Moon Over Manifest (NOVEL)

 

Title: Moon Over Manifest

Author: Clare Vanderpool

Published By: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers

I have not read much upper elementary or Junior High literature, but after reading the cover of this book, I thought I would try this one. It's an intriguing historical tale that takes place during the Great Depression, a period I have grown to love researching. Moon Over Manifest is a Junior High  novel of Clare Vanderpool.  She enjoys "true places" that really spark her imagination. I have to say, she had me at "true places" because I love a story that takes something as simple as a town on a map and creates a whole world around it.

As I mentioned above, I'm not really one who loves to read a lot of novels, but I was instantly drawn in by Vanderpool's story. I think, for me anyway, a lot of it has to do with the fact that I enjoy a good period piece. The end of the book has an "Author's Note" pertaining to many of the historical facts that she used. I love everything that she explains from the use of orphan trains, to the Spanish Influenza plaguing the U.S. during WWI, to using real names of people she's knows, like her grandparents. When it comes to historical books, I like to see some of the author's research and she certainly does a good job showing the reader that she knows her stuff.

I don't usually go into details but as for the characters, I enjoyed Abilene. She feels like a very lost child in many ways: emotionally, physically, and even geographically. I felt as if I were with her as the author describes her trials and tribulations.  She really doesn't know where she belongs in this world. Her father has been the only real family she has ever had, and to lose him for a summer seems to whittle away what little hope she feels inside. Then Abilene comes to know him in such a dramatic and yet intimate way that you almost cry when they are reunited. You know that her father has felt just as lost as she did that summer, but for almost the entirety of his life. She also paints a vivid picture with all the other characters. Miss Sadie seems so eccentric and crazy when Abilene first meets her, but by book's end, she's just another suffering character. Shady, too, has had his trials and tribulations, but when Abilene uncovers his caring heart towards those less fortunate, she feels he's just like family ought to feel.

The tone and feel of the book are appropriate for Junior High readers. Yes, there are stories of children who have suffered through various struggles, but I think that in the end of the book shows how important a community can be. One doesn't feel so alone, even during a time when not many had much of anything except for the clothes on their backs. I really think that some children could relate themselves to this character.

SWIM! SWIM!

Title: SWIM! SWIM!

Author- Illustrator -Animator : James Proimos

Published By: Scholastic Press

I don't know how I missed this book but I'm so glad that I found it and added it to my soon to be classroom library. Swim! Swim! is funny and engaging picture book that kids of all ages will enjoy. Our lonely hero Lerch is simply looking for a friend. He asked the pebbles, the sunken diver, and the bubbles from the water filter to be his friend, but they just ignored him. (He even tried talking in bubble, but no response. Just when Lerch thought it was official that nobody liked him, someone popped up that really seemed to like him. The cat. It's OK that the cat thinks his name is "Lunch" instead of Lerch, he could work with that. The exchange between Lerch and the cat was really cute and is bound to have younger readers yelling warnings at the page. Just when it looks like Lerch is about to be eaten, the cat drops him and says "Meet dinner!". It seems our hero has been dropped into a new fish bowl containing Dinah. It's love and friendship at first sight (even the cat says "Awww.") and they swim around happily ever after while holding each others fin.

Proimos' simple but energetic illustrations and exuberant story are wonderful. Plus this is my type of story - a great read aloud that lets you throw in all types of sniffling and assorted dramatics. The text is simple enough that younger readers can read to their family.

The Twins' Blanket

 

 

Title: the twins' blanket

Author: Hyewon Yum

Published By: Frances Foster Books

I was intriged by this book just from the cover, the title and how it is written in lower-case letters. That is what caught my eye and I just had to read it. This book is about twin girls who look alike and share everything, especially a blanket that they have had ever since they were born.  But now the blanket has gotten too small for them to share.  Neither girl wants to give it to the other though.  Their mother tells them that they are going to be moving to big kid beds and that she will make each of them a new blanket.  They each pick out a fabric, one yellow with flowers, the other pink with birds and flowers.  They wash the fabric, dry it on the line, and then their mother sews the blankets.  When they are done, they have two new blankets that each have a piece of the original as well as their own personality.  Then they have to see what sleeping apart for the first time is like!

