Lindsay+Williams's+Reviews

Juster, N. (2005). //The Hello, Goodbye Window.// New York, NY: Hyperion Books. ISBN 978-0786809141.
 * //Caldecott Medal Winner- 2006//**

//The Hello, Goodbye Window// is told in first-person point of view by a little girl who describes for the reader what being with her grandparents is like. She talks about the wonders of one particular window in the kitchen, through which she is able to interact with her grandparents on her way to the door, play pretend games through, and fantasize about what may lie in wait on the other side of the window. She describes a variety of the fun activities she completes with her grandparents, some of which teach small lessons. She ends the book by describing her hopes to have her own window when she is a Nanna herself.
 * Summary:**

This book does an excellent job of describing a loving relationship between a young girl and her grandparents through all the fun things they do together and the wonders she explores through their house, particularly the window. Through these fun things, the narrator teaches young readers small lessons, such as to stay out of chemicals under the kitchen sink and not ride a bike in the street. The point of view through which the narrator tells the story is the most effective aspect of the book. By speaking directly to the reader through the narrator’s eyes (first person), the reader is able to see how much her relationship and time with her grandparents means to her. The illustrations in the book are also wonderful, drawn by Chris Raschka in an impressionistic style to emphasize the relaxed mood of the book (Lynch-Brown, Tomlinson, & Short, 2011, p. 89). This book has few flaws. If anything at all, the plot contains a wealth of examples of activities the narrator completes with her grandparents, which may drag out a bit much for a young child’s attention span.
 * Review:**

CCR: None Standard: Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books (Realistic Fiction)

A teacher could use “Strategy 4: Sound Sorts,” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2012, pp. 18-21) would help students to learn phonemes through the reading of //The Hello, Goodbye Window//. A teacher could focus on the /w/ sound in the book, as there are many different words such as “window” and “world” that utilize the sound. After reading the book, the teacher could model the sound by pointing out all the words in the text that use the /w/ sound. The teacher would then complete the rest of the steps in the strategy, including asking students to identify pictures of words that use the /w/ sound. Adam's Review This story is about a girl who tells about the time she spends with her grandparents. She tells the story for the view of the front window to the house where she interacts with her grandparents. There are many different types of events that take place in the story and ends with her envisioning her own window when she is old enough to have her own grandchildren. This book is an excellent description of a healthy relationship between children and their grandparents. There are many fun and exciting things that she does with her grandparents and in each one there is a lesson to be learned. All life experiences are lessons, especially when having fun with your grandparents! Since the story is written in first-person format, children who read this story can become the little girl and understand the relationship she has in the story. The illustrations by Chir Raschka are vibrant and engaging.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**
 * Summary: **
 * Review: **

Common Core Language Arts: K-Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. This strategy is also known as partner reading. By sharing this story with a peer in peer-mediated learning, the more fluent reader gives assistance to the less fluent reader. Begin by pairing students together to take turns reading. The less fluent reader can read the page that repeats itself while the fluent reader will read the page describing the uses of the body part.
 * Curriculum Connection: **
 * Genre: ** Picture Book (Realism)
 * Strategy: 11-Paired Assisted Reading (pg. 59-63) from //Promoting Literacy Development// (2012). **

DiCamillo, K. (2003). //The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread// [Kindle edition]. Retrieved from Amazon.com. ISBN 0-7636-1722-9
 * //Newbery Award Winner- 2004//**
 * //E-Book (Purchased for Kindle)//**

Despereaux Tilling is different from other mice, which is obvious from his birth. He is small, he has very large ears, and he doesn’t care about typical mouse things. He is sent to the dungeon of the castle in which he lives, in part by his own father, after he is caught talking to the princess. This is essentially a death sentence, as the dungeon is filled with rats who love to eat mice. However, Despereaux is in love with the princess, and he holds on to hope that he will see her again. Meanwhile, the novel also tells the story of Chiaroscuro (also called Roscuro), the rat responsible for the queen’s death when he fell into her soup because he was obsessed with light, and Miggery Sow, the castle servant who was traded by her father for a tablecloth, a hen, and a handful of cigarettes. Roscuro and Miggery Sow work together to kidnap Princess Pea, and Despereaux goes on a quest to save her. He does so by finding her in the dungeon, threatening Roscuro with a needle, and then Miggery Sow realizes that the princess is kind and is the only person who has ever asked her what she wants.
 * Summary:**

There were many things to like about this book. First of all, DiCamillo writes in a very unique point-of-view. While the novel appears to be third person omniscient, the point of view also uses second person point-of-view quite effectively. The reader is spoken to directly throughout the book, such as when it says, “If the rat had not looked over his shoulder, perhaps his heart would not have broken. And it is possible, then, that I would not have a story to tell. But, reader, he did look” (p. 113). This creates an inviting, warm tone to the book that caused me to find myself much more involved in the story. The book also takes on the tone of a classic fairy tale, which is very appropriate to the plot itself. Another positive aspect of the book, for me, was the emphasis on vocabulary. DiCamillo introduces many new words and concepts to the readers, while encouraging them to discover their meanings and explaining the concepts directly. For example, ideas such as love, hope, empathy, and forgiveness are explained beautifully, and words such as perfidy are introduced. One negative that I found in the book (which others may view as a positive) was the timeline of events. Since the book is divided into separate books to develop each main character more fully, the timeline can be a bit fuzzy at times. By the time the action returned to Despereaux, I wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he had been sentenced to the dungeon. I imagine this could be even more difficult for children to comprehend.
 * Review:**

CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently or proficiently (Third grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Fantasy

