Heather's Children's Literature Blog

Friday, February 20, 2009

Graphic Novels

Classroom Use for Graphic novels: Graphic novels are are great way to get hesitant or struggling students interesting in reading. The words and phrases are simple and usually have engaging story lines. Students are able to focus on the main points of the story such as what the characters say, and don't need to worry as much about the "filler" words. Graphic novels are also great for the classroom because of their illustrations, since almost every conversation or bit of text is given its own illustration students can follow along, like they would if watching a video.
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Title: Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age and His Search for Soft Trousers

Author: Raymond Briggs

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Summary: Poor Ug. He's stuck in the stone age -- literally, as his pants, and everything else, are made of solid stone. Stone baseball bat, stone blankets, stone bed -- you get the rather uncomfortable picture. Smarter than his family, Ug can sense that there's a better way to do things, but he can't quite put his finger on how to go about it. Not only that, no one listens to his ideas at all, except his perplexed but well-meaning father. Are they a match for his cranky mother?

Strengths: This book is perfect for children who are always thinking out of the box. It shows them that just because an idea sounds crazy in the beginning, after a while it may not be so. I liked how Ug kept persevering to find what else what outside his families comfort zone. This was also humorous.

Age level: 7 and up

Classroom use: independent reading
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Title: To Dance

Author:Siena Cherson Siegel
Illustrator: Mark Siegal
Publisher: Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing
Copyright: 2006

Summary: The true story of a child's life in the dance studio

Strengths: Great book for girls. And was also a biography. The illustrations were bright and beautiful to look at.

Age Level: 8-14
____________________________________________________________________ Title: Who's Got Game? The Ant of the Grasshopper?

Author(s): Toni and Slade Morrison
Illustrator: Pascal Lemaitre
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2003

Summary: The story of two opposites, and what happens when you only focus on one thing and not spend your time on others.

Strengths: illustrations. humor. Incorporates lots of alliteration and rhyming
Age Level: k-3
Classroom Use: Rhyming

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Title: Bone

Author: Jeff Smith
Publisher: Cartoon Books
Copyright: 1996

Summary: The Bone cousins-- Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone-- get run out of Boneville when Phoney Bone's scheme to run for mayor backfires, as Phoney Bone's schemes always do. They get split up by a swarm of locusts and end up in a mysterious valley populated by talking animals, possums, hedgehogs, rat creatures, dragons, and a garrulous bug named Ted. Fone Bone, who is the hero of our story, is being followed by a fire-breathing dragon and a pair of rat creatures. The rat creatures want to eat him, preferably baked in a quiche; what the red dragon wants may be worse. After several close calls, Fone Bone meets up with two humans, Grandma Ben and her granddaughter Thorn, and with their help he is reunited with his cousins in the town of Barrelhaven. However, all is not well-- the rat creatures are massing for war, and a mysterious hooded figure wants Phoney Bone's soul...

Strengths: I enjoyed this book because it was full of adeventure. It also deals with alot of fantasy themse such as talking animals and traveling to magical lands.

Age Level:8-12

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Title: The Comic Adventures of Boots

Author: Satoshi Kitamura
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Copyright: 2002

Summary: Several stories about Boots the Cat, and how he learns.

Strengths: Humorous, illustrations, for for kids

Age Level: k-2
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Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Title: Apple Pie 4th of July

Author: Janet S. Wong

Illustrator: Margaret Chodos-Irvine

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books

Summary: This story if about a little girl whose parents own a Chinese food restaurant. It is the 4th of July and she does not understand why her parents keep making food, because "No one wants Chinese food on the 4th of July". She thinks her parents don't get what it means to be American. But then after the parade at nighttime, lots of people come in to eat. SO she sees that the 4th of July is not just for apple pie.

Strengths: This is a great story that puts your in the place of a child whose parents were born in another country. And it shows how America really is a melting pot and not as traditional as many may think.

Age level: k-3

Classroom use: Individual reading. When teaching about different cultures.

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Title: Harriet the Spy

Author: Louise Fitzhugh

Publisher: Yearling

Summary: The story of an eleven year old spy who writes about everything and everyone in her journal. But what happens when her classmates find her journal and read about all the things she writes about each and every one of them?

Strengths: Many students can relate to this book, because everyone has known a time when a friend was mad at them. This book also talks about the myriad of issues student can have, from issues with parents to trying where they fit in.