Yum has created a wonderful story about twins that shows the sibling relationship  and all of its complexity, yet remains accessible for small children.  The girls both want to be alike and together, yet also want to be different and apart at the same time.   Even down to their stuffed animals that are alike but different, the one sister has a bear, same color, the other sister has a rabbit. They are the same color and both have eyes, ears and mouth but they are still different. Just like the girls, they are twins but unique in their own way. One sister parts her hair on the side an the other parts her hair down the middle.  As for the story it is  really about their relationship rather than the blanket which is more of a symbol. I do like how the author attaches a piece of the older blanket on both of the new blankets so the twins still have a connection with each other.

Yum’s illustrations are done in deep, rich colors and strong lines.  They have hints of color in unexpected places, creating an additional richness.  The girls while identical are always seen separately and uniquely in the art. 

Froggy Plays T-Ball

 

 Title: Froggy Plays T-Ball

Author: Jonathan London

Illustrated By: Frank Remkiewicz

Published By: Penguin Group

This story has the familiar (and successful) structure, including italicized sound words (“whack! ”). It's Froggy's first day on the T-ball team, and he couldn't be more excited, with his dad as the coach and his whole family cheering him on. But when Coach Dad tells him to catch some flies out in right field, he takes the advice literally. Froggy can't seem to do anything right, but once he starts paying attention, he gets a lot better at the game. He even hits a home run, and runs all the way — to his house. See his coach told him to run to first, second, third and then all the way home. (home base that is). This is a good introduction to a favorite sport, Froggy Plays T-Ball reminds kids that it's not whether you win or lose — it's how you play the game. Froggy’s mistakes allow youngsters to learn about the game and its rules. In the end, he is successful, and T-ball is a positive experience for him and his family overall. Remkiewicz’s illustrations are easily recognizable, but vibrantly colored here with oranges and greens. This sets Froggy’s T-ball experience apart from all the rest.

Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea

Title: Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea

Authors: Vera B. Williams and Jennifer Williams

Published by:Greenwillow Books

     

Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea by Vera B. Williams and Jennifer Williams is a realistic and imaginative children's story. I just love this book, the format is a scrapbook that chronicles the road trip Stringbean and his brother take to the Pacific Ocean from their home in Kansas. The amusing text is written in the form of postcards the brothers send to family members as they make their way to their destination. The illustrations are unique, and are "photographs" and colorful postcards displaying Stringbean's experiences in a fun and personal way. As the reader I felt as if I was actually looking at someone's scrapbook and as the story progresses I felt  like a family member he was sending the postcards to. As well as being entertaining, the book is a useful geography tool for children, allowing them to travel the journey on a map as the brother's make their way across country. A great way to explore and use map directional words for a social studies lesson.

E-MERGENCY!

Title: E-MERGENCY

Author: Tom Lichtenheld

Illustrator: Ezra Fields-Meyer

Published by: Chronicle Book, LLC

The book E-mergency, written and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld is a wonderfully illustrated children's story. The book offers intricate, brightly colored, and animated illustrations that could grab the attention of any young child. Along with being intriguing to a young child, parents and teachers alike would appreciate the detail and creativity that are apparent in the illustrations throughout the entire book. The illustrations are not only masterfully created, they improve the overall understanding and emphasis of the text that they support. The quality of the art in the book is wonderful, and it is an extension of the text, making the plot and storyline flow in a more coherent manner. Without the wonderful illustrations, this children's book would not be nearly as effective. I feel as though the book would be a classical favorite for any elementary grade. The bright colors and detailed figures throughout, would excite and interest the minds of any elementary age child. With this all said, yes, I was the narrator that had trouble saying the words with out the letter 'E'. I tried but it just didn't sound right.