Strategy 39 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (2012), “Collaborative Language Charts” (pp. 224-228) would work well for //The Tale of Despereaux// when students are given a selection of books to read on their own. For example, students could be required to select an author from a list to do an author study, which could include Kate DiCamillo. The students could be given language charts for the particular author they have chosen which the teacher has prepared beforehand with questions that apply to the commonalities in the books selected for each author. When students finish the books and the language charts, they could use the charts to discuss the author’s in groups and then relay their discussion to the class as a whole.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Adam's Review This is a story of a mouse that loves music, telling stories and a princess name Pea. It is the story of a mouse’s journey again a rat name Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets the light, a serving girl name Miggery Sow with an impossible yet simple wish and how the three lives cross paths. This is a story of unlikely hero’s that cross one another’s path. The four characters and beautifully woven together in this story of desperate love, dreams and fantasy. Common Core Language Arts: 3rd Grade-Distinguished their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters. The teacher breaks the students into four groups and assigns each group a character (Despereaux, Roscuro, Miggery Sow and Pea the Princess). Each group is to come up with a chart of character traits. Once completed, the groups will hand their chart(s) in the front of the room and discuss the similarities and differences in each of the characters.
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Summary: **
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Review **<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Curriculum Connection: **
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Genre: **<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Modern Fantasy
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Classroom Activity: **

Morrison, T. (2004). //Remember: The Journey to School Integration.// New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0618397402
 * //Corretta Scott King Author Award- 2005//**

//Remember: The Journey to School Integration// tells the story of the integration of public schools primarily through photographs from the era, to which Toni Morrison has created captions written in the first-person point of view of the person in the photograph. The book begins with a foreword that describes the legislation that ended “separate but equal,” and Morrison’s own personal thoughts on the time in American history. It then begins with photos and text about what life was like for African Americans prior to Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, then moves through a chronological order of the events that took place afterwards in different schools and public places around the country.
 * Summary:**

We all learn about segregation, discrimination, and Brown v. Board of Education in school. However, Toni Morrison teaches about the monumental time in American history by putting faces and emotions to the events that transpired, making this book an excellent selection for use when teaching about this time period. Morrison covers a broad range of topics regarding the integration of the nation’s schools, from what life was like prior to the decision to different situations students faced, segregation in public places, and how things began to get better. What I liked best about the book was that she made the people involved in integration much more real to her readers than what would have happened in a textbook when she spoke through their individual voices. I also especially liked that she ended the book by showing that the situation improved and leaves readers with a hopeful tone, one that shows them that a single person (through the example of Martin Luther King, Jr.) can create change. My favorite part of the book is in her foreword when she says, “Why offer memories you do not have? Remembering can be painful, even frightening. But it can also swell your heart and open your mind.” If anything, the only thing to dislike about this book is that <range type="comment" id="687311">Morrison’s poetic language may be difficult for some younger students to comprehend as it addresses issues that may be beyond their realm of comprehension.
 * Review:**

CCR: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text (Fifth grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Nonfiction

This book would be excellent for many different activities. First, the book would be very useful for teaching students about integration as part of Black History Month. The book could be read aloud to students, discussed, and promoted in the library as part of Black History Month events. The book could also be used in order to teach about integration in the classroom by using it as one of multiple sources on the topic. This could be incorporated into an activity such as “Strategy 49: Data Charts” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (2012, Antonacci & O’Callaghan, pp. 281-287). Students could create data charts to reflect the different perspectives and different answers they find for the same guiding questions about integration, using //Remember: The Journey to School Integration// as one of the sources. By doing so, students would better be able to synthesize the information they find, as well as be able to evaluate the different ways information is presented according to the point of view or purpose of the text.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Muñoz Ryan, P. (2002). //When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century.// New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0439269674. //**Orbis Pictus Award- 2003**//


 * Summary:**

// When Marian Sang // outlines the life of one of the most famous singers in the world, Marian Anderson. Marian began singing at a very young age and always knew that she wanted to sing professionally; however, because of her race, she encountered frequent problems, even after becoming famous. Her community pulled together to help her receive professional training, and Marian became well-loved throughout the entire world; however, she still faced prejudice, discrimination, and segregation. When she returned to the United States after being well-received in Europe, she was not allowed to perform in many venues because of her color, which outraged many Americans. Marian eventually made her way to the Metropolitan Opera, which was her ultimate dream.


 * Review:**

This book effectively informs children of the life of a famous African American through simple language and beautiful illustrations. Marian Anderson is a famous African American figure; however, many students have never even heard of her. This book helps them to understand her importance in our country’s history while also educating them on the struggles that African Americans faced, regardless of their talents or fame. This book works well as an informational picture book because it helps children to understand the information being presented about Marian Anderson; however, the theme of the book is the thing I liked most about this book. Young children should learn about the injustices of discrimination early on, and they are able to do so through Marian Anderson’s story. The structure of the book also contributes by presenting the information in an easy-to-follow, chronological order. This book presents all the valuable information about <range type="comment" id="873855">Anderson’s life that students should know without doing so in an overwhelming manner. There was nothing to dislike about this book at all.

CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (3rd grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** ** Nonfiction (Informational Books) **


 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**


 * This book would be excellent to include in a Black History Month promotional activity to get students interested in reading books about influential African Americans. A media specialist could feature this book in a display in the media center or through a bulletin board that features books about or books written by famous African Americans.**

Beaumont, K. (2005). //I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More.// Orlando, FL: Harcourt. ISBN 978-0152024888.
 * //Kentucky Bluegrass Award- 2007//**

The narrator in //I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More// is a young child who is caught by his or her mother painting on all the available surfaces in the house and told sternly not to paint anymore. However, the narrator discovers the paint hidden in the closet and continues to paint—himself of herself. With each body part the narrator paints, he or she vows not to paint anymore, but cannot resist the temptation and continues to do so by painting another body part. The mother finally catches the narrator just as he or she is getting ready to paint his or her rear end (since all available body parts have been painted), and luckily the narrator has run out of paint as he or she is relegated to the bathtub to clean up.
 * Summary:**