Age Level: 9-12

Classroom Use: Independent reading. To introduce how to keep a diary.

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Title: Holes

Author: Louis Sachar

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Summary: Instead of getting sent to jail for stealing a famous baseball player's old sneakers, Stanley Yelnats get sent to Camp Green Lake. Camp Green lake, which is really in the middle of the desert with not lake in sight, is where they beleive that by digging holes troublesome young boys will learn to be better citizens. After being their Stanley realizes what that they are really there to dig for the missing fortune of Kissing Kate Barlow, an outlaw who buried her treasure in the exact spot where Camp Green Lake is located.

Strengths: I loved how this book kept flashing back to the past, to give the reader information about the history of Camp Green Lake. This book is also a great adventure story, that kept me on the edge of my seat and would be a perfect book for all students, especially boys.

Age Level: 4th grade and up

Classroom Use: independent reading
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Title: Fly Away Home

Author: Eve Bunting
illustrator: Ronald Himler
Publisher: Clarion Books
Copyright: 1991

Summary: depicts the life of a child and his father who live in the airport. They are constantly moving around so they are not noticed. One day the child sees a trapped bird, who finally gets out and finds freedom it gives him hope that eventually things will get better

Strengths: Illustrations tie in well with text. Leaves reader with hope

Age Level: k-2
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Title: The Hatchet

Author: Gary Paulson
Publisher: Bradbury Press
Copyright: 1987

Summary: After dealing with his parent's divorce, Brian is on his way up to stay with his father in a small plane when suddenly the pilot has a heart attack and dies. Brian manages to get the plane down, but it is in the middle of the woods. This is a survival story of his time spent in the forest all alone
Strengths: Easy read. Great adventure story for boys.
Age Level: 11-13
Classroom Use: Independent reading

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Title: Everything On a Waffle

Author: Polly Horvath

Publisher: Square Fish

Summary: This book is about a young girl named Primrose Squarb whose parents go missing out to see. The entire time she still believes that her parents will come back, despite what everyone else telling her they are dead. For all practical purposes, at least for the time being, Primrose is an orphan, and there's no great clamoring of prospective adopters. After realizing the impracticality of continuing to pay Miss Perfidy an hourly wage to baby-sit her, the town council is able to locate a relative, Uncle Jack, who reluctantly takes Primrose into his care. But true sanctuary can always be found at a restaurant called "The Girl in the Swing", where everything — including lasagna —is served on a waffle.As she waits and navigates through a series of adventures, Primrose observes all sorts of human qualities in the people who come into her life: an elderly neighbor, the school guidance counselor, her wheeler-dealer uncle, a childless couple, and the always ready to listen restaurant owner, who serves everything on a waffle.

Strengths: I enjoyed this story so much because of the message it sent out, that some times you know something can't be true according to whatever one else is telling, but you never give up and it comes true! Like most children's book this one had a happy ending. I also enjoyed how at the end of each chapter Primrose included a recipe for some type of food she talked about in the chapter.

Age Level: 5th-8th grade

Classroom use: Independent reading.

Traditional Literature

Title: A Handful of Beans

Author: Jeanne Steig

Illustrator: William Stein

Publisher: HarperCollins

Summary: This book consists of six fairy tales: Rumpelstiltskin, Beauty & The Beast, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Frog Prince, and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Strengths: These stories are how I traditionally remember them from my childhood. The illustrations are simple but represent the text well.

Age level: ages 4-8

Classroom use: To introduce traditional fairy tales and during independent reading time.

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Title: Alice's Adventure in Wonderland

Author: Lewis Carroll

Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury

Publisher: Candlewick

Summary: Beloved classic describes a little girl's adventures in a topsy-turvy land underground and her encounters with such improbable characters as the White Rabbit, March Hare and Mad Hatter, the sleepy Dormouse, grinning Cheshire Cat, Mock Turtle and the dreadful Queen of Hearts.

Strengths: I enjoyed how the narrator talked to the reader as if they were in the story. Its a fun story that keeps the reader intrigued ad wondering what other kind of trouble Alice is going to get herself into.

Concerns: Some terms maybe difficult for children to follow.

Age level: ages 9-12

Classroom use: Independent reading

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Title: Rhinos For Lunch and Elephants for Supper

Author: Tololwa A. Mollel

Illustrator: Barbara Spurll

Publisher: Clarion Books

Summary: A humorous and ironic folk tale from the Maasai of East Africa in which only the frog (a most unlikely heroine) is courageous enough to take on a bully.

