Sunday, May 3, 2009
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
A classic, cute book all about the adventures a mouse will have when you give him a cookie. In a roundabout way, it teaches children about cause and effect without even knowing it. Readers will love the mouse from the time he gets the cookie, to trimming his hair, to drawing his family, to asking for a glass of milk, and to once again asking for another cookie! This is a family favorite and must be read over and over!
The Snowy Day Caldecott Medal
A great simple book about a boy and his adventures in the snow. Great illustrations, and wonderful snow! The text is easy to follow and at the end you want to continue on the adventure with him and his friend in the snow.
Frog Went A-Courtin' Caldecott Medal
I grew up hearing the song “Frog went a courtin’ he did ride h’m”. So I really enjoy this book. All about a frog going to mistress mouse to ask him to marry her, and then the wedding party and all the animals that come to it, and how it ends. A lovely book with great illustrations.
Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
A list couldn’t be complete without a Dr. Seuss book, and how appropriate for this time of year as well! This book is one of my favorites of his. It is all about what type of journey you will have in life, including hang ups and bang ups, the waiting place, and how of course you’ll succeed (98 & ¾% guaranteed!!). The illustrations are whimsical and true to form of a Dr. Seuss book. Children and adults will love it!
Olivia Caledecott Honor
A cute, simple book about a young pig named Olivia, and her adventures throughout the day. She tries on all sorts of clothes, is firm with her brother, goes to the beach with her mother, and even wears herself out. Children will have an easy time relating to this book. The illustrations go along with the text wonderfully!
Make Way For Ducklings Caldecott Medal
A wonderful picture book about a mallard family who tries to find a new home in the city, and the adventures they have with their new family. The illustrations are wonderfully done and really add to the text. A truly enjoyable book.
On a side note...I went to a PD about Google Lit Trips and this was one of the books they used. What a great way to not only get children excited about reading, but seamlessly use technology in your lessons!
On a side note...I went to a PD about Google Lit Trips and this was one of the books they used. What a great way to not only get children excited about reading, but seamlessly use technology in your lessons!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
#4 Caldecott Book
So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George
This book is absolutely fantastic!!! It’s fantastic because it is so chocked full of facts about our presidents…some meaningful and important, some just fun to know! The illustrations really add to the text and are so enjoyable on their own.
We are planning a big trip this summer and one of our destinations includes Washington, D.C. This book is especially helpful, because I want my children to know some facts about our former presidents and the white house. We have this book in our collection at home, and I have always enjoyed it and enjoyed reading it to my children, but I think that due to our pending trip this book has taken on new significance to me. I also thing that it is pertinent that our students learn some history, and what better way to learn it than to make it fun and entertaining!
I can compare this book to, So You Want to be an Inventor. The style the author presents information is similar to So You Want to Be President, with a lighthearted, whimsical presentation of facts of famous inventors. Again, the illustrations only add to the book!
I don’t think I learned anything new, this book just reinforced previous knowledge: that concepts need to be presented in a fun way for our students to really benefit from them! We enjoy when Professional Development opportunities are fun and engaging, well so do students! When a lesson or concept is presented in a fun way that engages them, what better way to catch their attention and get some learning in too…which Judith St. George does a wonderful job doing!
This book is absolutely fantastic!!! It’s fantastic because it is so chocked full of facts about our presidents…some meaningful and important, some just fun to know! The illustrations really add to the text and are so enjoyable on their own.
We are planning a big trip this summer and one of our destinations includes Washington, D.C. This book is especially helpful, because I want my children to know some facts about our former presidents and the white house. We have this book in our collection at home, and I have always enjoyed it and enjoyed reading it to my children, but I think that due to our pending trip this book has taken on new significance to me. I also thing that it is pertinent that our students learn some history, and what better way to learn it than to make it fun and entertaining!
I can compare this book to, So You Want to be an Inventor. The style the author presents information is similar to So You Want to Be President, with a lighthearted, whimsical presentation of facts of famous inventors. Again, the illustrations only add to the book!
