outings they come across are like for them.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The reading level for this book is documented at a 3.2, which is perfect level for readers of that age group. The author provides basic words for readers to understand and get the gist of her poetry. The illustrations along with the simple word choice the author uses throughout the book helps create the imagery of each poem. It is simple to picture what the author is trying to convey within her poetry.  

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-HORN BOOK (2013) “full-page illustrations in bright primary colors are generic but amusing”

-BOOKLIST (2012) “Sakamoto’s unframed illustrations extend the humor and feeling in the scenarios, especially the cuddles and standoffs between pets and their owners.”

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2012) “Sakamoto's bright, cartoonlike depictions of Buddy, Rosalie, Barkley, and Fizz are adorable and funny, and will surely elicit long and loud aws and giggles.”

CONNECTIONS

This would be a great book to teach point of view. The following books could help with point of view.

Miller, Zietlow. BE KIND. ISBN 9781626723214

KAT’S JON. MEET THE DOGS OF BEDLM FARM. ISBN 978-0805092196

Zelinsky, P. O. (1997). Rapunzel. M. ILL. Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0525456074

PLOT SUMMARY

In Zelinsky’s Rapunzel there was a married couple who finally was going to have a child. As she waited for the birth of their child, she spotted a bed of rapunzel in a garden, which belonged to a sorceress.   She had this unruly craving for it. Her husband being the devoted man he was, felt obligated to get the rapunzel to his wife at whatever cost. He was able to retrieve as much rapunzel under the agreement he would turn over his child once she was born and save his wife from death. The sorceress named the child Rapunzel and cared for her meeting her every need. In order to protect Rapunzel from the rest of the world the sorceress placed her in a tower in the woods. The only way to reach Rapunzel was when she would let down her hair. For many years Rapunzel lived alone until a prince noticed the tower. He gained her attention and in an instant they fell madly in love with one another. After the prince and Rapunzel married, she was soon expecting, betraying the sorceress which caused her to banish Rapunzel from the tower and into the woods. The prince returned to the tower expecting Rapunzel, but was met by the sorceress, who caused his fall from the tower making him go blind. As the prince roamed the forest always keeping his wife in mind, Rapunzel one day heard his cries and discovered her husband. Over joyed she cried upon his eyes and miraculously gained his vision back. Rapunzel, the prince, and their twins came across his village where they lived happily ever after.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Although the sorceress provided, cared and loved her, Rapunzel was really never hers to keep. This holds true throughout the fairytale. It is ironic on how much the sorceress wanted to keep her safe from the real world, yet she was quick to banish Rapunzel when she became pregnant. The illustrations done in oil paint depict a beautiful scenery, magical and fairy tale like setting.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-BOOKLIST (1997) “Children--and adults--will pore over the intricate detail and glowing colors; they will also be moved by the mysterious tale of nurture and passion and terror.”

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (1997) “Masterful oil paintings capture the Renaissance setting and flesh out the tragic figures.”

-HORN BOOK (1998) “It takes a scholar's mind and an artist's insight to endow the familiar with unexpected nuances--which Zelinsky does with passion and dazzling technique.”

-The Caldecott Medal (1998)

-Notable Children’s Book (Commended, 1998)

CONNECTIONS

Class discussion on what the characteristics of a fairy tale. Use Rapunzel along with the following fairy tales to analyze this genre.

Brown, Marcia. CINDERELLA. ISBN 9780736421867

Shepard, Aaron. ONE-EYE! TWO-EYES! THREE-EYES! : A VERY GRIMM FAIRY TALE. ISBN 9780689867408

Taback, S. (1999). Joseph had a little overcoat. ILL. Simms Taback. New York: Viking. ISBN 0670878553

PLOT SUMMARY

As Joseph lives his eventful life he started out with an overcoat unfortunately it gets excessively used but thanks to his optimistic lookout on life he turned it into a jacket, then a vest, which turned into a scarf, then a necktie, followed by a handkerchief, finally a button but loses it and in the end writes a story about his overcoat. Needless to say Joseph was able to make something out of nothing.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

You get a sense of Joseph not being materialistic as you see in the pictures he has patches in his jeans and seems to live a simple life which could be attributed to his culture. The illustrations help showcase the setting is taking place at another time in the past and in another country (clothing, furniture/ decorations at main character’s house). The illustrations provides hints through the book as to what his next creation will be.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2000) “Striking gouache, watercolor, and collage illustrations are chock-full of witty details-letters to read, proverbs on the walls, even a fiddler on the roof.”

-BOOKLIST (2000) “true example of accomplished bookmaking”

-The Caldecott Medal (2000)

-Notable Children’s Book (Commended, 2000)

CONNECTIONS

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat could assist in teaching making predictions and inferencing, along with the following books.  