Strengths: This books is strong for young children because it shows a lot of repetition and can help children when making predictions.

Age Level: k-2

Classroom use: when teaching prediction techniques and independent reading.

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Title: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

Author: Verna Aardema

Illustrator: Leo and Diane Dillon

Publisher: The Dial Press

Summary: In this West African folktale, retold by author Aardema, a mosquito brags to an iguana that he spied a farmer digging yams as big as mosquitoes. The iguana scoffs at such a notion and refuses to listen to anymore nonsense. Grumbling, he puts sticks in his ears and scuttles off through the reeds and sets off a chain reaction among a myriad of animals inhabiting the same landscape. The iguana offends a friendly python, who shoots down a rabbit hole and terrifies a rabbit. Seeing the rabbit scares a crow overhead, who spreads an alarm that danger is near. When a monkey reacts to the alarm, an owlet is killed, which sets off a wave of grieving in the mother owl so profound that she is unable to wake the sun each day with her hooting. The nights grow longer, and when the King Lion calls a meeting to get to the bottom of the situation, the chain of events is traced back to the source of all the trouble — the pesky mosquito. Finding the culprit satisfies the mother owl, who calls the sun back again. But, alas, the mosquito is forever plagued with a guilty conscience, compelling him to forever be a pest.

Strengths: the illustrations in this book are excellent.

Age Level: k-2

Classroom use: independent reading. When teaching cause and effect.

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Title: Three Perfect Peaches

Author: Cynthia DeFelice and Mary DeMarsh

Ilustrator: Irene Trivas

Publisher: Orchard Books

Summary: The man who can provide three perfect May peaches, the only things that will cure the princess, will win her hand in marriage. Once she is cured, the king requires additional tasks to win her hand. The youngest of three brothers succeeds because he is kind

Strengths: illustrations are colorful and capture children's attention.

Age Level: k-12

Classroom Use: This is a variation of CInderella. It can be pair with other versions to show children how stories change depending on the the location or time they are written.

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Title: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Fairytales

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith:

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Summary: Imagine a comic retelling of some of our best-loved fairy tales. In this collection readers encounter "Cinderumpelstiltskin," "Little Red Running Shorts," and "The Princess and the Bowling Ball," to name a few. In these slapstick, satirical stories told by Jack, the sarcastic narrator, the ugly duckling grows up to be ugly, Cinderella rejects Rumplestiltskin, the princess gets a mouth full of slime after kissing a frog, and the giant and Little Red Hen share goodies at the top of the beanstalk!

Strengths: This book is funny and will keep children interested in reading. The illustrations as well are humorous and tie in well to the text.

Concerns: May be a problem is children are not familiar with original fairy-tales, but they will still be interested nonetheless

Age Level: k-4, 6-10 years old

Classroom Use: independent reading. To show students different variations of traditional fairy

Informational Books and Biography

Title: Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai

Author: Claire A. Nivola

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary: This is the story of Wangari Maathai. Originally from Kenya, she went to away to college to learn about the world. Sadly, when she came back to kenya she found the land dramatically different from how it looked when she left it. This story shows how this one woman taught the whole nation of Kenya to care to the land again. They planted over 30 million trees, in a effort to restore the land. (This book was also printed on recyclable paper)

Strengths: This story shows how one person can really make a difference. I really enjoyed the illustrations in the book because they are eye-catching and go along well with the text.

Age level: ages 9-12

Classroom use: This can be used during science or social studies lessons.

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Title: The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'lulani of Hawai'i

Author: Fay Stanley

Illustrator: Diane Stanley

Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Co.

Summary: This book recounts the story of Hawaii's last heir to the throne, who was denied her right to rule when the monarchy was abolished.

Strengths: Illustrations and the easy flow of the story, it made it easy to follow

Age Level: 7-10

Classroom Use: For independent reading, and for biographical research

____________________________________________________________________Title: Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Author: Kathleen Krull

Illustrator: Yuyi Morales

Publisher: Harcourt Inc.

Summary: Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive.

Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that--maybe--he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened.

Strengths: Vivid Illustrations

Age Level: 7-10

Classroom use: independent reading, To teach about Cesar Chavez.

