Module 6: Creepy Carrots!

Book Summary: 

     Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots, and he is always snatching them from Crackenhopper Field. Then, one day, Jasper gets the feeling that the carrots are following him. He becomes paranoid and "sees" the creepy carrots everywhere - in his bathroom, the shed, and even in his bedroom. But every time he asks his parents to help, the carrots seem to be something else. So maybe the carrots are just in Jasper's imagination? 

     Since no one believes Jasper, he decides to take matters into his own hands to stop the carrots from following him. He builds walls all around Crakenhopper Field so that no carrots can escape. He even builds a river with alligators around the field. Jasper is relieved because he doesn't see anymore carrots. And the carrots are so excited because now they are safe!

APA Reference of Book:

Reynolds, A. (2012). Creepy carrots! New York, NY: Simon &

     Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Impressions:

     At first, I thought this book was going to be scary, but it ended up being pretty funny (especially after reading it to some first graders). The book keeps you on your toes; it keeps you guessing whether or not the carrots are really following Jasper.

     The illustrations really fit the tone of this book - kind of spooky. Each page is black and white with just has a little bit of orange on it (the carrots or the objects that Jasper thought could be the carrots). The illustrations keep you guessing as to what the orange objects truly are. 

     The surprise ending was actually funny, and I think the author was trying to teach a lesson. The carrots shout for joy when they find out Jasper can no longer pick them (and this is the first time they talk in the whole book). It makes you wonder if they were really following him so that they could get what they wanted - some peace! The lesson could also be that greediness doesn't amount to much.

     I loved this book; the only concern I have would be reading it to really young children (maybe 4 and under). They may think it's actually scary due to the pictures and the fact that creepy carrots are following Jasper around.

Professional Review:

     "Playing on the something-is-stalking-me-but-when-I-turn-around-nothing-is-there fears that have fueled countless scary movies, this goose-pimpler introduces a young bunny named Jasper who 'couldn't get enough carrots . . . until they started following him.' Tired of heart-racing, sleepless nights, Jasper concocts a master plan and builds an alligator-filled moat and sky-high fence around Crackenhopper Field to keep those nasty carrots at bay. Tuns out, their plan to keep that nasty rabbit from eating their carrot buddies has a similarly happy ending. Brown's charcoally black artwork is highlighted by deep oranges and delivers on the lighthearted thrills of Reynolds' fright-night story."

Chipman, I. (2012). [Creepy carrots!]. Booklist, 109(1), 122.

     Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443login?

     url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&

     db=brd&AN=79624535&scope=site

Library Uses:

     After the librarian reads the story, students could get into groups to perform a Readers Theater. They will be given their roles/parts and practice their lines together. Then, they could perform their skits to younger grade level classes.

     

Module 5: MOSES: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Book Summary:
     This story, though fictional, is based on the journey of Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland in 1820, but the book begins once she is an adult talking with God about escaping slavery. After conferring with God, she makes her mind up that she will flee the next day. She escapes at night after the Lord sends her a sign - an owl screeching. 
     Harriet travels long and far by herself through swamps, woods, rivers, and darkness. She has to hide several times in fear that someone may catch her and take her back to be whipped by her master. She even hides in a potato hole for seven days. 
     Many people help Harriet along the way, like a farmer, a boatman, and a couple in a wagon (who were all against slavery). She finally makes it to the "Promised Land" - Philadelphia, where she can be free. 
     She decides to go back for her family, but after talking with God, she leads more people to freedom besides just her family. God told her to be the Moses of her people. So Harriet went south again and again to rescue others from slavery (following the path of the Underground Railroad).

APA Reference of Book:
Weatherford, C. B. (2006). MOSES: When Harriet Tubman led
     her people to freedom. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for
     Children.

Impressions: 
     Just seeing the beautiful colors on the cover made me want to pick this book up, and knowing it won two awards (Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award) was enticing too. 
     The illustrations are fabulous - full of color and emotion. The darkness shows the intensity of Harriet Tubman's travels, and the lightness shows the glimpses of hope and her final freedom. Kadir Nelson does a wonderful job illustrating the story; the illustrations really make the book "come to life."
     Not only are the illustrations great, but the story is wonderful too. I enjoyed the different writings - the story is told in one font, Harriet's thoughts and conversations with God are in another font, and God's words are in big, bold letters. I think this shows the importance of God's words to Harriet. 
     I also love the lessons of perseverance and faith that can be found through the story of Harriet's journey. Even when she wanted to give up, she prayed "Lord, make me strong. Help me fight." Even though I knew how the story would end, I felt a sense of joy as she was freed and led others to freedom. 
     I believe this is a wonderful book that has a lasting impact on its readers. If I had this book when I was being taught American history, I believe learning would have stuck with me better.

