Author: Susan Collins
Why Selected: Assigned - Challenged books
Literary Merit: While slow to start this book picks up steam and becomes a page turner. Very descriptive of feelings and scenery in futuristic game of survivor. Romance is also a side note.
Share: Older Audience Class Read for High School age
Appeal: Fans of TV's Reality Shows, Kids who like suspense mixed with Romance, Mature 5th grader would probably like it but their parents may not...
Awards: Best Seller
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Summer of the Swans
Author: Betsy Byars
Why Selected: Award winner
Literary Merit: A good story about a sister's search for missing brother but finds out more about herself in the process. The use of "retarded" dates this book, probably not P.C. in society today.
Share: Class read
Appeal: Grades 3-5, kids who are uncomfortable with who they are might relate to this.
Awards: Newbery-1971
Why Selected: Award winner
Literary Merit: A good story about a sister's search for missing brother but finds out more about herself in the process. The use of "retarded" dates this book, probably not P.C. in society today.
Share: Class read
Appeal: Grades 3-5, kids who are uncomfortable with who they are might relate to this.
Awards: Newbery-1971
The Wall
Author and Illustrator: Peter Sis
Why Selected: Award winner
Literary Merit: Historical book about communism and it's effects on people. But in a graphic novel, cartoon style so it appeals to kids too. Troubled feelings of the time are abundant in the pictures.
Share: Show how vivid pictures can take stories to new heights. A good way to show kids how drawing can help them express their feelings, good and bad.
Appeal: Kids who like history and kids who are reluctant to read history may benefit from this too.
Awards: Sibert-2008
Why Selected: Award winner
Literary Merit: Historical book about communism and it's effects on people. But in a graphic novel, cartoon style so it appeals to kids too. Troubled feelings of the time are abundant in the pictures.
Share: Show how vivid pictures can take stories to new heights. A good way to show kids how drawing can help them express their feelings, good and bad.
Appeal: Kids who like history and kids who are reluctant to read history may benefit from this too.
Awards: Sibert-2008
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author and Illustrator: Brian Selznick
Why Selected: Assigned read
Literary Merit: A great example of how an illustrated book can tell a compelling story with a blend of words and pictures. Great use of dark/light contrast to pull the eye to what's important. Pictures not only tell the story, they are central to the story's plot.
Share: Prove to kids not to be discouraged by the size of a book. It's a quick read.
Appeal: Kids who like art and stories of the underdog. Grades 3-5
Awards: Caldecott-2008
Why Selected: Assigned read
Literary Merit: A great example of how an illustrated book can tell a compelling story with a blend of words and pictures. Great use of dark/light contrast to pull the eye to what's important. Pictures not only tell the story, they are central to the story's plot.
Share: Prove to kids not to be discouraged by the size of a book. It's a quick read.
Appeal: Kids who like art and stories of the underdog. Grades 3-5
Awards: Caldecott-2008
Secret of the Andes
Author: Ann Nolan Clark
Illustrator: Jean Charlot
Why Selected: To see how Charlotte's Web didn't win the Newbery
Literary Merit: Coming of Age tale of an Incan youth's journey away from what he knows but discovers it was where he belongs. The writing is excellent and very descriptive. I suppose it won the Newbery on it's merit, but I can understand why Charlotte's Web became more popular because it has a broader appeal.
Share: Not so sure it holds up anymore, unless there is a study on Incan culture in school.
Appeal: Grade 3-5
Awards: Newbery 1953
Illustrator: Jean Charlot
Why Selected: To see how Charlotte's Web didn't win the Newbery
Literary Merit: Coming of Age tale of an Incan youth's journey away from what he knows but discovers it was where he belongs. The writing is excellent and very descriptive. I suppose it won the Newbery on it's merit, but I can understand why Charlotte's Web became more popular because it has a broader appeal.
Share: Not so sure it holds up anymore, unless there is a study on Incan culture in school.