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Title: So You Want to Be President?

Author: Judith St. George

Illustrator: David Small

Publisher: Philomel Books

Summary: That's a big job, and getting bigger. But why not? Presidents have come in just about every variety. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan; big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison; handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like Abraham Lincoln. They've been born in log cabins like Andrew Jackson and mansions like William Harrison. From the embarrassment of skinny-dipping John Quincy Adams, to the escapades of Theodore Roosevelt's children, to the heroic recovery of John Kennedy's crew, Judith St. George shares the backroom facts, the spit-fire comments, and the comical anecdotes that have been part and parcel of America's White House

Strengths: I loved the illustrations in this book, they went wonderfully with the text and were humorous at the same time. The text was informative and gave a wide variety of facts about each of the presidents.

Concerns: The book needs to be updated, since we now have had two new presidents. It also stated, that we have only have one female vice presidential candidate and no minorities as president, which obviously has now changed since the last election. I think this information is very important for children to know.

Age Level: 7-10

Classroom Use: Independent reading. To introduce, U.S. Presidents and famous Americans ect.

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Title: The Sculptor's Eye: Looking at Contemporary American Art

Author: Jan Greenburg & Sandra Jordan

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Summary: This book show everything that goes into the production of contemporary art in America, from the artist's image to the final product.

Strengths: I like how the book teaches the reader about the different steps it takes to producing a piece of art. I also enjoyed all the real photographs of sculptures all over the country. Great source for research.

Weakness: More for children how have to do research, not for individual reading because it may not be appealing to many

Classroom Use: Research Project

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Title: Young John Quincy

Author: Cheryl Harness

Publisher: Bradybury Press

Summary: The story of John Quincy Adam's childhood. It is a narrative about his life during the time of the American Revolution. Much of the story is based off of letters found during this time between the Quincy Family and John Adam Sr. in Philadelphia.

Strengths: Historical accuracy and illustrations

Classroom use: can be used when study famous americans (the book has a list of information and biographies about individuals such as George Washington and Ben Franklin in the back). WHile the main story talks about the life of John Quincy Adams during the war, it also incorporates information about the congressional congress and gives maps of what was going on during the war. can be used when studying the American Revolution and Famous Americans.

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Title: The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth

Author: Joanna Cole

Illustrator: Bruce Degen

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Summary: What a mess! The kids in Ms. Frizzle's class have been studying animals' homes. There's a beehive, a wasp's nest, an ant farm — even a beaver lodge right in the classroom. It's a relief when the Friz announces, "Today we start something new." They are going to study earth science. For homework, the kids are supposed to bring in rocks. But when they show up with everything from concrete to muddy Styrofoam, Ms. Frizzle decides it's time for a field trip. All aboard the Magic School Bus! The class digs through the earth's crust, then travels straight to the center of the earth and out the other side — through the mouth of a volcano! Rock collecting has never been quite like this!

Strengths: This book is very informative. It used a variety of ways to teach children, such as: text bubbles, student essays, illustrations, and the actual text of the story. The story also incorporated humor, which makes learning fun for students.

Concerns: Since information was portrayed all of the page, students well need to be aware that they need to read more that just the text.

Age Level: 4-8

Classroom Use: Independent reading. When teaching about the earth's layers, fossils, volcanoes, rocks, or plate tectonics.

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Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J.K. Rowling

Illustrator: Mary GrandPre

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Summary: This is the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series. It is the ultimate fight between good (Harry and his friends) and evil (Lord Voldemort) to save the wizardng world. In this book Harry continues his search for horcuxes to defeat Lord Voldemort, while the rest of the wizarding world in under the control and Voldemort and his followers (the Death eaters).

Strengths: This book is packed full of adventure and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat till the very end of the story. It ends at a point where almost all of our questions have been answer, and the reader is left very satisfied. This books allows us all to use our imagination to know that the possibilities are endless.

Concerns: The only concern I have with this book is that there are quite amount of deaths and violence. It may not be suitable to students who are too young.

Age level: 4th-8th grade (and up!)

Classroom use: During individual reading time.

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Title: Winnie-The-Pooh

Author: A. A. Milne
Illustrator: Ernest H. Shepard
Publisher: E.D. Dutton
Copyright: 1926

Summary: This book consists of several short stories telling the various adventures and situations Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and all the other inhabitants of the 100 acre forest get into.

