Thursday, October 28, 2010

Post # 5 Poetry/Anthologies book

Joyful Noise:Poems for Two Voices
By: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator: Eric Beddows
Publisher:Harper Trophy
ISBN:0-06-021852-5

Reading poems has always inspired me to write more. Hearing the sound of how the words flow into each other is like listening to music. I am always amazed by the choice of words people use. Words that makes me have mix emotions; happy, sad, love and etc. all at once. I never read poems that allow me to see the characteristics and activities of insects but the book Joyful Noise:Poems for Two Voices did.

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, is a John Newbery Medal book. The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, which is part of the American Library Association. The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This is a great book to have in a classroom because it can teach children how to work together. This is a book that requires two people reading together. What is better than using a book to help children develop team work! This book allows children to enhance their reading skill as well as listening skill. Therefore this would be a good book to use to fulfill the literature standards; reading, listening, talking, and writing.

As I was reading this book with my friend we can see a vivid picture of the lives of different insects, and how they live through different seasons. This is truly a poetic book of life, death, and transformation of something we come across every day. Children can relate to their surroundings and see how insects are just like any living thing, like themselves.

But truly, in order for children to read this book they need practice reading together at the same time. When I was reading with a friend it was hard for us to be in sync with each other. Children might have a hard time working together and that might make them not want to read. So I would recommend you to use this book with the older students.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Post # 4 Multicultural Children's picture book

Goin' Someplace Special
By:Patricia C. Mckissack
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Publisher:Aladdin paperbacks
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-2735-8

The story “Goin’ Someplace Special” by Patricia C. Mckissack and Jerry Pinkney, is an Coretta Scott King award winning book. Coretta Scott King award is an award for the most outstanding African-American literature. All the illustration in the book was done by pencil and watercolor on paper. It’s a very colorful book and the picture matches the text really well.

I enjoyed reading this book. The story teaches children about an African American girl name Tricia Ann suffering from the Jim Crow law. Tricia Ann always wanted to go someplace special on her own but Mama Frances isn’t comfortable with that. Somehow Tricia Ann got Mama Frances to say yes. So Tricia Ann went on her way to someplace special. In order to get there she has to take a bus. She got on the bus and saw the Jim Crow sing that said: colored section, which was in the back of the bus. She wasn’t too happy at the time but she kept thinking about someplace special. She arrived at “someplace special” and was so happy jumping with joy. The special place had a Peace Fountain with a magnificent water show that was built by her grandfather. She wanted to sit down on a bench to enjoy the show but couldn’t. On the bench was a sign that said, “For whites only”. Once again Tricia Ann was sad. Tricia Ann went all over the city looking for a place that doesn’t have that sign. And in the end she founded a public library with a sign that said “all are welcome”. The illustration on that page was priceless. Tricia Ann’s facial expression is a vivid. You can see happiness all over her face, eyes, mouth, hair, nose, and even in her hands.

It is so amazing how Mama Frances allowed Tricia Ann to venture outside her community knowing that they were segregated. I remember when I was growing up I wasn’t allow to go outside my building without an adult being with me. But when I got a little older my parents allowed me to go to the library myself which was three blocks away from my house at the time. My parents always feel that the library is a safe place. What is it with parents and libraries!

This is a great Multicultural picture book because it allows children to learn that it’s never too early to venture outside their own community. It also teaches children how to overcome any situation they encountered. In life people faces all kinds of racial bigotry and discrimination. But it shouldn’t stop any one from doing what they want. Growing up in a mix neighborhood was not an easy task for me either. Having a mix group of friends was hard for my parents to understand. They didn’t like that very much. But they understand that it’s much divested in the United Stated unlike their homeland (China). So they just accepted the fact that I like good people regardless of their color, language, physical ability, and etc. We are all same a human being no better, no worse than anybody else in this world.

Multicultural books are books that allow children to learn about various races or ethnic groups in many forms and ways. Multicultural books invite readers into their house, life with grandma, into their neighborhood streets and so on. It’s a good way to teach children history as well. If I was introduced to this book earlier I might have not hate history as much growing up. If I had a choice to learn about Jim Crow though this fun picture book and through a boring history book I would of cause pick the fun book. I don’t remember ever reading a multicultural book growing up. Multicultural books nurture children hearts, as well as their minds, in school.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Post #3 Folk and Fairy Tales

The Three Little Pigs
By: James Marshall
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
ISBN: 0-448-42288-3

Fairy tales/folktales are ancient stories and poems that are from word of mouth before it’s written down and it has been around for thousands of years. Similar traditional tales are told around the world. I was curious about the different cultures that used the tales of The Three Little Pigs, so I decided to look for some information. I found out that in Italy, England, and Africa they have the same tales but with different characters. In Italy the title of the book is The Three Goslings. In England it’s The Fox and the Geese, and in Africa it’s The Awful Fate of Mr. Wolf.