Little Smudge

Title: Little Smudge

Author: Lionel Le Neouanic

Published by:  Boxer Books

       This book has a very effective use of white space in it. It contributes to the way the text interacts with the artwork. Le Neouanic uses basic shapes to teach a lesson . The text is a simple font and the size of the text changes in relation to the volume or to the importance of the words in the story. You can tell by the font size if one of the shapes are happy or sad.

The complete absence of art on one page says a lot without saying anything and the two full color pages says a lot to. Each sample serves to strengthen the text, just in different ways. The blank page helps you to stop and reflect. While the other pages put all the new ideas in your head to think about. 

       This book gave shapes life-like personalities: some were unfriendly and superficial, others were more sympathetic and timid. This is how some children behave when they first meet one another, so I think in this respect, even older children might be able to relate to the story's characters. This book teaches children how to open their minds and embrace one another in spite of first impressions. At the same time, the book's illustrations introduce children to organic shapes beyond the traditional geometric shapes. When they see that shapes can be transformed, perhaps they will begin to understand that possibilities in visual art are endless, and that what someone might say is "ugly" or unrecognizable could turn into something interesting, if not beautiful. I read this book to my kindergarten class and they absolutely loved it. I could hear them talk about it on the playground and one said don't be like those old shapes and be mean. 

Biggest, Strongest, Fastest

 

Title:  Biggest, Strongest, Fastest
Author: Steve Jenkins
Published By: Ticknor & Fields Books for Young Readers


As I read this book, I asked myself “Will I use this in my classroom?” Steve Jenkins’ Biggest, Strongest, Fastest would definitely be added to my classroom library. Not only will I enjoy reading these books to my students but students will enjoy reading about animals and reading about the interesting animals facts paired with each picture. This story uses simplistic illustrations. Pictures are “paper collage” and stand alone on the page. An interesting part of these illustrations is that some of them extend onto another page. For example, when describing the whale in this story, we learn that they whale is 110 feet long (WOW!). To exaggerate the length of the whale, Jenkins continues the whale illustration from the front of the page onto the back. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest is a great nonfiction book!

I also like this book because  Jenkins goes into detail on all the “bests” of the animal kingdoms like fastest, biggest, or slowest moving animal. It also states the simple facts about animals and then compares them to humans so that students can actually understand the difference! This book is just amazing and something that I could share during science or even a compare and contrast literature lesson.

THE TOP OF THE WORLD CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST

 

Title: THE TOP OF THE WORLD CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST
Author/Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Published By: Houghton Mifflin Company

The facts presented in this picture book are varied and interesting. Several short paragraphs are presented on the two-pages side by side, each with its own title and illustrations. The very last page of the book includes a comparison chart of the tallest mountain on each continent, records from Everest (up through January, 1999), additional websites, and a bibliography. Unfortunately, this volume did not include any information about the author or the art. However, I know his choice of art because I am studying him for my author's study. Even through there is no table of contents, the headings of the paragraphs helped me locate information while reading through the entire book. Rather than being a book that would be appropriate for research, this volume is more appropriate for pleasure reading by a student that is interested in mountains. It makes a great introduction to the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.

I know from reading other books that Steve Jenkins illustrations are made from cut and torn handmade papers and fibers which give each page texture and interest. Different colors of papers layered on each other give a 3-D appearance (how cool is that). The fibers which create the snow and clouds are particularly interesting because I tried to feel the textures and realized that it was just flat pieces of torn paper. The fact that all the equipment is also cut from paper is amazing – the detail is surprising. As an older reader I enjoyed trying to analyze the illustrations along while I was reading about Everest. I was just so amazed with his work, I could spend hours just looking at his illustrations.