Strengths: This book is humorous and has an easy light-hearten flow to it.

Concerns: Many believe that it is too "cute" and "babyish"

Age Level: 3rd-5th grade

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Title: The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Became Real

Author: Margery Williams
Illustrator: Michael Hague
Publisher: Holt
Copyright: 1922

Summary: The Velveteen Rabbit, a stuffed toy, waits in the nursery for a child to call its own. The other toys also wait for the day the boy will pick them for a playmate. As time goes by, Rabbit grows weary and worries that it will never be chosen. The Skin Horse, the oldest toy in the nursery, becomes Rabbit's friend and tells it how toys are transformed — become real - through the love of human beings. Will Rabbit be chosen — will it become real?

Strengths: A story all children can relate to and believe in. The author uses great detail. It has also now been made into more of a picture book for young ages.

Age Level: k-4th grade
__________________________________________________________________________ Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher: Bantam Books
Copyright: 1993
Summary: December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve-year-old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man — the man called only the Giver — he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Strengths: I loved this book because it causes the reader to think about the society they live in now and tries to get them to imagine what it would be like if everything were the same. I enjoyed that it was written from a child's point of view, which all students can relate to. It also is great since there is a sequel, it cuts of at a point where the reader is satified, yey still wanting more.

Age level: 12-18
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Title: A Wrinkle in Time

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Copyright: 1962
Summary: Everything is wrong in Meg Murray's life. In school, she's been dropped down to the lowest section of her grade. She's teased about her five-year-old brother, Charles Wallace, who everyone mistakenly thinks is dumb. Not to mention that Meg wears braces and glasses and has mouse-brown hair. Much will be better in her miserable life when her father gets back. But gets back from where? Meg's physicist father had been experimenting with the fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. One dark and stormy night, the family is visited by a disheveled heap of a woman named Mrs. Whatsit. Eccentric and brilliant, she will turn out to be the force who spurs on Meg, Charles Wallace, and their new friend, Calvin O'Keefe, to embark on a dangerous quest through space to find their father. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos. Before long, the trio discovers that Meg's and Charles Wallace's father is being held prisoner by evil forces on the planet of Camazotz, an eerie place where complete conformity is expected in exchange for personal freedom. There they engage in the fight of their lives against a giant disembodied brain named "It." And soon, Charles Wallace must be rescued, too.
Strengths: great adventure for boys and girls

Age Level: 9-12
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Children's Poetry

Title: A Poke in the I

Author: Paul B. Janeczko

Illustrator: Chris Rashchka

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd.

Summary: This a collection of 30 concrete poems. The poems are playful and visually accessible.

Strengths: I enjoyed this book because the poems are fun and playful. Since they are concrete poems, they are all formatted differently that ties well into the message the poem is giving.

Concerns: Maybe difficult to follow for children who are learning to read from right to left and up to down.

Age Level: 4th-7th grade (ages 9-12)

Classroom use: Great example of concrete poetry, and can be used as a great introduction to poetry to get students interested.

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Title: From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer poems

Author: Francisco X. Alarcon

Illustrator: Maya Christina Gonzalez

Publisher: Children's Book Press; Bilingual Edition

Summary: This bilingual poetry collection celebrates the author's childhood memories of his summers in Mexico.

Strengths: Besides the vibrant pictures in this book, I really enjoyed that it was bilingual. Every poem in presented in both English and Spanish. Summer is also my favorite season.

Age level: k-2

Classroom use: This book can be used to introduce poetry to young children. It can also be used in a classroom with spanish students, so they can be learning the same at the other students. It can also be an opportunity to bring the Spanish language and culture into the classroom.

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Title: Salting the Ocean: 100 Poems by Young Poets

Author: Naomi Shihab Nye

Illustrator: Ashley Bryan

Publisher: HarperCollins

Summary: This is a collection of poetry by young poets. The poems cover a wide range of topics, including self, environment, families and imagination

Strengths: I enjoyed this because it covers a wide variety of subjects students maybe interested in. Since all the poems are written by children, it shows students what they are possible of accomplishing, even as children.

Age Level: 3rd-5th grade

Classroom use: Can be used to show students that poems can be about anything they want them to be able, and that even children can write great poetry!

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Title: Science Verse

Author: Jon Scienszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Viking Jevenile

Summary: This collection of poems puts a scientific satirical spin on some of the old nursery rhymes we have grown up with.