The fairy tale (Nursery Rhymes) book The Three Little Pigs was first published by an English man name James Halliwll-Phillipps in 1842. He was born in Chelsea, London. The version I read is retold and illustrated by James Marshall. The illustration in the book was great. It’s very colorful, goofy, and it has good picture to text match (complimentary illustrations). The expanded characterizations in the book are charming and fun. The dialogue is great.

The Three Little Pigs is a fairy tale featuring talking animals which means the book is a fable tale. Fables are simple stories that incorporate character, typically animals, whose actions teach a moral or lesson or universal truth. There is a good lesson behind the story because it teaches children hard work pays off. The story talks about three little pigs building a house. The first pig builds a house with straw. The second pig builds a house with sticks. They were both unsuccessful because the lean and hungry wolf was able to huff and puff and blew the house in. The first two pigs didn’t use strong materials or take their time building their house. On the other hand the third pig used bricks and took his time building his house. Therefore he outsmarts the wolf. But the wolf still feels that he is smarter than the third pig. The wolf decides to climb onto the roof and find his way into the house using the chimney but once again the third pig outsmarts him. The third pig end up having the wolf for dinner and survives a wolf’s attack by using his head and planning well. I would use this book in my classroom. It’s such a fun and amazing book. The book is full of color and the characters are so detailed. I remember hearing the story for the first time. I loved the story because the characters are farm animals and they know how to talk.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Post #2 Children's Picture Book

Title: Alphabet City
Author/Illustrator: Stephen T. Johnson
ISBN: 978-0-14-055904-0
Publisher:Penguin Group

This week’s blog is based on a picture book. Picture books are consists of high concentration of Dolch words, the 3 R’s, good picture to text match, and should offer something to both listener and reader and promote interactive discussions. There are many types of picture books, such as baby books (routines familiar to infants of toddlers), Interactive books, toy books (pop-up, three dimensional), wordless books, counting books and alphabet books. I chose an alphabet book.

The illustration in the book is painted with pastels, watercolors, gouache and charcoal on hot pressed watercolor paper. The illustrations are big, colorful, and realistic. The book is amazing. It allows teachers to teach children the alphabet using realistic structures in our surrounding. This 1996 Caldecott award winning book teaches children to find letters without looking in a book or on a sign, without even looking at a word. Children get to see alphabets around them daily no matter what they do or go. They see it when they are walking, riding the bus, playing in the playground, or even something as simple as looking out their window.

Seeing the alphabet daily would leave a stronger imprint in children mind. The book is also great for children that are visual learners. The book allows children to use their imagination, and learn in a playfully way. Once you turn the book to the first page the letter “A” made out of a construction sawhorse is in front of your face, big, colorful, and realistic. And it’s like that throughout the book.

I would include this book in my class room and encourage children to create their own alphabet book by finding structures within the classroom. Or simply have the children point out structures within the class room as I am showing them the book. You can also use this book to make a connection with the real world.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Post #1 Award Winning Children's Book

Crow Boy
By: Taro Yashima
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0 14 050.172X

I know there are many people out there who can relate to Crow Boy. He felt out of place when he was in school because of his differences from the other children. He is shy and small compare to other children in his class. Therefore he isolated himself from the rest of them on the first day of school.

Crow Boy was made fun of. The children in his class call him Chibi “tiny boy” as well as “stupid.” Throughout the first part of the book he was called “Chibi.” They find him strange because he was afraid of the teacher and the children. He couldn’t learn and couldn’t make any friends. He was left alone during study time and, play time. He was always on the end of the line, at the foot of the class.

Since Chibi had so much free time alone he had to find things to keep him busy. Chibi would watch the ceiling, watch the wooden top of his desk, and look out the window. In the playground he would close his eyes and listened to different sounds, near and far. Chibi was doing this for the first five years of school. Then finally came along a new teacher name Mr. Isobe.

Mr. Isobe was Chibi’s six grade teacher. He was a great guy. It almost made me cry reading about what Mr. Isobe did for Chibi. I believe in life everyone comes across an inspiring teacher, one that really cares. I would never forget the teacher that inspired me throughout my last two years of high school. I saw myself failing and walking down the wrong path in life and hated school. During that time I never thought I would finish high school but thank god for one wonderful teacher. Because of the one special person from school I am who I am now. Mr. Isobe helped Chibi overcome his shyness and made him feel bigger. He also helped Chibi earn the name “Crow Boy.” If it’s not for the wonderful teacher Chibi wouldn’t had the opportunity to share his talent to the rest of the children.

I chose this book because children can relate to Crow Boy. Everyone feels out of place once in their life time. People get made fun of regardless of size, race, gender, and for whatever other reason. If Chibi was not made fun of for being different, he might not have picked up the talent of imitating the voices of crows. A talent that Chibi didn’t even know it’s so great. I loved how the author shows that Chibi took his experiences and transformed them into something so big. The book shows children as long as they don’t give up they could overcome their fear with a little help from someone special. Don’t be scared because you have a talent that no one else has. Overall the book is very well illustrated, touching and exciting, a story that we can all relate to. Especially being Asian myself I could totally understand where “Chibi” is coming from. This book can be used in the classroom for many themes: Teaching children that everyone is different and making text to self connections.