Animals in Flight

 

Title: Animals in Flight

Authors/Illustrators: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Published By: Houghton Mifflin Company

 The top of one of the two pages includes just one or two sentences set in large type, which could be read by young readers themselves or by an adult as a read-aloud. However, the second portion of information is set in smaller, italic type, serving as captions for the illustrations. The third is even more of a problem for me because information even goes deeper in  either one direction or several directions, for example, explaining the mechanics of a hummingbird's wing movement.This is great information but I think that it maybe a little to much to digest.  These text blocks are set in even smaller type accompanied by small, computer-generated illustrations (which I don't care for I like Jenkins illustrations with his lines and texture.) As for the final pages it offers an additional paragraphs of information on each of the animals covered. The print is really too small for anyone to comfortably read in that last part of each page, and the effect of all the levels of information, three different types, and the cluttered page design serves to dilute the impact of the attractive cut-paper collages which I really like about Jenkins books. Not my favorite book that he has written.

Move!

 
Title: Move!
Authors/Illustrators: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page 
Published By: Houghton Mifflin Company
 

This book has lots of animals and  then names two ways each animal moves, skillfully connecting each animal to the next with the second manner of movement. For example, a snake slithers, but when you turn the page you find that the snake can also climb. On the opposite side of the spread, you learn that a praying mantis can climb. Turn the page and you find that the praying mantis can also fly. On the opposite side of the page, you learn that a roadrunner can fly. Turn the page and you learn that a roadrunner prefers to run. All the animals and movements are linked in this way throughout the book.

Loved it. Great illustrations.I love cut paper designs, and these are especially colorful. The illustrations provide the texture and dimension of the animal they portray in different movements.  !

Great verbs..I really enjoyed the way that the animals were were shown in two movements connecting them with another very different animal who moves the same way.  I enjoyed the additional information in the back of the book providing factual information about each of the species featured.This book is nicely designed also, with huge-point-size action words and even touches of swirly and slithery typography, where appropriate.

Because of Winn Dixie (NOVEL)

 

Title: Because of Winn Dixie

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Published By: Candlewick Press

When I began reading this book, I was a little confused. I wasn't sure why Opal referred to her daddy as "the preacher" instead of "daddy." I did love how the story began though by Opal going to the store for macaroni and cheese, rice, and two tomatoes but she comes back with a dog. I thought Kate DiCamillo did a wonderful job describing Winn Dixie. When she says that he "looks like a big piece of old brown carpet that had been left out in the rain," I can just imagines this brown carpet and imagine how shabby the dog must look. I loved how Winn Dixie became the first friend Opal had made since she moved.  The part in the book that really got my attention was when Opal asks her daddy to tell her ten things about her mom. Later on in the story when they can't find Winn Dixie, I almost cried when Opal thinks about making the list of ten things about Winn Dixie to tell people. Thank goodness, Winn Dixie is still at the house and Opal never has to make that list!

 I liked this because I was told immediately how Opal found Winn Dixie and why she brought Winn Dixie home. As a reader that is when I  began to build a personal attachment to Opal's character. This is when in the story that they couldn't and didn't  want to put the book down. In the beginning  I began to see who Opal really was and how she begins to make new friends as the time passes.  I imagined what it would have been like to be in Opal's shoes. Her mother had left her, her daddy was a preacher, they had moved, she didn't have any friends. It was almost as if the whole world was against her. But once she meets Winn Dixie, she meets her best friend. Later on, Opal makes a friend with the librarian Miss Franny. The "witch" that the boys tell her about isn't really a witch. Opal becomes friends with Gloria Dump, the witch. She even begins coming by and visiting her and reads her "Gone with the Wind." Opal wants to get a job at Gertrude's to pay for Winn Dixie's leash, so she meets Otis. Opal finds out that Otis was in jail and she later figures out it was not for anything that bad. I just thought it was amazing how DiCamillo brought this story to her reader in a way that makes them feel like they are there beside Opal making all these new friends. 