Munson, Derrick. ENEMY PIE. ISBN 978-0811827782

Kasza, Keiko. MY LUCKY DAY. ISBN 9780142404560

Willems, Mo. IM A FROG. ISBN 9781423183051

Lowell, S. (199). The three little javelinas. Ill. by Jim Harris. Flagstaff, AZ: Rising Moon. ISBN 0873585429

PLOT SUMMARY

The Three Little Javelinas is a southwestern variant of the ever so popular folktale, Three Little Pigs. In this adaptation the story begins “once upon a time” in a desert where three little javelinas are lead down three different paths. The first little javelina, which was lazy, quickly found himself building material and decided to build his house of tumbleweeds. Within a short time frame along comes a magical hungry coyote. He calls out to the little pig, “little pig, little pig, let me come in.” The pug replies no of course. The coyote is left with no other choice but to blow down his house, and he did just that. The little javelina books it to the second brothers’ house, which the brother had walked for some time when he came across saguaro ribs, long sticks, and decides to build his house out of that material. Low and behold here comes the coyote and blows down the second little javelinas' home. The two little javelinas run to the third sibling’s home, which was made out of adobe. The relentless coyote once again tries to blow down her house, but was unsuccessful. As a result, the coyote devises a plan and use his magic to get into the house. Unfortunately for him the three little javelinas were waiting for him with a boiling pot of water as he came through the stove pipe. In the end the three little javelinas live happily ever after, and as for the coyote, was left unsatisfied. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The author Susan Lowell provides a mixture of cultures with the setting and characters throughout the book. As the folktale takes place in a desert the characters are javelinas, a coyote, and a Native American woman. In addition the illustration had humor to the south west culture such as the cowboy hat, the boots, bandana, and the guitar. A twist in the characters is where the female sibling is the clever one of the three as she builds her house of adobe, in the end saving their lives.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-BOOKLIST (1993) “Harris’ illustrations are appealing and humorous, however, and children who loved the original will enjoy this version.”

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (1997) “The text is fast-paced and witty in both languages, and is accompanied by energetic, full-page illustrations done in rich earthy tones that evoke the setting as faithfully as the text.”

-HORN BOOK (1997) “Harris's expressive illustrations bring these hairy creatures and their desert home to life.”

-Grand Canyon Reader Award (1994)

CONNECTIONS

Students could use a Venn diagram as they compare and contrast this story with any of the following stories:

Seibert, Patricia. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.ISBN 9781577683674

Kimmel, Eric. THE THREE LITTLE TAMALES. ISBN 9780761455196

Bruchac, J. (1993). The first strawberries: a Cherokee story. Ill. by Anna Vojtech New York: Puffin Books. ISBN 0140564098

PLOT SUMMARY

In The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story retold by Joseph Bruchac gives us insight of how strawberries came about. At the beginning of time there lived a happily married woman and man, until one day they became upset with one another and as a result the wife decided to leave the husband. The husband frantically begins to go after his upset wife, when he comes across the sun who is willing to help the husband reunite with his wife. The sun thought by providing fruit to the man’s wife would help her gain her attention but failed after having raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, sprout from the ground right before her path. It was not until his final attempt as he illuminated his light where strawberries appeared. She could not believe how wonderful the strawberries tasted and how much they reminded her of the good times she shared with her husband. She thought it was a must to share her significant finding and began to gather strawberries with her husband appeared and apologized on his behalf. In return, she shared the sweet strawberries with him. And that is why and how strawberries came to be.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this folklore, you get a real feel how important nature is important to the Native Americans and how it shapes their culture. You have the sun who intervenes and acts as a mediator between the husband and wife. The strawberries are symbolic in this tale, which is to be kind to each other. Illustrations at the beginning of the book gives the readers a solid setting and continues providing that setting all through the book. Nature is depicted on every page.

REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

-HORN BOOK (1994) “The brief, readable story, accompanied by strong and spare illustrations, carries a valuable message about friendship and respect.”

- BOOKLIST (not dated) “A delectable choice for reading aloud, with or without a basketful of wild strawberries to pass around.”

CONNECTIONS

Using this story could help teach theme: be kind to one and other and treat people with respect. The following books could also help teach theme.

Miller, Zietlow. BE KIND. ISBN 9781626723214

Rosenthal, Amy, Krouse. PLANT A KISS. ISBN 0061986755

Zolotow, Charlotte. I KNOW A LADY. ISBN 9780688115197

Mattick, L. (2015). Finding Winnie: the true story of the world’s most famous bear. Ill. by Blackall, S. New York, NY: Little, Brown. ISBN: 9780316324908

The story begins with a mother sharing a story with her son about a veterinarian named Harry that was called to assist with animals at war. On his journey he came across a bear and decided to rescue it from the trapper. All the while he knew the work it would take to care for a bear. After sometime he and the soldiers grew accustomed to the bear and named it Winnie. They were set to sail across the ocean, knowing it would not be a place for a bear. Harry decided it was only right to place Winnie where he needed to be, The London Zoo. As a result that bear Winnie, then became who we know now as Winnie-the-Pooh.

It was a bit confusing as I had to reread the second part of the story more than once. The illustrations were breathtaking as Harry traveled to and from home, the London Zoo, and across the ocean.