Appeal: Grade 3-5
Awards: Newbery 1953
Football Hero
Author: Tim Green
Why Selected: Sports book by former NFL player
Literary Merit: Predictable coming of age story of a younger brother that lives in conditions that are out of his control after losing his parents. Finds himself thanks to football and his big brother that loves him, despite the hardships in his life. Book has some suspense, the FBI and gambling but all portrayed in a not so scary way.
Share: Probably just a suggested read to a boy that likes sports, or to a reluctant reader.
Appeal: Boys grade 3-6, depending on their reading abilities
Awards: None
Why Selected: Sports book by former NFL player
Literary Merit: Predictable coming of age story of a younger brother that lives in conditions that are out of his control after losing his parents. Finds himself thanks to football and his big brother that loves him, despite the hardships in his life. Book has some suspense, the FBI and gambling but all portrayed in a not so scary way.
Share: Probably just a suggested read to a boy that likes sports, or to a reluctant reader.
Appeal: Boys grade 3-6, depending on their reading abilities
Awards: None
Danny and the Dinosaur
Author and Illustrator: Syd Hoff
Why Selected: Wanted to compare I can read and I can read picture book.
Literary Merit: Picture book with written story that kids can read easily.
Share: Read aloud but have the kids read it aloud to each other.
Appeal: Grades K-1
Awards: None
Why Selected: Wanted to compare I can read and I can read picture book.
Literary Merit: Picture book with written story that kids can read easily.
Share: Read aloud but have the kids read it aloud to each other.
Appeal: Grades K-1
Awards: None
Happy Birthday, Danny the Dinosaur
Author and Illustrator: Syd Hoff
Why Selected: Had in house
Literary Merit: Dinosaurs, kids, silliness, it's not an award winner but its a great place for a kid to start learning how to read because it has stuff they like in it.
Share: I can Read Book Level 1. Good starter book for beginning readers.
Appeal: Kids K-1
Awards: None
Why Selected: Had in house
Literary Merit: Dinosaurs, kids, silliness, it's not an award winner but its a great place for a kid to start learning how to read because it has stuff they like in it.
Share: I can Read Book Level 1. Good starter book for beginning readers.
Appeal: Kids K-1
Awards: None
All You Need For a Snowman
Author: Alice Schertle
Illustrator: Barbara Lavallee
Why Selected: Had in house
Literary Merit: Cute story about how to build a snowman. Even describes how a single snowman has feelings and might get lonely.
Share: Read aloud on a wintry day.
Appeal: Kids grades K-2
Awards: None
Illustrator: Barbara Lavallee
Why Selected: Had in house
Literary Merit: Cute story about how to build a snowman. Even describes how a single snowman has feelings and might get lonely.
Share: Read aloud on a wintry day.
Appeal: Kids grades K-2
Awards: None
Dolphin - I can read book - Level 3
Author: Robert A. Morris
Illustrator: Maramoru Funai
Why Selected: Had in the house
Literary Merit: Just a basic book that seems non-fiction in the fiction style.
Share: Transitional book for developing readers.
Appeal: Kids who like dolphins.
Awards: None
Illustrator: Maramoru Funai
Why Selected: Had in the house
Literary Merit: Just a basic book that seems non-fiction in the fiction style.
Share: Transitional book for developing readers.
Appeal: Kids who like dolphins.
Awards: None
Gooseberry Park
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Why Selected: Author won Newbery for Missing May 1993
Literary Merit: Story told by animals living among humans, but having the typical human struggles of food, shelter, child rearing. It pulls you in and you start to love the characters as if they were people in your family.
Share: A little long for a read aloud, but makes a good class read.
Appeal: Grades 3-4, kids who like animals or nature.
Awards: None
Why Selected: Author won Newbery for Missing May 1993
Literary Merit: Story told by animals living among humans, but having the typical human struggles of food, shelter, child rearing. It pulls you in and you start to love the characters as if they were people in your family.
Share: A little long for a read aloud, but makes a good class read.