I don’t think I learned anything new, this book just reinforced previous knowledge: that concepts need to be presented in a fun way for our students to really benefit from them! We enjoy when Professional Development opportunities are fun and engaging, well so do students! When a lesson or concept is presented in a fun way that engages them, what better way to catch their attention and get some learning in too…which Judith St. George does a wonderful job doing!
#3 Caldecott Book
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
I thought that this book did a good job of presenting facts about William Bentley. To me, it was a little boring and it’s not one that I would choose for myself to read, but I can see the value in it. The illustrations fit the text to a “T”, and I really enjoyed how the author put the “facts” on the edge of the page.
I do think the season had some effect on my reaction to this book. I am so dreadfully tired of winter (even though we haven’t had much snow!), and of course this book has snow and winter on the majority of its pages. I am beyond ready for spring and summer to glide on in!!! Also, I am not much of a biography reader. I know that they have their place and importance in our reading, but I’d rather have the fun read with a moral/lesson.
I have never read a book by Ms. Martin, except Snowflake Bentley. Therefore, I have no way to compare this to another book. I did look up her books at Barnes and Noble, and found one in particular that stuck out, Banjo Granny, which is a delightful little tale about a grandmother’s determination to get to see her grandbaby. The book is spiced up with a little bluegrass reference, which adds to the book.
This book reinforced to me that biographies are important to our students! I knew that, in the back of my head, but every now and then it needs to be reinforced since these books are not my favorites to read.
I thought that this book did a good job of presenting facts about William Bentley. To me, it was a little boring and it’s not one that I would choose for myself to read, but I can see the value in it. The illustrations fit the text to a “T”, and I really enjoyed how the author put the “facts” on the edge of the page.
I do think the season had some effect on my reaction to this book. I am so dreadfully tired of winter (even though we haven’t had much snow!), and of course this book has snow and winter on the majority of its pages. I am beyond ready for spring and summer to glide on in!!! Also, I am not much of a biography reader. I know that they have their place and importance in our reading, but I’d rather have the fun read with a moral/lesson.
I have never read a book by Ms. Martin, except Snowflake Bentley. Therefore, I have no way to compare this to another book. I did look up her books at Barnes and Noble, and found one in particular that stuck out, Banjo Granny, which is a delightful little tale about a grandmother’s determination to get to see her grandbaby. The book is spiced up with a little bluegrass reference, which adds to the book.
This book reinforced to me that biographies are important to our students! I knew that, in the back of my head, but every now and then it needs to be reinforced since these books are not my favorites to read.
#2 Caldecott Book
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
The first, and most obvious thing that I liked about this book is that it has a moral to it. Reading for pleasure if wonderful, and so many times books are just for fun…which again is great. But every now and again, you run across a book that is fun and has a moral! Especially in today’s society, I think I it is important that our children realize that you can make something out of nothing! I also enjoyed the cutouts on the pages that showed what he had turned the overcoat into. It gave you something to look forward to when turning the page.
When I first heard the title, I was expecting it to be something along the lines of Joseph’s coat of many colors…the bible story. It surprised me that is wasn’t. Because I have children of my own, and work with a lot of at-risk students, I think this story is so important…that it really doesn’t matter what you have (a lot of our students do not have much). If you try you can make something out of it! I also want my own children to learn this concept. I don’t want them to think that they have to have a lot to be happy.
I did not realize that he was also the author of This is the House that Jack Built. We have that book at home and my children LOVE it! They especially love the illustrations which are similar to this one. We also have the version of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
I think I learned, or at least was reminded, that fun books can have good, worthwhile morals to them. Sometimes, at least in my head, books that have morals tend to be boring and to preachy. This book showed me that they can be fun and meaningful. Teaching about frugality is more and more important in today’s society.
The first, and most obvious thing that I liked about this book is that it has a moral to it. Reading for pleasure if wonderful, and so many times books are just for fun…which again is great. But every now and again, you run across a book that is fun and has a moral! Especially in today’s society, I think I it is important that our children realize that you can make something out of nothing! I also enjoyed the cutouts on the pages that showed what he had turned the overcoat into. It gave you something to look forward to when turning the page.