This was a delightful book told through pleasant rhyming verses throughout the book. I especially enjoyed the use of dialect throughout the book with words such as “y’all” and “ain’t,” which students in my area would most definitely understand. The illustrations in the book are very much essential to understanding the story itself and fill each page with a great deal of color to offset the black and white depictions of the setting and characters, emphasizing the damage that the narrator does with all of his or her painting. I believe the artistic medium would be considered watercolors, and they are truly used haphazardly, just as if a child had painted the scenes himself or herself. <range type="comment" id="36008">There really isn’t much about this book not to like, in fact. Young children would be easily enticed by the bright colors and rhyming language, and the fact that this book was voted to be the best by children themselves does not surprise.
 * Review:**

CCR: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text (Kindergarten).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books

“Strategy 21: Story Mapping” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2012, pp. 122-127) would be excellent for use with this book and the younger students for whom it is intended; however, the teacher would need to model the concept himself or herself. Since the book has a simple plot and very few characters, the teacher could create cutouts and use a felt board, as suggested in //Promoting Literacy Development// (p. 123) to help students visualize the movement of the plot and the journey to the resolution to the book.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Adam's Review <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sung to the tune of ‘It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More!’ this delightful children’s rhyming story goes through the colorful adventures of one boy painting, painting and painting some more. He begins by painting the walls but moves on until his entire body is covered in paint! <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This story provides a great opportunity to introduce rhyming to young children as well as body parts. Its sing-song quality captures the attention of young readers! It is a hilarious way to talk about those things that you do paint and things that you do not paint.
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Summary: **
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Review: **

<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Common Core Foundational Skills: K- Recognize and produce rhyming words.
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Curriculum Connection: **
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Genre: **<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Picture Book

<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">The teacher first uses chart paper to color-code the onset and rime in basic words (Cat, Hat). Then the story is introduced and the teacher facilitates finding the rhyming words in the story. A list is made on the chart paper of the rhyming words. The activity is ended by rhyming students’ names.
 * <span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Strategy: 1-Rhyme Generation (pg. 6-9) from //Promoting Literacy Development// **

Fox, M. (1989). //Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge.// San Diego, CA: Kane/Miller. ISBN 978-0916291266.
 * //International Book//**

//Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge// tells the story of a young boy with four names who lives next door to a retirement home. He loves all the residents of the home, but his favorite is Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper. When Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge overhears his parents discussing the fact that Miss Nancy has “lost her memory,” he goes on a quest to find out exactly what a memory is. After gathering different answers from the retirement home residents, Wilfrid gathers together items that he feels meet all the requirements, which actually help Miss Nancy recall various memories from her life.
 * Summary:**

The best thing about this book is the concept of memory which it explores because it shows children that memories can be a variety of things and cover a variety of emotions. According to //Essentials of Children’s Literature//, this book is an Austrialian book (2011, p. 238), which is demonstrated through the illustrations of the setting, as well as through some of the dialect in the book, including words such as “cricket” and “tram.” Children are able to learn that regardless of where they are in the world, the word “memory” means the same thing. The book contained a lot of repetition, making it easier for children to understand. One aspect of the book that I did not particularly like was the way it approached a disease such as Alzheimer’s. I felt that it almost sends the message that you can “fix” someone with Alzheimer’s by showing them things that remind them of their past, which <range type="comment" id="673155">could confuse children dealing with someone with the disease.
 * Review:**

CCR: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate (Kindergarten).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books

This book would work well with a promotional activity to help students think about objects that trigger their own memories. Students could bring in the objects and discuss the memories with which they are connected and the teacher could use the discussion to lead into //Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge// and suggest books for the students that are connected to their own memories in some way.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Sooriyarachchi, J. (2005). //Finbo//. Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka: Tikiri Publishers. Retrieved from http://en.childrenslibrary.org. ISBN 9551090098.
 * //E-Book Selection/International Book//**

Finbo the whale gets very sad while playing hide and seek with his smaller, fish friends because he is unable to hide in small places like them and he has a hard time finding them because he is so much bigger than they are. His mother tries to help him understand that being a whale is something to be very proud of and explains what it means for him to be a mammal while his fish friends are fish; however, Finbo is still sad. When his fish friends want to swim far out to play hide and seek, Finbo stays behind out of obedience to his mother, even though his friends tease him. When he hears his friends screaming, he rushes to save them from a shark, who is scared away because of Finbo’s large size. Finbo and his friends both realize that there are advantages to his size.
 * Summary:**

This was a very cute book that combined a sweet plot and moral lesson with information about whales. One of the things I liked best was that Finbo’s mother teaches him what it means to be a whale, which also provides children with the same information and helps them understand the difference between mammals and fish without being presenting in such a scientific manner as a science textbook. I also enjoyed the moral lesson being taught without overpowering the text as there was still a plot with an interesting climax. I also thought the illustrations enhanced the book because the shape of the visual elements in the book emphasized the contrast between Finbo and the smaller fish. Since this book was translated from Finnish, one thing I disliked was the flow of the text. I felt that the fact that the book was translated was fairly obvious. There were also several instances in which I felt the text was very redundant and drawn out, and could have been simplified in order to engage an audience of young children. <range type="comment" id="745360">For example, Finbo’s fish friends tell him how special he is in two paragraphs, which could have been condensed into two sentences.
 * Review:**

CCR: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words (1st grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books

“Strategy 24: Character Mapping” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan, 2012, pp. 138-143) would work well with //Finbo// because of the focus on character development in the book. The book could be used to emphasize the important traits that Finbo possesses, and character mapping would help with this understanding. After reading the book aloud to students, the teacher could use character mapping with a classroom discussion to help students explore Finbo’s traits throughout the book.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Bang, M. (1999). //When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really, Angry//. New York, NY: Scholastic. Retrieved from http://en.childrenslibrary.org. ISBN 0-590-18979-4.
 * //E-book Selection//**