 My favorite friendship that took place in the book was between Opal and Dunlap. Dunlap was one of the boys who gave Opal a hard time and told her that Gloria Dump was a witch. Amanda was also another character in the book that Opal became friends with. Opal wasn't too fond of Amanda at first and then she found out her younger brother had drowned and from that time on she just felt sorry for Amanda. Through this book, I think that students are able to realize that they can make friends of any age or size or from any background. All that matters is that they have good friends that they can count on.

My favorite part of the book is at the end where all of Opal's friends come together for a party at Gloria Dump's house. I think it is wonderful that DiCamillo ended the story on a happy note with all the friends getting along and singing to Otis's guitar.

I would definitely use this book in my class. I feel like it would really help students who come from broken homes or from rough backgrounds to realize that it is going to be okay and that they can have friends that are any age. Like Otis and Miss Franny and Gloria Dump were all much older than Opal. I think that sometimes it is better to have some older friends just as long as you keep the friends that are your own age too.

 The few pictures in the book were very detailed but simple black lines, no color added which gives it that nostalgic look. This book is classic book that a friend loaned to me for my novel and I really did enjoy this book. I think that I could make a connection with her because my family lived in a trailer park and our first dog was a stray.

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

 

Title:What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?

Authors/Illustrators:Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Published By:Houghton Mifflin Company

          "What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?" is a Caldecott honor book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. This beautifully illustrated picture book peaked my interest from the first time I picked it up. The cover was of just a tail but if you turn the book over the rest of the lizard is wrapped around the back of the book.  It first shows a close-up picture of the body parts (nose, ears, tail, eyes, feet and mouth) and the "what do you do with " question. When turning the page, you can see the entire animals and find out how these animals use their body parts. I think beginning readers will enjoy this guessing book and learn interesting facts about how animals use different body parts for other then just the familiar things we know.

          I had never read or even heard of this book until now. I thought it was a cute book. As a teacher, I could use a book with any age group. I think the illustrations in this book are remarkable. It looks as though the animals are real and you could touch the book and be touching the animals. I did find out that Jenkins uses cut-paper collages, which enables the audience to see the different textures of the animals. For example, the elephant's trunk looks rough and rigid much as it would if you were standing there looking at a real elephant. I think it is remarkable that Steve Jenkins goes all over the world looking for the different colors and types of paper. The pages still have some white so that you can see the details with the pictures.  By doing this I think it really help keep the student's attention. I also like how each illustration ties in with the text.
           I think this book could be used for any grade but would probably be more appreciated from Kindergarten up to the third grade. This book would be great to use when studying different types of animals. The last four pages that tell more information about the animals could be very informative for the students. For kindergarten I could use this book to teach how to ask a question and then give an appropriate response. Overall, I enjoyed this book and will use it one day in my classroom.

Gabby & Gator

Title: Gabby & Gator
Author: James Burks
Published By: Yen Press


This book is so funny. Gator is always hungry-trying to eat things like dogs and squirrels.   In the meantime, Gabby is being bullied. Luckily Gator saves her a few times.This story has some good messages about friendship, acceptance, bullying, etc. This is a good book to use for the issues we have in schools today.

The reason I most like this book is that it is a graphic novel that is appropriate for young readers.  I find that our youngest students love the idea of graphic novels, but so many are meant for older readers. I think the format of a graphic novel is perfect for young readers--so much of the meaning comes from the illustrations.  This particular graphic novel gives kids lots to think about but is written in a way that makes it very accessible to younger children.  And, because it is a graphic novel, the book will also appeal to older readers. It is a fun story and the illustrations will draw in readers of many ages.   The book is a bulky book--lots of pages and a larger than usual graphic novel size.  Many of the spreads have  very few, if any words while other spreads contain more dialogue.  

The characters are well developed and the story is a good one. I am thinking this might become a series. I can see Gabby and Gator going on other adventures.  I am hoping that we see more graphic novels like this in the future--graphic novels that are more appropriate for younger readers, but that will still appeal to older elementary kids too.