Appeal: Grades 3-4, kids who like animals or nature.
Awards: None
Lon Po Po
Author and Illustrator: Ed Young
Why Selected: Choice - Awards and Chinese Fairy Tale
Literary Merit: Has more depth than the typical Little Red Riding Hood that kids are used to. Not a difficult read, art work helps too.
Share: Read aloud and as an example of fairy tales from different cultures.
Appeal: Kids who like fairy tales, younger grades
Awards: Caldecott - 1990
Why Selected: Choice - Awards and Chinese Fairy Tale
Literary Merit: Has more depth than the typical Little Red Riding Hood that kids are used to. Not a difficult read, art work helps too.
Share: Read aloud and as an example of fairy tales from different cultures.
Appeal: Kids who like fairy tales, younger grades
Awards: Caldecott - 1990
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
Author and Illustrator: Paul Goble
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: Tale about a native american girl coming of age and becoming one with the horses she loves. The pictures are vibrant and help the story along.
Share: A read aloud and for a study of Native American culture. Also a good example of artwork telling a story.
Appeal: Kids, especially girls who like horses.
Awards: Caldecott 1979
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: Tale about a native american girl coming of age and becoming one with the horses she loves. The pictures are vibrant and help the story along.
Share: A read aloud and for a study of Native American culture. Also a good example of artwork telling a story.
Appeal: Kids, especially girls who like horses.
Awards: Caldecott 1979
Oogie Cooder
Author: Sarah Weeks
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: A fun story about your typical outcast who finds fame due to his ability to "charve" (carve cheese by biting it) and learns who real friends are in the process. Learns its good to be different. Has a good flow but maybe a little predictable.
Share: Class read. Grades 3-5
Appeal: Suggest to a child that may feel left out. Boys and Girls would like it but it is mainly about a boy.
Awards: Nominated for Young Hoosier Intermediate 2010-11
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: A fun story about your typical outcast who finds fame due to his ability to "charve" (carve cheese by biting it) and learns who real friends are in the process. Learns its good to be different. Has a good flow but maybe a little predictable.
Share: Class read. Grades 3-5
Appeal: Suggest to a child that may feel left out. Boys and Girls would like it but it is mainly about a boy.
Awards: Nominated for Young Hoosier Intermediate 2010-11
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Author: E.L. Konigsburg
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: Well written story of siblings that find each other after running away. Ends happily thanks to eccentric lady. Who was the story teller in both narrative and letter writing form.
Share: Class read and study to compare the cost of living from then to today.
Appeal: With both a young male and female character, appeals to both sexes. Grades 3-5
Awards: Newbery 1968
Why Selected: Choice
Literary Merit: Well written story of siblings that find each other after running away. Ends happily thanks to eccentric lady. Who was the story teller in both narrative and letter writing form.
Share: Class read and study to compare the cost of living from then to today.
Appeal: With both a young male and female character, appeals to both sexes. Grades 3-5
Awards: Newbery 1968
The One Eyed Giant and Other Monsters from the Greek Myths
Author: Anne Rockwell
Why Selected: Assigned author read
Literary Merit: Pictures and story give depth to mythological characters. Some spellings and names are different than I remember. Could be confusing.
Share: A good book to study before Percy Jackson series. Also a good mythology book for younger kids. Not hard to read as it is not text book format.
Appeal: Percy Jackson fans, mythology fans, Grades 2-5.
Awards:
Why Selected: Assigned author read
Literary Merit: Pictures and story give depth to mythological characters. Some spellings and names are different than I remember. Could be confusing.
Share: A good book to study before Percy Jackson series. Also a good mythology book for younger kids. Not hard to read as it is not text book format.
Appeal: Percy Jackson fans, mythology fans, Grades 2-5.
Awards:
Tonadoes
Author and Illustrator: Gail Gibbons
Why Selected: Assigned author
Literary Merit: Book is full of great facts and great pictures that help understand how storms act and tornadoes form. Directional arrows, cloud types, tornado classification. Plus safety tips in a fun format that kids can follow.