The book //When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really, Angry// was a Caldecott Honor book in 2000 and centers on how a little girl named Sophie reacts after getting angry with both her sister for taking her gorilla and her mother for allowing the sister to do so since it is her turn. Sophie essentially throws a temper tantrum, which ends with her fleeing from her house. Once she surrounds herself with nature and climbs a birch tree, the peace she finds calms her down enough to return to her home, where her family welcomes her with open arms.
 * Summary:**

There were two primary elements to this book that I liked. First of all, I like the theme of the book. Children of a young age need to be taught that emotions such as anger are okay; however, dealing with those emotions is an important part of life. I also like that the author obviously included literary elements such as metaphors and imagery in the book so that this book could even be used to teach important concepts to older children. For example, “Sophie is a volcano, ready to explode” (p. 12) is an excellent example of a metaphor that is simple enough that elementary students could grasp the concept of comparing one thing to another by directly stating that one thing //is// another. However, there were elements of this book that I disliked as well. First, I disliked the illustrations. This element is one simply of preference as I tend to gravitate toward books with either more muted colors or more brightly colored books in a more realistic style. My second complaint deals with content. I understand that the book was published in 1999, which makes some of the elements a bit outdated; however, I am not sure that Sophie’s escape from her house and retreat to the woods provides young children with a good message. I understand the idea that Sophie needed to cool down and her way of doing so was to immerse herself in nature; however, in the thirteen years since this book was published,<range type="comment" id="380054"> safety has become much more of a concern and children should not be sent the message that running into the woods without an adult is a good idea, regardless of the purpose behind doing so.
 * Review:**

CCR- Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative and figurative meanings and analyzes how specific word choices shape meaning or tone (1st Grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Realistic Fiction (Physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral challenges)

In order to teach this book, a teacher or media specialist could use Strategy 36 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan, 2012), “Anticipation Guides” (pp. 207-211). Since the curriculum for this book focuses on figurative language and understanding the meaning of phrases such as “Sophie is a volcano, ready to explode” (Bang, p. 12), the teacher or media specialist could create an anticipation guide to get students to think about non-literal statements as well as how they can compare emotions to other things. Since this is meant for a first grade class, the teacher would only want to create one or two statements for the anticipation guide, and these statements should be simple, such as “Feelings are real” or “We always mean what we say.”
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Butterfield, M. (2011). //Muddypaws//. Bath, UK: Parragon Books. ISBN 978-1-4454-3463-6

When Ben gets a new puppy, he has difficulty deciding on a name for his new pet. He searches everywhere. First, he looks around his room. Then he looks through storybooks, visits the park, and asks the neighbors, while his new puppy explores his new surroundings, getting himself muddy in the process. When they return home so that Ben can clean the puppy up, he realizes that all the muddy paw prints he is leaving everywhere provide him with the perfect name—Muddypaws.
 * Summary:**

This was a charming book that shows children just how much mischief a new puppy can cause in a short amount of time. One thing I liked about the book was the repetition of lines such as “That’s just what he did. He made muddy pawprints everywhere,” which helps younger students follow the story and anticipate what comes next. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which portray Muddypaws as an incredibly adorable Labrador or Golden Retriever, which are both known as very loving, kid-friendly breeds. I also liked that the book gave Muddypaws himself a voice by telling the story partially through his point of view. One thing I didn’t like, but may be a positive when dealing with very young students, was the brevity of the book. I felt that the plot itself could have been more developed.
 * Review:**

CCR: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take (Kindergarten).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Picture Book

Strategy 22 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (2012), “Story Retelling” (pp. 128-132) would work well for //Muddypaws// in an activity where students are read different books by Moira Butterfield that also feature the puppy named Muddypaws. For example, the teacher could read the original //Muddypaws,// but also read //Muddypaws Goes to School// and //Muddypaws and the Birthday Party// to familiarize students with the character. Students could then divide into groups and retell the book of their choice using puppets with prompts from the teacher.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Cronin, D. (2000). //Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type//. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-689-83213.
 * //I completed this review prior to realizing the titles of my choice were to be published after 2004, but I am including it anyway for those who would like to read it.//**

Farmer Brown has some very talented cows—so talented, in fact, that they have learned to use a typewriter and use it to leave notes demanding electric blankets for both themselves and Farmer Brown’s chickens. At first, Farmer Brown refuses, but the cows and chickens go on strike until he agrees to their demands. After offering to trade their typewriter for electric blankets, Farmer Brown finally provides them with electric blankets; however, the duck (who acts as a mediator), keeps the typewriter instead of handing it over to Farmer Brown and the ducks begin writing notes with their own demands.
 * Summary:**

This is one of my new favorite children’s books. First of all, the story itself is one that is both humorous and slightly educational. The book teaches children about compromise while providing them with a funny story. I also enjoy the style of the book. Although the book is meant for younger children and most of the story is told through very simple words and phrases, some of the words chosen to tell the story are a little more challenging. For example, words such as “strike,” “impatient,” “furious,” “neutral,” and “ultimatum” provide children with an opportunity to expand their vocabulary and parents or teachers to explain to children what those words mean. The setting of the book also makes it more enjoyable for me. As a resident of a rural area, I am very familiar with farm animals, and so are the children with whom I interact. The book allows children to use their imaginations to pretend that the cows, chickens, and ducks which they see on an almost daily basis in our community may have special talents such as the characters in the book. I also enjoyed the illustrations. The book is filled with bright colors and adorable farm animals. There isn’t much that I dislike about this book at all. The style of the illustrations is a little more expressionist than I prefer, but this style does help emphasize the important elements of the story (the characters).
 * Review:**

CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (Kindergarten)
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Modern Fantasy (Animal fantasy)

Strategy 23 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan,, 2012), “Book Talks” (pp. 133-137) would be both an excellent classroom activity and a promotional activity for this book. The teacher could use a book talk with //Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type// in order to get students excited about reading the book prior to reading the book and then to engage students in a discussion about the book itself after reading the book as a way to identify key details and elements of the book.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Hobbs, V. (2005). //Defiance//. New York, NY: Francis Foster Books. ISBN 978-9374308470

Toby is an eleven-year-old boy with cancer whose parents battle because his father feels he should be allowed to live and his mother is terrified of what could happen to him if he gets hurt. While living on the lake for the summer, Toby discovers a lump in his side. He knows that means a return to hospitals and treatments, so he tries to keep the lump a secret. In the meantime, he begins helping out an elderly woman named Pearl, a famous poet who stopped writing when her husband was killed. When Toby’s parents discover his lump and start making preparations to return home for treatment, Toby vows not to undergo treatment; however, when Pearl’s beloved cow dies, she teaches him that it is not his time to go yet.
 * Summary:**

This book is extremely heartwarming and delivers a good message for younger children about death and dying. One of the things I like most about the book is the plot itself. While there is an obvious conflict between Toby and his parents’ control over his actions, the primary conflict occurs within Toby himself, and I like person-against-self conflicts because I feel they teach children more about dealing with internal struggles. Another fantastic element of //Defiance// is the characterization. While Toby is characterized as a young boy who struggles to assert his independence, Pearl provides the book with its spunk. Valerie Hobbs does an excellent job of providing her readers with a character who comes to life on the pages through her straightforward personality. However, while I enjoyed the pace of the action of the story for the most part, I felt that it was slightly anticlimactic for the intended audience. While I could understand that the subject matter lends itself to a muted climax (Bessie’s death), most elementary-middle school aged students require faster-paced, more exciting plots in order to keep them engaged.
 * Review:**

CCR: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text (5th Grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Realistic Fiction (Physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral changes/Moral choices/Coming of age)

This book lends itself more to a promotional activity in order to encourage reading rather than a classroom activity. This book would be an excellent selection to include in a sustained silent reading program because the book addresses an issue about which some students may be curious, but may not be comfortable discussing with others. Most students know someone who has been affected by cancer in some way, and this book provides those students with an inside look at what life is like for someone who struggles with the disease and thoughts of death.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

McGhee, A. (2010). //Julia Gillian (and the Dream of the Dog)//. New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0545033534.

Julia Gillian has just started the sixth grade, and as a “Sixlet,” she faces a lot of new challenges, including being paired with a third grade reading buddy who hates to read even more than she does, an eighth grader she believes is out to get her, and her quest to break the world record as the most free throws in a row by a young person. The thing she loves most is spending time with her Saint Bernard, Bigfoot, who is eleven-years-old, just like her. When she learns that Bigfoot has a terminal illness, she attempts to keep him alive through controlled variables, which she learned from her homeroom teacher, but she eventually has to let Bigfoot go. When Bigfoot dies, Julia Gillian is devastated, but she is able to get through the hard time with the help of everyone around her, including the eighth grader who has really been trying to be her friend and her third grade reading buddy who loves dogs as much as she does.
 * Summary:**

The point of this book can be summed up in a conversation Julia Gillian has with her neighbor, a college student named Enzo: “That’s what it means to be human, Noodlie,” said Enzo. “It’s the hardest, most beautiful thing about being human.” “What is?” “That we love what is mortal,” said Enzo. “Was Bigfoot mortal?” “Everything that is alive is mortal. And destined, someday, to die.” “Like Bigfoot.” “Like us,” said Enzo, and she wrapper her arms tighter around Julia Gillian. “But love doesn’t die.” The best thing about this book is the moral lesson. The plot is interesting and focuses on Julia Gillian’s life as a sixth grade student while teaching children an extremely important lesson about death through the loss of Julia Gillian’s dog. Although Bigfoot was only a dog, the lesson that Julia Gillian learns through his death and through Enzo’s words applies to all living things, including people, around us. In fact, I found myself—a grown adult—shedding a few tears reading this book. Another wonderful aspect of this book is that the book is the third in a series, which I did not even know until after I finished the book and saw the list of other titles at the end. //Julia Gillian (and the Dream of the Dog)// can stand alone as a wonderful read. The main character, Julia Gillian, is an interesting, well-rounded character, and the other characters in the book are equally as interesting. I really did not find anything I disliked about this book.
 * Review:**

CCR: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas (4th grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Coming of age

The book itself actually includes an excellent idea for a promotional activity for the book and reading in general. Julia Gillian and her sixth grade classmates are all paired with a third grade student, with whom they meet weekly to suggest books in order to help foster a love of reading. At the end of nine weeks, they hold a Reading Buddy Extravaganza, where they display projects about reading they completed with their reading buddies for their parents and the general public. While this may be much more involved than typical promotional activities, it is one that could truly be effective in helping students inspire one another to read as well as get additional students and families involved in reading.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Obama, B. (2010). //Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters//. New York, KY: Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-83527-8.