Alphabet Under Construction

Title: Alphabet Under Construction
Author: Denise Fleming
Published By: Henry Holt and Company

Dear little mouse has a big job to do, building the entire alphabet with art supplies and construction tools, and he gets right to work Airbrushing the A, Buttoning the B, and Carving the C. And as he moves quickly, letter by letter, Folding the F, Measuring the M, Pruning the P, Vacuuming the V, or Zipping the Z, little ones will revel in all the creative fun.

Author, Denise Fleming's text is kept to a bare minimum, just the letter and construction verb. It's her big, bold, and vibrant artwork, dazzling with entertaining details and engaging humor, that makes this book stand out. Perfect for preschoolers, Alphabet Under Construction is not just another "learn your letters" picture book, but an imaginative and inventive, joyous romp that shouldn't be missed. I personally don't think that It is really a great teaching guide, but adorable nonetheless and entertaining to a little one.

Ten Black Dots

Title: Ten Black Dots

Author: Donald Crews

Published By: Greenwillow Books

What can I say about this book, it is simple because all you are doing is counting black dots. Black dots on the numbers one to ten, I would have never of thought that this would make sense until I saw the dots themselves make sense, as the objects  were named, then as elements in the composition, finally as representing a characteristic quantity. Here they're miscast as enormous seeds, misplaced as portholes on the upper decks of a boat and miscalculated (four) as knobs on a radio (an old-fashioned table model). When I read this to the class I had to explain that this was an old radio. First thing the kids ask was where you put the CD's. I just laughed then explained. It is really a good book.

Splish! Splash!

Title: Splish! Splash!
Author: Josepha Sherman
Illustrated By: Jeff Yesh
Published By: Picture Window Books


The author has covered major concepts well and in enough depth to get children to want to learn more. The artwork is great and clearly enhances the content of the book. The pictures are not to busy, they are simple straight lines where needed and then you have some pictures with broad lines and with simple, colorful pictures that really enhance the content of the book.

As for the reader  they will be able to investigate rain,  they can learn about the water cycle and the problems that rain can cause. Either there can be too much rain and cause floods or too little rain and cause droughts. I really like this book because it is broken down into sections and goes into detail but not too much information all at once for kindergartners.

SAIL AWAY

Title: SAIL AWAY
Author: Donald Crews
Published By: Greenwillow Books


Donald Crews has a really awesome illustrative style that is so simple and clear, but uses wonderfully expressive colors and I'm totally impressed with how his font, its color and sizing make a different to the narrative. This might be my favorite book of his to read aloud because its kind of like an action movie: A boat sets off and then WHOOSH! We're sailing. Oh no! Storm ahead! Ah. flat waters, again. Its so much fun and easy to share that fun with kids through reading and showing them those awesome illustrations.
I like how this book is written. The wording is good and i like how the author chose his words. I think students would like it, especially students who sail on boats regularly. 

I'll Play With You

Title: I'll Play With You
Author: Mary McKenna Siddals
Illustrator: David Wisniewski
Published By: Clarion Books



The children in this book act as if nature is their friend. A boy that is just waking up tells the sun, "Meet me outside," and a girl feels the wind as she brushes her teeth and says,' I'll play with you, Wind".  While sitting in a grassy field with his pet beagle, another boy tells the clouds, "You make some pictures. I'll guess what they are". The speakers are not just friends; one girl begs the rain to ""fill up the puddles so I can go splashing,"" then puts on  a yellow rain coat and boots and leaps right in the puddles. At day's end, all the children meet on a hillside under a star-filled sky; Wisniewski's (Workshop) cutout shapes in variegated shades of dusk blue highlight the depth and height of the panoramic view. Then the children go home and with each back in their own rooms, fall asleep with the moon shining through the window. Wisniewski show detailed images of tiny leaves, draped cloth and the children's faces, as well as more abstract ideas, such as an invisible wind, which he whips up by having the curtains at a angle. It really looks like the wind in blowing. I really like this book, it is simple but it works.