Professional Review:
     "Weatherford's poetic telling of Harriet Tubman's role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad combines with Nelson's larger-than-life illustrations to portray the spiritual life of the African American visionary. The story takes readers from Tubman's early days as a slave, through her decision to escape, and into her life as a free person who detested the institution of slavery so vehemently that she returned to the South nineteen times to free three hundred slaves, including her family members. Weatherford uses three different narrative voices to explore Tubman's relationship with God: a third-person narrator, telling of her life and trials; the voice of Harriet herself, who (in an italicized font) speaks her doubts and pleas directly to God; and God's words to Harriet - "HARRIET, I WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU" - set in large, translucent type. The interaction between these narrative voices makes clear that it was Tubman's strong faith that sustained her on the freedom journeys so dramatically evoked in Nelson's richly atmospheric nightscapes. Several key scenes bring Harriet in close visual proximity to the reader to emphasize both her emotional turmoil and her strength. Moses offers a visual and literary experience of Tubman's life on a par with Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney's Minty."

Martin, M. H. (2006). [Moses]. Horn Book Magazine, 82(6),
     737-738. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:
     9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
     direct=true&db=brd&AN=518448738&scope=site

Library Uses:
     Moses could be used in the library when learning about important people in American history. After reading the book, students could relate Harriet Tubman to another important figure in U.S. history that displayed the same bravery or persistence. Then, they could compare and contrast the two figures using a Venn diagram. Another day, they could write about someone they personally know that inhibits the same traits as the two historical figures. They could even invite the people they selected to come to the library as they read their stories.

Module 4: The Giver

Book Summary:

     Jonas and his family live in a "perfect" world where everyone is equal and everything is under control. All the houses look alike, each family has a father and a mother with a son and a daughter (given to them), pain is relieved in an instant by taking a pill, and people are "released" when they become old or make bad decisions. In the community, each member is assigned a position in society. Jonas' father is a Nurturer of new children, and his mom works at the Department of Justice. At the Ceremony of Twelves, the Committee of Elders assigns these roles. 

     When Jonas turns twelve, he is selected to be the new Receiver of Memory. The Receiver is the sole keeper of the community's collective memory. Jonas gets the good and bad memories of the past from a wise man (the Giver). Once Jonas starts receiving memories from the Giver, he realizes how empty life in the community really is because memories make his life more meaningful. Jonas begins to feel frustrated because the community doesn't know how to feel passion. Jonas and the Giver develop a relationship because they share the same frustration.

     Jonas and the Giver devise a plan to change things in the community forever. They plan for Jonas to escape and enter Elsewhere so that his supply of memories will disperse and change the community's thoughts and feelings forever. But Jonas is forced to leave when he finds out Gabriel (the newchild his family is taking care of) is going to be released. He takes Gabriel to Elsewhere where the land is so different (full of color, animals, danger, etc). They find a sled and ride downhill toward music and Christmas lights. 

APA Reference of Book: 

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin

     Company.

Impressions:

     I really enjoyed this book because it was not what I expected. I was so intrigued when I first started reading this book because I wasn't quite sure what to think of the community. Reading through the chapters, I kept learning something new about the community that was interesting, especially the concept of "releasing," and how the people didn't have real feelings. 

     I loved seeing the transformation in Jonas as he receives the memories from the past; he starts to truly care about others and wants them to experience the same joy he has (even though people have to live through pain in order to experience true joy). It was relieving to finally see someone not acting "perfect." 

     Lowry really develops the theme in her book. She shows readers the dangers that exist when living in a world of conformity instead of individuality and freedom. People can't always be safe and protected, blindly abiding the rules of society. It's important to question things, just like Jonas did. I like it when a book relates to the real world.

     The ending of the book was so unpredictable. I don't like to be left hanging at the end of the book, but The Giver leaves room for the readers to create their own ending. Does the community ever change? What happens to Gabriel and Jonas? Where are they? Were they dreaming? Did they die? 

     The Giver was an easy book to read; I didn't want to put it down, wondering what would happen next. Although the ending wasn't my favorite, I truly enjoyed this book, and I believe it will continue to stand the test of time.

Professional Review:

     "In a departure from her well-known and favorable regarded realistic works, Lowry has written a fascinating, thoughtful, science-fiction novel. The story takes place in a nameless, utopian community, at an unidentified future time. Although life seems perfect - there is no hunger, no disease, no pollution, no fear - the reader becomes uneasily aware that all is not well. The story is skillfully written; the air of disquiet is delicately insinuated; and the theme of balancing the values of freedom and security is beautifully presented."

Horn Book. (1993). Review of the book The giver, by L. Lowry. 

     The Horn Book, Inc. Retrieved from https://learn.unt.edu/web

     apps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tabId=_742_1&tab_tab_

     group_id=81_1

Library Uses:

     This book could be used to teach the parts of a plot. Students could create a plot diagram of the events from the novel. They could use the Storyboard online interactive program to create scenes that follow the story in the sequence using, exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Since this book doesn't really have an ending resolution, students could come up with their own endings. They could present their Storyboards to the class.