This book, written by the President of the United States, Barack Obama, is told as a letter to his daughters to inform them of the long history of people who have shaped their own national identities. Brief stories of the accomplishments of people like Sitting Bull, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, and Helen Keller teach children that our nation’s history and the people who have had an influence on that history are all a part of who we are as Americans. The book ends by teaching children that all of these people came from different races, religions, and walks of life, but their accomplishments and hard work have made America what it is today.
 * Summary:**

I like this book for many reasons. First, I love history, and this book teaches younger children about well-known people in history and the contributions they made to society as well as lesser-known individuals that they may not hear about in their social studies classes, such as Jane Adams, Cesar Chavez, and Maya Lin. The message of this book is also a powerful one that young children struggle with understanding in the adult context with which it is usually presented. The book effectively teaches children that we are all Americans and all shaped by the same people in our history—people who are different in many different ways, but all part of one story. Another thing about the book which I really like are the illustrations. The pages are not overwhelmed by images and lots of colors; therefore, the images that are included are given the emphasis they need in order to contribute to the message of the book. I also like that each person’s story starts out with a question that is presented to the reader to help them understand how that person’s story relates to who the reader is. Last, I love that the book is written by President Obama, helping children relate to our nation’s leader, <range type="comment" id="5020">without possessing any trace of a political agenda whatsoever. While I liked that lesser-known figures were chosen for the book, some of the choices were also what I disliked. I thought some of the selections seemed a bit out of place with the others. For example, Billie Holiday was an excellent singer, but I’m not sure what contribution she had to our nation as a whole, exactly.
 * Review:**

CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (2nd grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books

Strategy 13 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan, 2012), “Read-Arounds” (pp. 69-72) would provide students with an opportunity to connect more to the text and relate to other students which portions of the book were most interesting to them. Since the book features thirteen different historical figures, students could be instructed to select the one figure with whom they relate the most, read the passage about that figure to the rest of the class, and then discuss the importance of the figure and the reason they selected him or her. If students select the same person, they could work with other students to have smaller discussions prior to sharing with the class.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Raschka, C. (2007). //The Purple Balloon//. New York, NY: Wade Books. ISBN 978-0375841466.

This heartfelt book is obviously intended for younger elementary aged children and explains, in simple language, how to deal with dying and the deaths of both young and old people through the depiction of a purple balloon. At the end of the book, the purple balloon is illustrated as an angel, floating upwards. The book presents the idea that talking about dying is hard, and so is losing someone we love or dying ourselves. The end of the book includes pages of information for children on how to treat others who are dying.
 * Summary:**

This book takes a very difficult subject and breaks it down into very simple language for young children. The illustrations of people as balloons also soften the topic a bit and help the material being presented easier to process. I like that the book does treat the topic at hand so gently, and I especially like the tips for children on how to treat others with terminal illnesses because they help them understand that those people don’t necessarily want to be treated differently because they are sick. One thing that I did not like about the book is that I feel it shifts focus. I feel that the book moves from a targeted audience of children with dying loved ones to children who are dying themselves, back to children with dying loved ones, and so on. I feel this book probably could have been made into two different books in order to be much more effective—one for dealing with losing loved ones and one for dealing with one’s <range type="comment" id="889202">own terminal illness.
 * Review:**

CCR: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text (Kindergarten).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Nonfiction—Informational Books (Picture Books)

//The Purple Balloon// lends itself well to a book talk for the classroom or media center because of the sensitive nature of the book. Young children who read the book on their own without discussion of the book’s material by the teacher or media specialist may be confused. By presenting information about the book and prefacing the book with information about death and how to deal with death, the teacher or media specialist can help students understand that what they will read in the book is a serious subject, but one that can help them process their own feelings. The teacher or media specialist could include this book with a group of books about death and dying for the book talk.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Schachner, J. (2003). //Skippyjon Jones//. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0439836968.
 * //I completed this book review prior to realizing that the titles of my choice were to be published after 2004, but I am including it anyway for those who would like to read it.//**

When a Siamese cat named Skippyjon Jones gets caught sleeping in a bird’s nest by his mother, she sends him to his room to think about what it means to be a cat. Instead, Skippyjon retreats to his closet, where he imagines he is really a Chihuahua who has encountered a band of Chihuahua’s tormented and eaten by a giant bumblebee. He defeats the bumblebee, saves the band of Chihuahuas (called the Chimicangos), and his mother finds him tumbling out of his closet in a mess of toys, a destructed pinata left over from his birthday party (which happens to be a bumblebee), and candy. His mother gives him kisses, and Skippyjon later goes to bed thinking of his next adventure.
 * Summary:**

This is an amazing book full of fun language, rhymes, and creative situations. What I love best about the book is definitely the style. Schachner combines cute rhymes, such as the song Skippyjon sings, with a sprinkling of Spanish words to emphasize the new persona that Skippyjon takes on in his imagination. The dialogue between Skippyjon and the Chimichangos is entertaining and full of fun phrases such as “Vamos, Skippito—or it is you the Bandito will eato!” The sentences flow well throughout the entire book because of the variety within them. Some sentences are simple while some are complex, some sentences rhyme while some do not, and some sentences contain literary elements such as alliteration to enhance the auditory elements of the sentences. The characters in the book are also one of the things I like most. Skippyjon is not simply a cat—he is a Siamese cat, which his mother makes clear from the beginning. He has an identity with which she believes he should remain, while Skippyjon allows himself to become anything he wants to be. The illustrations also enhance the characters in the book. Minor details show the characters in a very cute way, such as a small image of one of Skippyjon’s siblings curled around a stuffed Chihuahua as he or she plays with the toy, just as a real cat would be positioned. Another thing I like about //Skippyjon Jones// is that there are several other books that have been published after this one that feature Skippyjon in different situations and keep with the same whimsical style. <range type="comment" id="911528">If a child enjoys //Skippyjon Jones//, he or she could continue to explore his imagination through the other books. The only thing I dislike about this book is that the positioning of the text within the graphics varies so much that, should a young child attempt to read the book themselves, the potential for getting confused does exist.
 * Review:**

CCR: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative language and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone (2nd grade). In particular, this standard includes knowledge and reasoning targets that address concepts such as rhyming words, alliteration, and rhythm.
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Modern Fantasy (Animal fantasy)