Share: Informational book with information on safety. Use for tornado awareness week.
Appeal: Kids who like weather phenomena.
Awards:
Why Selected: Assigned author
Literary Merit: Book is full of great facts and great pictures that help understand how storms act and tornadoes form. Directional arrows, cloud types, tornado classification. Plus safety tips in a fun format that kids can follow.
Share: Informational book with information on safety. Use for tornado awareness week.
Appeal: Kids who like weather phenomena.
Awards:
Biggest Strongest Fastest
Author & Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Why Selected: Assigned (and cheetah on cover, current zoo advertised animal)
Literary Merit: An excellent picture book/fact book about various animals and what makes them different based on size, strength, speed, etc.
Share: Works for many elementary grade levels due to difference in text size and layout. Easy to read sentences with basic information for the younger crowd, with better factual info for the older elementary audience.
Appeal: K-3rd
Awards:
Why Selected: Assigned (and cheetah on cover, current zoo advertised animal)
Literary Merit: An excellent picture book/fact book about various animals and what makes them different based on size, strength, speed, etc.
Share: Works for many elementary grade levels due to difference in text size and layout. Easy to read sentences with basic information for the younger crowd, with better factual info for the older elementary audience.
Appeal: K-3rd
Awards:
Voyage to the Volcano
Author: Judith Bauer Stamper
Why Selected: Assigned any book of Magic School Bus Series
Literary Merit: Informative with good flow and great transition book as this is a chapter book from the Magic School Bus Series.
Share: As transitional book or as a study of volcanoes.
Appeal: Younger audience that is into science or Magic School Bus books.
Awards:
Why Selected: Assigned any book of Magic School Bus Series
Literary Merit: Informative with good flow and great transition book as this is a chapter book from the Magic School Bus Series.
Share: As transitional book or as a study of volcanoes.
Appeal: Younger audience that is into science or Magic School Bus books.
Awards:
The Lightning Theif
Author: Rick Riordan
Why Selected: 5th Grade son loved the series.
Literary Merit: A great blend of Greek Mythology and a young boy. The story is creative on many levels, especially how the mythological creatures appear throughout.
Share: Would be a good supplement to Mythology and maybe a more fun way for kids these days to fit into that part of the standards. Even a good book for a reluctant reader as this is a series that pulls you in, 5 books will keep them reading.
Appeal: Kids who like fantasy or kids who like series.
Awards:
Why Selected: 5th Grade son loved the series.
Literary Merit: A great blend of Greek Mythology and a young boy. The story is creative on many levels, especially how the mythological creatures appear throughout.
Share: Would be a good supplement to Mythology and maybe a more fun way for kids these days to fit into that part of the standards. Even a good book for a reluctant reader as this is a series that pulls you in, 5 books will keep them reading.
Appeal: Kids who like fantasy or kids who like series.
Awards:
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Why Selected: Assignment based - Book made into movie.
Literary Merit: Two voice perspective is it's best quality. It has feeling oozing from the pages. Quite the teenage drama.
Share: Would only use in High school setting due to amount of profanity. And be prepared to defend even using it then.
Appeal: Kids who like music and romance or are fans of the movie.
Awards:
Why Selected: Assignment based - Book made into movie.
Literary Merit: Two voice perspective is it's best quality. It has feeling oozing from the pages. Quite the teenage drama.
Share: Would only use in High school setting due to amount of profanity. And be prepared to defend even using it then.
Appeal: Kids who like music and romance or are fans of the movie.
Awards:
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Why Selected: Personal choice, already read the Twilight Saga
Literary Merit: This novella takes a deeper look at a minor character from Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight Saga. It flows really well and is a quick read. Nothing outstanding about it except it shows how others in a book feel instead of main characters.
Share: Makes a good example of character development for the young author. At least get them thinking that even minor characters have a back story, but they don't always need to get too in depth. Show how minor Bree Tanner is in Eclipse, compared to the depth her character has in this book.