When I first heard the title, I was expecting it to be something along the lines of Joseph’s coat of many colors…the bible story. It surprised me that is wasn’t. Because I have children of my own, and work with a lot of at-risk students, I think this story is so important…that it really doesn’t matter what you have (a lot of our students do not have much). If you try you can make something out of it! I also want my own children to learn this concept. I don’t want them to think that they have to have a lot to be happy.
I did not realize that he was also the author of This is the House that Jack Built. We have that book at home and my children LOVE it! They especially love the illustrations which are similar to this one. We also have the version of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
I think I learned, or at least was reminded, that fun books can have good, worthwhile morals to them. Sometimes, at least in my head, books that have morals tend to be boring and to preachy. This book showed me that they can be fun and meaningful. Teaching about frugality is more and more important in today’s society.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Hello, Goodbye Window
Here is my first book under the 5 Caldecot Award/Honor books.
We already had this book at home, and I had read it many times to my children. We all have enjoyed the book...for many different reasons. First off, I think the illustrations are a bit child like, which obviously appeals to children. For me, I think they are a bit too busy and garbled sometimes...I almost need to stare at each page for awhile to take it all in and make out what the big picture is. My favorite illustration is the page that talks about counting all the stars. Compared to the other illustrations, this one seems very soothing! I also think this book does a very good job of capturing the special relationship between a child and their grandparents. My parents, and my husband's parents have been watching our children since they were babys, and I think this experience has influenced my reaction to this book. I especially can relate to the part of the book where the little girl's parents are picking her up and she it happy to see them, but also sad to leave her grandparents at the same time. I have seen that in my children many, many times!
I also think this is a good multicultral book, to show that families are made up of all different colors and races. This would be good to use in a classroom to reinforce openmindedness and acceptance of other cultures and races.
The only other book I have read by this author is The Phantom Tollbooth. I read it when I was in elementary school, and then again in college for my Math for Elementary Teachers class. Both times I thoroughly enjoyed, although I do think it is hard to compare the two books. They are obviously intended for different audiences. I do think the author, Norton Juster, does a great job relating to the reader. Some books, you read and feel you are outside looking in (if that makes any sense), but with his books, you actually feel apart of what is going on.
This book has reinforced that children, even though they are small, can have very deep emotions and feeling for other people and their family.
We already had this book at home, and I had read it many times to my children. We all have enjoyed the book...for many different reasons. First off, I think the illustrations are a bit child like, which obviously appeals to children. For me, I think they are a bit too busy and garbled sometimes...I almost need to stare at each page for awhile to take it all in and make out what the big picture is. My favorite illustration is the page that talks about counting all the stars. Compared to the other illustrations, this one seems very soothing! I also think this book does a very good job of capturing the special relationship between a child and their grandparents. My parents, and my husband's parents have been watching our children since they were babys, and I think this experience has influenced my reaction to this book. I especially can relate to the part of the book where the little girl's parents are picking her up and she it happy to see them, but also sad to leave her grandparents at the same time. I have seen that in my children many, many times!
I also think this is a good multicultral book, to show that families are made up of all different colors and races. This would be good to use in a classroom to reinforce openmindedness and acceptance of other cultures and races.
The only other book I have read by this author is The Phantom Tollbooth. I read it when I was in elementary school, and then again in college for my Math for Elementary Teachers class. Both times I thoroughly enjoyed, although I do think it is hard to compare the two books. They are obviously intended for different audiences. I do think the author, Norton Juster, does a great job relating to the reader. Some books, you read and feel you are outside looking in (if that makes any sense), but with his books, you actually feel apart of what is going on.
This book has reinforced that children, even though they are small, can have very deep emotions and feeling for other people and their family.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Set 'um up!
Ok, so this is a required blog...which translates to not blogging for pleasure. I will have to admit that I have never blogged before, although I have browsed a few before out of curiousity. We'll see how it goes!!
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