Strategy 17 from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan, 2012), “Word Mapping” (pp. 94-99) would help second grade students understand words in //Skippyjon Jones//, not only in relation to their meaning, but also in relation to their contributions to the book itself. Prior to reading the book, the teacher could use word mapping to help students understand the meaning of unfamiliar Spanish words and phrases in the book, such as “siesta,” “fiesta,” “piñata,” “buenos noches,” and “muy.” During and after reading the book, students could use word mapping to understand the relationships between rhyming words and alliterative words in the text as well
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Seuss, D. (1961). //The Sneetches and Other Stories//. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 0-394-80089-3.
 * //I completed this review prior to realizing that titles of my choice were to be published after 2004, but I am including it anyway for those who would like to read it.//**

//The Sneetches and Other Stories// contains the stories, “The Sneetches,” “The Zax,” “Too Many Daves,” and “What Was I Scared Of?” The first and most famous story in the book, “The Sneetches,” tells the story of how Star-Belly Sneetches treat Plain Bell Sneetches badly until the chaos caused by a swindler, Sylvester McMonkey McBean, causes them to lose track of which type of Sneetch is which and they begin to understand that they are all the same. In “The Zax,” two Zax meet each other on a path and refuse to alter their courses in order to pass one another because they have always gone in one direction only and never change. They remain that way while everything else around them progresses and develops. “Too Many Daves” tells of a mother who named all twenty-three of her children Dave, and in doing so, caused problems for herself. The last story, “What Was I Scared Of?” is told from the point of view of a character who encounters a pair of pants with no one inside them, which scares him or her immensely until he or she realizes that the pants are equally as scared.
 * Summary:**

The primary element of //The Sneetches and Other Stories// that I like is that each story in the book teaches a moral lesson without being so obvious to the children for whom the book is intended that it overpowers the stories themselves. “The Sneetches” teaches of the unimportance of material possessions and appearances, “The Zax” teaches of the importance of compromise, “Too Many Daves” teaches of the importance of individualism, and “What Was I Scared Of?” teaches of the importance of getting to know others who are different before making judgments. Another thing I liked about //The Sneetches and Other Stories// is simply that it is a classic children’s book written by a classic children’s book author. Dr. Seuss is a celebrated author whose works will always be read by children, who will then read his works to their own children as well. There is not really anything to dislike about <range type="comment" id="442618">Dr. Seuss at all, actually.
 * Review:**

CCR: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take (1st grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Picture Books

This book would be excellent to involve in a promotional activity for a media center. In fact, this book is featured at our local elementary school as part of Dr. Seuss week during the week of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Each day of the week, the students participate in different Dr. Seuss related activities and different books are featured each day as well. The media specialist designs bulletin boards and other decorations throughout the school that promote Dr. Seuss, and classroom teachers also participate in the festivities. This encourages students to explore the world that Dr. Seuss has created and read the books that he wrote. Many different schools and public libraries celebrate his birthday by having similar activities.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Spinelli, J. (2007). //Eggs//. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company. ISBN 978-0316166472.

//Eggs// tells the story of David, a nine-year-old boy who lost his mother almost a year prior to the start of the book when she slipped on a wet floor and fell down a flight of stairs because the janitor had forgotten to put up a wet floor sign. David believes that he can bring his mother back if he never breaks any rules, although the rules his grandmother (who now raises him) makes are okay to break, and he intentionally disrespects her. He begins spending time with a thirteen-year-old girl named Primrose, whose father left when she was a baby and whose mother is an eccentric fortune teller. They spend their time together stealing people’s trash, hanging out in a man named “Refrigerator John’s” garage, and getting into mischief. When they attempt to go into the city one night and are found by the police, David realizes that his grandmother and father (who works out of town through the week) really do care for him and he begins to bring down the wall he had built around himself.
 * Summary:**

While the overall moral lesson of //Eggs// that family is important and it’s okay to grieve is a good one, the book has a lot of flaws that distract from that message. First of all, one of the biggest problems with the book is the inconsistency with the point of view. The narrator is supposed to be a third-person omniscient narrator, but primarily focuses on David’s thoughts and feelings rather than including the thoughts and feelings of all the characters consistently. There are a couple of places in the book where David’s grandmother and Refrigerator John are the focus of the narration, and it disrupts the flow of the entire book. Second, I had a major problem with the actions of the characters. While Spinelli may have been trying to emphasis the “unconditional” aspect of love, David acted in a deplorable manner to his grandmother, and a main character who is only nine-years-old but sneaks out of his house every night and stays gone without letting anyone know where he is on a regular basis does not provide children with the right message or a realistic picture of the dangers one would encounter in similar situations. Instead, David is never punished, and when he is returned home after his last all-night excursion, he is met by a cheering crowd. The book reminds me of old cartoons that show characters in extremely dangerous situations without any negative results.
 * Review:**

CCR: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative language, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone (5th grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction—Realistic Fiction (Families/Physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral challenges/Coming of age)

A great classroom activity to use with //Eggs// would be “Strategy 16: Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O'Callaghan, 2012, pp. 88-93). Students could have the book //Eggs// as an option for reading during silent sustained reading time, and the teacher could use this activity during that time as a way to help students become much more aware of the words used throughout the book. The students would be instructed to select words as they read that may be new to them, or they may be instructed to select a word they find interesting or they know is essential to the understanding of the sentence in which it is written. Students would then use a variety of strategies for determining the meaning of the word and work with other students to create charts that outline the meanings, uses, and importance of the words they chose.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Wiles, D. (2005). //Each Little Bird That Sings//. Orlando, FL: Harcourt. ISBN 0152051139.