Appeal: Also any fan of Twilight would probably enjoy this, especially the girls.
Awards: None
Why Selected: Personal choice, already read the Twilight Saga
Literary Merit: This novella takes a deeper look at a minor character from Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight Saga. It flows really well and is a quick read. Nothing outstanding about it except it shows how others in a book feel instead of main characters.
Share: Makes a good example of character development for the young author. At least get them thinking that even minor characters have a back story, but they don't always need to get too in depth. Show how minor Bree Tanner is in Eclipse, compared to the depth her character has in this book.
Appeal: Also any fan of Twilight would probably enjoy this, especially the girls.
Awards: None
Stitches
Author and Illustrator: David Small
Why Selected: Assigned for lit circle
Merit: Autobiographical graphic novel. Dark and depressing, not really a book for children. A gripping tale though, that gives an interesting insight into a person that does fantastic illustrations for kids books.
Share: Knowledge of his life story reflected in some of his works that encourage kids. Use to help kids understand that they can do great things no matter how terrible they think their life is.
Appeal: Mature audience or maybe a very interested artist, fit for higher grades.
Why Selected: Assigned for lit circle
Merit: Autobiographical graphic novel. Dark and depressing, not really a book for children. A gripping tale though, that gives an interesting insight into a person that does fantastic illustrations for kids books.
Share: Knowledge of his life story reflected in some of his works that encourage kids. Use to help kids understand that they can do great things no matter how terrible they think their life is.
Appeal: Mature audience or maybe a very interested artist, fit for higher grades.
An American Plague The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
Author: Jim Murphy
Why selected: Assigned read - non-fiction
Merit: The book is informative and interesting but may not be for all kids. Can be a little scary for younger audience. Excellent examples of racism, politics and people not learning from their mistakes. Maybe even a hygiene lesson buried in there.
Share: A side lesson on early government as the events happened in the Capitol at the time, Philadelphia.
Appeal: 5th grade due to some grisly content and since in Indiana 4th grade is mostly state history.
Awards: Sibert 2004 and a Newbery Honor Book
Why selected: Assigned read - non-fiction
Merit: The book is informative and interesting but may not be for all kids. Can be a little scary for younger audience. Excellent examples of racism, politics and people not learning from their mistakes. Maybe even a hygiene lesson buried in there.
Share: A side lesson on early government as the events happened in the Capitol at the time, Philadelphia.
Appeal: 5th grade due to some grisly content and since in Indiana 4th grade is mostly state history.
Awards: Sibert 2004 and a Newbery Honor Book
Saturday, July 24, 2010
So You Want to Be An Inventor
Author: Judith St. George
Illustrator: David Small
Why selected: This was part of an assigned read for my David Small - Lit Circle.
Merit: The book is humorous, informative and bright. The illustrations are deep on many levels. Multiple reads will reveal even more in every picture. The message is that you can be whatever you want to be and mixes non-fictional information but reads like fiction.
Share: A good read aloud either by teacher or as a class.
Appeal: More for a younger crowd or the young at heart. Probably 6th grade would be the highest for the artistic aspect and any grade below for the information/message.
Illustrator: David Small
Why selected: This was part of an assigned read for my David Small - Lit Circle.
Merit: The book is humorous, informative and bright. The illustrations are deep on many levels. Multiple reads will reveal even more in every picture. The message is that you can be whatever you want to be and mixes non-fictional information but reads like fiction.
Share: A good read aloud either by teacher or as a class.
Appeal: More for a younger crowd or the young at heart. Probably 6th grade would be the highest for the artistic aspect and any grade below for the information/message.
Reading Reflection Project
This is an assignment for a SLIS class s571 Materials for Youth. My goal is 100 books in the 6 week session. Please excuse the multiple posts that will follow as I started the blog 4 weeks into the course. The books which follow have been read in the past month and I maintained a spreadsheet with notes.
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