Module 3: The Three Pigs

Book Summary:

     This book begins like the tale of the three pigs we all know - the pigs build their houses out of straw, sticks, and bricks, and the wolf blows the first two houses down. But instead of the pigs being eaten, they are actually "blown" off the pages of the book! The pigs escape and take the book apart to confuse the wolf. Then, they go on a paper airplane ride to rescue a couple of characters from other tales. In the end, the pigs are safe in the brick house (along with a dragon and cat). 

APA Reference of Book:

Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. Boston, MA: Houghton

     Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Impressions:

     Wow! No wonder this book received the Caldecott Medal. I have never seen illustrations like these, where the characters actually seem to be taken "off" the pages. What a unique way to portray a story. Speech bubbles are used by the characters that aren't in the story, and words seem to be blown away too (these aspects bring the story to life). 

     I like how this story starts off like the regular tale of the three little pigs, then Wiesner takes off with his imagination to create a whole new story. This is unexpected to the readers, so it captures their attention when the pigs are "blown" off the pages as the wolf huffs and puffs. It leaves readers on the edges of their seats excited to see what might happen next. The book shows readers that anything can happen in a story (the sky is the limit)! 

     This book doesn't have much text because the illustrations really tell the story. The story is unpredictable. For example, a dragon becomes a pig's friend. I enjoyed how the book contained characters from other nursery rhymes, like the cat and the fiddle. I haven't seen many books that cross over to different stories. 

     The Three Pigs takes a familiar story and tells it in a new, innovative way.

Professional Review:

    "Even the book's younger readers will understand the distinctive visual code. As the pigs enter the confines of a storybook page, they conform to that book's illustrative style, appearing as nursery-rhyme friezes or comic book line drawings. When the pigs emerge from the storybook pages into the meta-landscape, they appear photographically clear and crisp, with shadows and three dimensions. Wiesner's (Tuesday) brilliant use of white space and perspective (as the pigs fly to the upper right-hand corner of a spread on their makeshift plane, or as one pig's snout dominates a full page) evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities and that the range of story itself is limitless."

Publishers Weekly. (2001). Review of the book, The three pigs, 

     by D. Wiesner. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from https://

     learn.unt.edu/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab

     _tab_group_id=_81_1

Library Uses:

     This book could be used for children to create "spin off" stories of their own. After the librarian reads the book, she could put students into small groups to brainstorm ideas for their own story. Each group would take a familiar tale, and transform it into a story of their own (making sure to keep some of the story's elements the same, but changing the story around). They would present their stories to the class. Once the class becomes familiar with each other's stories, later on they could act out the stories in front of a different grade level (or have a night where parents come to watch their children perform).

Module 2: The Snowy Day

Book Summary:

     In this colorful and well-loved book, Peter wakes up to discover that snow has fallen all over the city. He is so excited, so he puts on his snowsuit to go explore. He plays in the snow - makes fun tracks, hits snow off tree branches, makes a snowman and snow angels, and slides down a hill. He also puts a snowball in his pocket. When he gets back home, his mom gives him a nice bath. Peter is saddened when he realizes his snowball has disappeared (melted). He becomes overjoyed again when he wakes up the next morning and sees that snow is still covering the ground.

APA Reference of Book:

Keats, E. J. (1962). The snowy day. New York, NY: Viking Press.

Impressions: 

     I didn't realize how old this book was, but it has really kept it's value due to how it captures the beauty of childhood and snowy days. Keats' illustrations are very creative - they almost look like something that's been cut out of cardboard. 

     Even though the story is simple, it is powerful. Keats shows how children love to explore and use their imaginations (Peter explores in the snow all day). The book also captures the innocence of children. For example, Peter wanted to save a snowball in his pocket, not realizing it would melt. The Snowy Day makes me want to be adventurous in the snow the next time winter rolls around. 

     I also found it interesting that the protagonist is a person of color, which wasn't common at the time the book was written. I'm sure this was heart warming to black children as they read it for the first time; they probably felt like they could relate to the book. 

     The way the book is written grabs the audience's attention. For example, "Plop!" makes the audience listen to see what's happening in the book.

     The statement "less is more" really rings true to this book. It's a simple but fascinating story that captures the hearts of all readers. No wonder it's considered a classic book.

Professional Review:

     "Now in a sturdy board-book format just right for youngest readers, Ezra Jack Keats' classic The Snowy Day, winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."

Publishers Weekly (1996). Review of the book The snowy day, 

     by E. J. Keats. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from https:// 

     learn.unt.edu/webaps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?  

     tabId=_742_1&tab_tab_group_id=_81_1 

Library Uses:  

     This book could be used for younger children in the library to work on making inferences, or predicting what might happen next. After reading the part about Peter putting the snowball in his pocket, and before turning the page, the librarian could ask the children, "What do you think is going to happen?" Children could write down what they think is going to happen, making sure to explain why they think something may happen (using their background knowledge as well as the illustrations). They could get into partners and share what they wrote. Then, the librarian could finish the story. They could see if their predictions were correct.