The Snowberger family has been in the funeral business for many years as the owners and operators of the town funeral home, where they also live. Comfort Snowberger is ten years old when her great uncle Edisto and great-great-aunt Florentine both die within months of each other, both of whom were very close to Comfort. Comfort is saddened by their deaths, but she realizes that death is part of life; however, the situation becomes worse when her best friend Declaration begins treating her like an outcast and her younger cousin, Peach, struggles to control his emotions about death. After Comfort and Peach come close to death themselves in a flood and Comfort is forced to choose between saving her beloved dog and her cousin, she experiences a loss (her dog, Dismay), that is emotionally harder on her than she ever imagined.
 * Summary:**

This book is an excellent book for elementary aged children as it portrays death in a manner that is different from many other books. Instead of trying to keep children from seeing the realities of death, this book uses the Snowberger family to show that death affects everyone differently, but it is still part of life and cannot be avoided. Comfort Snowberger is a very relatable first-person narrator, and by telling the story through her point of view, Wiles has made the topic much easier to understand. I also liked the Snowberger family as a whole. Each member of the family had a distinct personality trait that Wiles emphasized. However, the strongest point to this book was that it shows death in a real manner by showing the practical aspect of it. My favorite part in the book is when Comfort is providing the reader with tips for how to act at a funeral and she says, “Remember that death is a natural thing—it’s all around us, as Edisto Snowberger always said. Don’t try to hide death from kids […] We get it. Kids are better at death than grown-ups give them credit for…” (pp. 52-53). There was nothing I disliked about this book.
 * Review:**

CCR: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences (4th grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** Fiction (Realism)—Families

As a result of the exemplary characterization in //Each Little Bird That Sings//, “Strategy 44: Attribute Webs” from //Promoting Literacy Development// (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2012, pp. 249-253) would be an excellent activity to use with this book. This activity would help students understand Comfort’s character on a deeper level while also learning how to incorporate this type of characterization into their own writings. Although this activity works best with a text that all students read, it could be adjusted to allow students to use a book they enjoy, with //Each Little Bird That Sings// available as one of a few choices. The students would complete an attribute web for Comfort’s character and report their findings to other students, which may inspire those other students to read the book as well.
 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**

Antonacci, P. & O'Callaghan, C. (2012). //Promoting literacy development.// Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publishing. Lynch-Brown, C., Tomlinson, C.M., & Short, K.G. (2011). //Essentials of children’s literature// (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
 * References:**

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">Muñoz Ryan, P. (2002). //When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century.// New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0439269674. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">//**Orbis Pictus Award- 2003**//

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">**Summary:** <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">// When Marian Sang // outlines the life of one of the most famous singers in the world, Marian Anderson. Marian began singing at a very young age and always knew that she wanted to sing professionally; however, because of her race, she encountered frequent problems, even after becoming famous. Her community pulled together to help her receive professional training, and Marian became well-loved throughout the entire world; however, she still faced prejudice, discrimination, and segregation. When she returned to the United States after being well-received in Europe, she was not allowed to perform in many venues because of her color, which outraged many Americans. Marian eventually made her way to the Metropolitan Opera, which was her ultimate dream.

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">**Review:** <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">** This book effectively informs children of the life of a famous African American through simple language and beautiful illustrations. Marian Anderson is a famous African American figure; however, many students have never even heard of her. This book helps them to understand her importance in our country’s history while also educating them on the struggles that African Americans faced, regardless of their talents or fame. This book works well as an informational picture book because it helps children to understand the information being presented about Marian Anderson; however, the theme of the book is the thing I liked most about this book. Young children should learn about the injustices of discrimination early on, and they are able to do so through Marian Anderson’s story. The structure of the book also contributes by presenting the information in an easy-to-follow, chronological order. This book presents all the valuable information about Anderson’s life that students should know without doing so in an overwhelming manner. There was nothing to dislike about this book at all. **

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">**Curriculum Connection:** <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (3rd grade).

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">**Genre:** ** Nonfiction (Informational Books) **

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">**Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:** <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">** This book would be excellent to include in a Black History Month promotional activity to get students interested in reading books about influential African Americans. A media specialist could feature this book in a display in the media center or through a bulletin board that features books about or books written by famous African Americans. ** <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;"> Muñoz Ryan, P. (2002). //When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century.// New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 978-0439269674. //**Orbis Pictus Award- 2003**//

// When Marian Sang // outlines the life of one of the most famous singers in the world, Marian Anderson. Marian began singing at a very young age and always knew that she wanted to sing professionally; however, because of her race, she encountered frequent problems, even after becoming famous. Her community pulled together to help her receive professional training, and Marian became well-loved throughout the entire world; however, she still faced prejudice, discrimination, and segregation. When she returned to the United States after being well-received in Europe, she was not allowed to perform in many venues because of her color, which outraged many Americans. Marian eventually made her way to the Metropolitan Opera, which was her ultimate dream.
 * Summary:**


 * Review:**
 * This book effectively informs children of the life of a famous African American through simple language and beautiful illustrations. Marian Anderson is a famous African American figure; however, many students have never even heard of her. This book helps them to understand her importance in our country’s history while also educating them on the struggles that African Americans faced, regardless of their talents or fame. This book works well as an informational picture book because it helps children to understand the information being presented about Marian Anderson; however, the theme of the book is the thing I liked most about this book. Young children should learn about the injustices of discrimination early on, and they are able to do so through Marian Anderson’s story. The structure of the book also contributes by presenting the information in an easy-to-follow, chronological order. This book presents all the valuable information about Anderson’s life that students should know without doing so in an overwhelming manner. There was nothing to dislike about this book at all. **

CCR: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (3rd grade).
 * Curriculum Connection:**


 * Genre:** ** Nonfiction (Informational Books) **


 * Classroom Activity/Promotional Activity:**
 * This book would be excellent to include in a Black History Month promotional activity to get students interested in reading books about influential African Americans. A media specialist could feature this book in a display in the media center or through a bulletin board that features books about or books written by famous African Americans. **