Starred Review in Horn Book "The sum total is as captivating as it is informative, transforming a personal family story into something universally resonant."

Starred Review in School Library Journal "A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn's great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually."

The Caldecott Medal

Charlotte Zolotow Award

Mora, P. (2013). Tomás and the library lady. Ill. by Colón Raúl. Columbus, O.H.: Zaner-Bloser. ISBN 0-679-80401-3

Plot/ Summary

In Thomas and the Library Lady you have a young boy named Tomas who is originally from Texas but travels to Iowa because his parents are farm workers. Tomas has a passion for stories as he listens to his grandfather tell stories, but have grown old over time. Tomas’ grandfather encourages him to visit the public library where he could learn new stories and read to his family. He builds enough courage and visits the library where he befriends the librarian. She encourages him to read more by checking out books and in return he provides Spanish speaking lessons. Because of her persistence on books for Tomas, Tomas’ passion for reading and stories has excelled and his imagination for the stories he reads has no limits.

Critical Analysis

After reading Tomás and The Library Lady I quickly made a text to self-connection. The characters in the story are very much relatable. I felt I was part of Tomás sitting with Papá Grande listening to stories my grandfather tells us over and over again. At the end of the story you come to realize that this story is based on a true story. I feel we have had someone in our lives that has helped push ourselves to find our passion in life. It may or may not make a huge impact in our lives, but as for Tomás Rivera it did.

The illustrations throughout the book provided a sense of calmness as I read and looked over the artwork. I noticed the color scheme Raul Colon decided to use are warm and subtle colors, makes me think of togetherness, simpler times, and family. The pictures seem to blend in but colors and strokes of lines define objects and characters within the illustrations.

Review excerpt(s)

1998 Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Award

2016 Tomas Rivera Award Mexican American Children’s Book Award

Connections

This book could be read to students then see if they have ever come across someone who has ever had a huge impact on their lives.

Brown, M. W. (1975). Goodnight moon. Ill. by Hurd, C. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780694003617

Plot Summary

Goodnight Moon is a children’s book about a bunny who is unwilling to go to sleep. The bunny prolongs going to sleep as it takes its time on saying goodnight to everything in its bedroom from the red balloon to mush. After sometime of goodnights, the bunny finally falls asleep.

Critical Analysis

Margaret Brown offers simple text throughout the story. The words are repetitive and at times rhyme creating the story to flow. Perfect for children to echo read. Everything in the bedroom brings back memories from childhood such as: “The cow jumping over the moon and the three little bears sitting on the chair.”  I believe it is a classic because the story is relatable to children then and now. Most children do not favor bedtime and will do anything to delay the process.

The pictures in the story are both in color and black and white. At the beginning of the story you will notice the bedroom is brighter as the bunny begins to say his goodnights to his beloved items. As the story progresses the night is falling quicker and the bunny is settling into bed a little easier. Then as the bunny falls fast asleep the bedroom glows with the moon light peering into the window. The pictures shows progression of time (night time) and coincides with the story from beginning to end.

Book has not received any awards

Connections

This book could be used for a lesson to teach basic story elements such as beginning middle and end of a story and could be paired with the following book.

Yolen, J. (1987). Owl moon. Ill. by Schoenherr, J. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399214578

Book Review: BE KIND by Pat Zietlow Miller

Miller, Pat Zietlow. 2018. Be Kind. Ill. by Jen Hill New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 978-1-62672-321-4

Tanisha, a young girl in grade school, accidentally spills juice all over her dress which causes her classmates to poke fun at her. She feels embarrassed about what has happened, all the while one of her classmates tries to ease the situation by being kind. The classmate begins to think what it truly means to be kind and comes up with all sorts of ideas. Whether being kind is picking up trash, spending time with loved ones, helping out, or simply saying hi, could possibly lead to a revolving door of kindness.

Author Pat Z. Miller touches base on a characteristic trait children often learn about at a young age, being kind. The theme of the story is a kind gesture big or small can go a long way. Miller provides the readers with characters and a setting we can relate to at one point in our lives or another. Whether we were the ones spilling juice on ourselves, the classmates laughing, or the kind classmate.

The illustrations by Jen Hill help the reader feel different types of emotions. At one point you feel sorry for Tanisha, at another upset at the classmates for laughing at her, and then relief/ satisfaction at the end of the story where she accepts the kind gesture from the narrator.

A New York Times best seller

Starred review by Publishers Weekly: “[A] lovely exploration of empathy and thoughtfulness.”

School Library Journal Review:  “The book presents the powerful message that small acts of kindness matter, and that they can build with other acts of kindness to make a difference . . . A valuable addition on this topic [that] will promote conversation about what it means to be kind.”

Be Kind could be a conversation starter for children with their parents at home or students with their teacher in school about acts of kindness.

This book could be combined with the following:

Kerascoet. 2018. I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 978-1-52476-955-0

Woodson, J. 2019. The Day You Begin. Ill. by Rafael Lopez. Toronto: CNIB. ISBN 978-0-39924-653-1