Strengths: This collection of poetry is humorous and all about science topics. I found it very entertaining. Illustrations are eye catching and go along well with the text.

Concerns: Only concern would be if students were not familiar with the original nursery rhymes they are playing on. But they would still be entertained either way.

Age level: All ages can enjoy this. Particularly ages 8-12 who may be learning these science concepts.

Classroom use: These poems can be used as a playful way to introduce science topics. They can also be a fun way to introduce poetry to students to show them that poetry can be fun and humorous.

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Title: A Maze Me: Poems for Girls

Author: Naomi Shihab Nye

Illustrator: Terre Maher

Publisher:

Summary: This collection of poetry address a range of topics that affect girls. Some topics include: first love, family, friendships, hope, and dreams.

Strengths: I like how this book is directed at girls. Growing up is hard, and this book to show them that they are not alone and there are many to relate to.

Concerns: I wish I could of found one just for boys too.

Age level: 7-13

Classroom use: During individual reading time.

Historical Fiction

Title: Ellington Was Not a street

Author: Ntozake Shange

Illustrator: Kadir Welson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Summary: This is a story through the point of view of a child, who is having all these famous African American men coming into her house to meet her father

Strengths: I enjoyed this story because it tied together so many important individuals who changed the world for African Americans (Such as Duke Ellington, William Edward (W.E.B.) Dubois, and Paul Robeson). The story was very simple, but at the end there was a glossary for all the individuals mentioned along with their contributions to the African American community.

Age Level: k-3

Classroom use: This book can be used during Black History month to introduce famous African Americans.
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Title: Hiroshima No Pika

Author: Toshi Maruki
Illustrator: Toshi Maruki
Publisher: Komine Shoten Co Ltd.
Copyright: 1980

Summary: True story depicting one families fight for survival during the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, told from a child's point of view

Strengths: The story provided with reader with alot of detail and historical facts about the bombing of Hiroshima

Concerns: I really did not enjoy the illustrations. They did not tie in well to the text and were too graphic for young readers

Age Level: 3rd-5th grade

Classroom Use: When teaching students about different cultures and WWII
________________________________________________________________________ Title: The Kite Fighters

Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion Books
Copyright: 2000

Summary: Set in Seoul Korea, this is a story about two very different brothers and their love of kites. When the older brother is capped, and becomes an adult in the eyes of the society, the younger brother has to find his own way to be seen by his strict and traditional father.

Strengths: This book was an easy-flowing read, and also provided the reader with alot of information about Korean Culture

Age Level: 9-13
Classroom Use: Teaching about Korean Culture
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Title: Little House on the Prairie

Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Publisher: Harper & Brothers
Copyright: 1935

Summary: Laura Ingalls likes her little house in the big woods, which she shares with Ma and Pa, and her two, sisters Mary and Carrie. Winter is coming, and their log house is snug and warm. But the big woods are becoming crowded. Everyday, they hear the thud of an axe on a tree, and Pa wants to leave. In fact, he wants to move the entire family west, to Indian country. The family prepares a covered wagon and Laura leaves her home in the woods forever. The trip west is not easy, but Laura's spirited curiosity is heightened by the adventures they have along the way: The wagon is almost swept away in a river with the family inside. They must camp out under the stars. The land is new and different with nothing to see but prairie grass and a giant sky. And while the land yields everything the Ingalls family could want — plenty of game and fish and empty land on which they build a house, plant crops and make their home — it also has its dangers, including wolves and Indians, upon whose land white settlers are encroaching. In a year, the Ingalls will leave this home, too.

Strengths: The author uses excellent detail in her writing, and and exciting story line.

Age Level: 8-10 years

Classroom Use: Independent Reading
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Title: Number The Stars

Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Copyright: 1989

Summary: Ten-year-old Annemarie and her best friend Ellen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943, and their life is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews are "relocated," Ellen moves in with Annemarie's family and pretends to be one of them, yet her life is still in danger.

Strengths: Showed a realistic picture of what it was like to be a Jew living in Europe during WWII.

Age Level: 9-11

Classroom Use: Can be used when studying WWII.

Heather's Children's Literature Blog

Friday, February 20, 2009

Graphic Novels

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Traditional Literature

Informational Books and Biography

Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction

Children's Poetry

Historical Fiction

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