Literature Reflection

I have really enjoyed the opportunity to read and blog about children's picture books and novels. Since we have been required to blog I have gone back to reread books I remember to be my childhood favorites. I even had my mom send a box of mine and my sister's old picture books for me to read and blog about. When I went through these books I haven't seen in ages, so many good literacy memories from my childhood have come back to me. For example, I can remember my mom reading the Teeny Witch Valentine's Day book while my sister and I worked on valentines at the kitchen table or my grandma reading us Chicka Chicka Boom Boom in her backyard. It has been a lot of fun reflecting on these stories through the blog. I have enjoyed learning to blog and like how we were able to set up our own personalized blog. The blog has allowed me to open up with my thoughts less formal way. Reading and blogging about children's literature has been an overall great experience for me thus far!

The Misfits

The Misfits is written by James Howe. I really enjoyed reading the Misfit and was engaged throughout the entire novel. Since I was so into the book it ended up being a fairly quick read. This book addresses many issues that are relatable for many junior high and high school children. Bullying is a major problem in schools as I remember it to be the topic of many high school retreats and assemblies. The book tells the story of four middle school friends who are considered the outcasts of the school. They are constantly teased and called names by their peers. These four friends collaborate to come up with a political party to run in the student body election. They are finally able to get the No-Name party approved by their teacher and principal. This party's goal is to work toward putting an end to name calling and teasing. These friends face many obstacles throughout their journey, and although it doesn't end with their desired outcome, "the misfit' make an impact on the entire school gaining respect from both the faculty and their peers. They opened the student body and staffs' eyes to bullying making them come to the realization of its effects.

I really liked this book, but was a little disappointed when the No-Name party lost the election. Although I was disappointed, it did add a twist to the book to make it a more realistic story rather than the typical happy ending story. I would use this book in my classroom as I had difficulty seeing controversy. The only possible controversial issue that I could pick out is that Joe's homosexuality was a little played up and stereotypical in this book. I feel like Howe portrayed Joe as a stereotypical homosexual; for example, Bobby remembering Joe as a kid dressing up in girl clothes. I think the ending of Joe and Colin dating was a little unrealistic, but it made for an unexpected ending. Overall, I really enjoyed reading and discussing the misfits!

Mommy Laid and Egg

Mommy Laid An Egg is another book written by Babette Cole. This is a funny book about a mom and dad who decide that it is time to tell their children about where babies come from. They explain that babies can come from a lot of different places. They can be delivered by dinosaurs, found under stones, grown from seeds, squeezed from a tube, or come from an egg laid by a mommy. The children laugh at their parents and it is the children who explain to the parents where babies really come from.

This book gives an honest and rather comical explanation of where babies come from from the children's perspective. I think the material is appropriate for giving children the true blunt explanation of where babies come from. Although this book is informative, I feel that the illustrations are graphic and inappropriate for young children. I would leave this book for individual parents to decide whether or not they would like to share this book with their child.

William's Doll

William's Doll is written by Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated by William Pene Du Bois. This book is about a little boy named William who wants a baby doll more than anything. He gets teased and called a "siss" by his brother and the neighbor children. William's father doesn't understand why William would want a baby doll. His father gives him a basketball and train set to try to get William's mind off the doll. Although he enjoys the basketball and train set, William is still set on wanting a doll to care for. When his grandmother comes for a visit, William tells her about wanting a doll and how how his brother makes fun of him for it. William's grandmother goes out and buys him a doll. William's father gets angry and can't understand why he needed a doll. William's grandmother explains to his father that he needs it to love and care for so when he becomes a father he will know how to love and care for his child.

William's Doll is a controversial book as society is pressured to abide by gender roles- girls play with dolls and boys play with basketballs. I am not exactly sure how I feel about this book. I think to some extent it reinforces teasing and name calling for boys who play with dolls since William gets teased by everyone but his grandma. I sense that children reading this book would value majority's opinion and the opinion of other children over a grandma's. On the other hand, I think that the book has a genuine message. I like how the grandma says William needs the doll to learn to love and care for something, because one day William will be father and will need to know how love and care for his child. I thought William's doll had a really cute ending!

The Un-Wedding

The Un-Wedding is written by Babette Cole. This book tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt. The longer Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt lived together the more they started to dislike each other. They always fought and didn't agree on anything. They played awful tricks on each other. Their two children, Demetrius and Paula, hated seeing their parents act like this so they posted a sign at school to see if any other children had this problem. Demetrius and Paula discovered that a lot of children have parents who don't get along so they meet to figure out what to do. They decided to see if the minister could un-marry their parents and he thought it was a wonderful idea. Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt had an un-wedding performed by the minister. They went on separate un-honeymoons and moved into different houses. The story ends with the two parents living happily ever after apart.

The Un-Wedding is an entertaining book, but I don't think this is a book I would read to children. For children whose parents are going through hard times, this book lets them know they aren't the only ones, and there are a lot of other children whose parents are going through the same thing. The book in a humorous way lets them know that everything will be okay, and parents who aren't happy together and separate can lead more content lives apart. The thing I didn't like about the book was the way Cole portrayed the unhappy parents. Cole makes the parents out to be immature and "ugly" for having disagreements and not getting along. In reality, there are many different reasons and situations for parental disagreements. Cole makes it seem as though parents who are unhappy in their relationship get divorces because they are immature. I don't think it is appropriate to impose this view of their parents on children especially when so many issues can factor into martial problems.

Heather Has Two Mommies

Heather Has Two Mommies is written by Leslea Newman and illustrated by Diana Souza. This is a controversial book as the topic of lesbian parents is brought to surface. Heather was born into a family with two moms, Mama Kate and Mama Jane. When Heather goes to her playgroup at Molly's a little boy talks about his mom and dad. This is when Heather realizes that she doesn't have a daddy. Heather becomes sad and is about to cry when one of the other children admit that their family isn't made up of a mom and dad either. The children at the playgroup come from families of all different family structures-two dads; a mom and a sister only; a mom and step-dad at one house with a dad at another house; a family with all adopted children; etc. Molly has the children draw pictures of their families, and the children at the play group learn that a lot of people aren't from the "traditional" family structure and that a family is made of people who love each other.

Although this book is surfaced around a heavy issue, homosexuality, I personally think this is a good book to share with children. Same sex parenting is becoming more common in today's society. In my opinion, children should be introduced to the concept of different family structures at a young age. I think if children discuss homosexuality at a young age, it will be more easily accepted by youth. I think this is a good book, because a diversity of family structures gets introduced to the reader. The reader is made aware that families can consist of all types of structures, and the only thing that matters is that they all love each other.

Love That Dog

I really enjoyed reading Love That Dog by Sharon Creech. It was a quick and engaging read. Love That Dog is about a boy, Jack, who begins class with Miss Stretchberry not enjoying poetry and believing that only girls write poems. Miss Stretchberry encourages and inspires Jack to write poetry. She reads the class poetry and Jack's interest is stimulated by the poetry of Walter Dean Myers who Jack gets to come visit the school.

I really like the format of Love That Dog. I think it is really neat how the book is set up as Jack's journal entries to his teacher. Although the teacher's response isn't shared you get a general idea of her replies through Jack's responses. The interesting thing about this format is you get an idea of what Miss Stretchberry writes to Jack without it actually being stated. While there were many times that I wanted to know exactly what she wrote to Jack, as the reader I was able to use my imagination and explore different possibilities of what she was writing to Jack. I also like how Jack's entries were set up in poem form which was fitting for the story. I likd everythign about the set up and think that it is very creative!

If You Give A Pig A Pancake

If You Give A Pig A Pancake is written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. This book described the effects of giving a pig a pancake. The pig will want syrup, it will make her sticky, she'll need a bath, she'll want bubbles... The little pig wears the little girl out after all the events that follow simply giving a pig a pancake.

The pig in this book reminds me of a little kid. They want this, need that, you have to take them here, make them that, etc. It is an exhausting day trying to keep up with these little active kids. They never stop and are always on the go! :)

I think the illustrations coordinated really well with the story. The pictures did a great job of depicting the day's chaos. I especially like the last picture in the book of the little girl sleeping on the table with a mess all around her while the pig is sitting on the table wide awake and laughing. Very cute- who would have thought giving a pig a pancake would be so exhausting?!

Night of the Veggie Monster

Night of the Veggie Monster, written by George McClements, is a cute book. On Tuesday nights the boy in the book has to eat 3 peas. Just as a lot of children are about eating vegetables, he makes a huge scene where his fingers wiggle, eyes water, toes curl, and he becomes a veggie monster with the slightest touch from a pea. When he swallows the pea he realizes, hey, peas aren't that bad tasting.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the ending. The boy realizes that peas don't taste too bad after finally tasting it. He then continues to say that he isn't in the clear because Wednesdays is.... BROCCOLI. Can you imagine what broccoli will do to a kid?!

I also like the format of the book and how it is put together. I like how the story is told from the little boy's perspective, but the author also uses dialogue bubbles of the parents conversing between each other. The dialogue bubbles are a creative way to add in the parent's view of the situation. The story is a big dramatic tale from the little boys perspective about having to eat peas while also getting the parents' "here we go, not this again" outlook of the situation.

The Chicken of the Family

The Chicken of the Family is a book written by Mary Amato and illustrated by Delphine Durand. After reading this book I could relate to the main character, Henrietta. Henrietta's two older sisters love to tease Henrietta and convince her to believe that she is a chicken and her parents got her from Barney's farm. Henrietta was certain she was a chicken after waking up with an egg in her bed and feathers on the floor. Henrietta decided to go to Barney's farm to be with her real family, the chickens. Her sisters, Kim and Clare, get in trouble by their parents when they discover that Kim and Clare told Henrietta she was a chicken. Their parents send them to retrieve Henrietta. The book ends unexpectedly when they can't convince Henrietta to come home and that she isn't really a chicken.

This book reminds me of when I was little. Every weekend my cousin Kelly would come over to play with my older sister. Being the little sister I tried to tag a long with the older girls. They would allow me to follow along with them only to their convenience. I wanted to play with them so much that I listened and did whatever they said. I remember letting them shampoo my hair and then afterwards they told me that the shampoo they used would make my hair fall out. They would let me go shopping with them and run away from me leaving me all alone. All brothers and sisters pick on each other and this is a funny book that anyone with brothers or sister can relate to.

How To Be a Baby By Me The Big Sister

When I went home the other weekend I went to the library Friday afternoon to gather my picture books. I was babysitting Saturday night and Sunday afternoon for a little boy and girl, Sam and Abby, who will be a big brother and sister to a new baby in a couple weeks. I decided to check out How To Be A Baby By Me The Big Sister to read to Sam and Abby in preparation for the baby's arrival. The kids LOVED this book. They thought it was hilarious and were still talking about it making jokes about babies the next day.

In this book the big sister writes all the things that babies can't do, can't eat, what they are scared of, what they don't know, the toys they can't play with, etc. She, as the big sister, obviously knows how to do EVERYTHING because as she says it- she is "the big sister." After listing all the things babies can't do and all the trouble they get into, the big sister goes on to point out that one day her little brother will grow up to learn a lot from her. Together they will be able to look back on the time he was a baby and didn't know a thing! This is a cute book to read to children who will soon be big brothers or sisters. It is a funny book that in my opinion ends perfectly!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is written by authors, Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. It is illustrated by Lois Ehlert. I forgot about this book until I came across it skimming the shelves at the library. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a book that we loved to read when we went to my Grandma K's house when we were little. I can picture my Grandma sitting with us on the back swing reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom over and over again.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach young children the alphabet. The book has a fun catchy, singsongy, and rhyming storyline of all the letters racing to the top of the coconut tree.

I love the colors used for the illustrations. The vibrant and colorful images really add to the liveliness of the story! Very cute and fun alphabet book!

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

Junie B. books are written by Barbara Park. I grew up loving this series. Children tend to really enjoy this series as Park uses humor and writes about topics that children can relate to. Junie B., First Grader (at last!) is narrated by Junie who has finally entered first grade. She is excited for the new school year to begin and can't wait to see old friends. First grade isn't what it is talked up to be as Junie has trouble with old friends and adjusting to her new classroom. On top of having trouble adjusting, Junie finds out that she needs glasses; she is scared that her classmates will laugh at her new purple glasses. Junie befriends a boy, Herbert, who is new to the school. When Junie takes her glasses in for show and tell, Herbert pulls through for Junie and sticks up for her when the glass starts to poke fun of her. Herbert runs to the front of the class and grabbing her glasses says, "Cool! Purple glasses!" He says that she must have special eyes and questions whether it could be x-ray vision. The class then starts to chime in one at a time commenting on Junie's glasses saying how cool and stylish they are. Just as Junie was becoming discourage with first grade, she begins to realize that first grade might not be so bad after all.

This is a good book for children to read because of the message. A situation of this type, not fitting in, is a topic relatable for many children. It teaches children how taunting and mocking can effect a child. By sticking up for someone you can really make a difference to that child. In Junie's case, Herbert stuck up for Junie and swayed the entire class into thinking Junie's glasses were the coolest things ever. Junie got so much positive attention from her classmates and they began to look up to her. One person, as Herbert was in this story, can have a major effect on the entire environment.