Alaska ABC Book

Alaska ABC Book, by Charlene Kreeger and Shannon Cartwright is a nice concept book that incorporates an Alaskan theme so the children can relate more to it. I will use it again if I'm teaching the ABC's to children in Alaska.

The eye of the needle by Terry Sloat

The Eye of the Needle retold and illustrated by Teri Sloat based on a Yupik tale as told by Betty Huffmon. I really like this story. I think the children were a little too young to fully enjoy it, but they still liked it. I think it would be a great introduction to Alaska Studies. It has a great story and beautiful pictures.

Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett

We read Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett. It is a very cute story and the children loved the pictures. It became very interactive when we talked about the pictures. I will use this book again.

The Big Fish: An Alaskan Fairy Tale by Marcia Wakeland

The children and I read, The Big Fish: An Alaskan Fairy Tale written by Marcia Wakeland with illustrations by Alexander Sagan. This is a pretty fun fairy tale and the pictures are beautiful. The only thing that I thought was strange was the salmon doesn't look like salmon at all, not a very accurate portrayal of Alaskan fish, but it is a fairy tale. Either way the children seemed to like it.

Mama Do You Love Me?

The children and I read, Mama, Do You Love Me? By Barbara M. Joosse and illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. It is a very good story with great illustrations. The children enjoyed it. It could be used as an introduction to Alaska Native Studies.

Alaska's Three Bears by Shannon Cartwright and Shelly Gill

Alaska's Three Bears by Shannon Cartwright and Shelly Gill is another great book to read with children especially in Alaska. The pictures are very engaging and the topic is related to the children. They seemed to enjoy the story very much.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch illustrated by Sheila McGaw

The children and I read Love You Forever by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw. The very popular book by Munsch was very familiar to the children and also book I remember hearing from my own family as a child. Though it's not my favorite Robert Munsch book, it does bring back happy memories and the children seemed to enjoy it.

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

The same group of 5 children and I read Stone Soup by Marcia Brown. The children seemed engaged and interested in the book. The illustrations are quite simple and the children were comfortable with that. I've seen a few good lessons used with this book in math and language and I will use it in my future classroom.

One by Kathryn Otoshi

The children and I read the book, One by Katheryn Otoshi next. This was by far the favorite book of the day. The children really gravitated towards this story they moved closer to the book, they talked about the pictures, they counted, and they named all the colors in the story. It is a very good story that incorporates a lot of different elements into the book from counting to colors to standing up for whats right and standing up for yourself. It's a great book and one I will use in my future classroom.

Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel/ illustrated by Blair Lent

The children and I read this classic novel, Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel and illustrated by Blair Lent. It was one of the few books I remember my school librarian reading to my third grade class so it has always been a favorite of mine. The children seemed to like listening to the book. It kept them engaged and they were excited to hear the story.

Parts by Ted Arnold

We read, Parts by Ted Arnold next. I heard this book title from our last class discussion and I thought I would give it a try with the group of children I was reading it to. We all agreed that it was pretty silly. The children and I had to discuss the different events that were happening to the character. Overall it was a pretty good story and the children responded well to it.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown pictures by Scott Nash

The next storybook we read was, Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown pictures by Scott Nash. The book was enjoyed by all the children as well as myself. In the future I will use this fantasy book to encourage creative writing in the classroom as well as letter writing and cultural experiences.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

The 5 children and I looked at the book, Flotsam by David Wiesner. The children are aged 2-5. They seemed to enjoy the pictures and I had them dictate what they saw in the pictures. I think they were a little young to enjoy the full complexity of the book, but I think it is enjoyable for all ages to look at. One of my personal favorites which I will keep in my future classroom.

Some titles I don't want to forget

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

We read, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and drawn by Ron Barrett. The children had read the book before so they were comfortable with the story and enjoyed listening to it. When the giant pancake fell on top of the school one of the girls said, "Oh-no, I'm afraid that's going to happen to my house!" It was adorable. It's a very could story and I will use it in my future classrooms especially during units pertaining to weather.

The Way To Start A Day and Pancakes for Breakfast

The children and I read, The Way to Start a Day by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Peter Parnall. I found this book really awkward to read with the children and the placement of the words on the pages is confusing. We didn't end up finishing it. The illustrations are really cool, but it should be used with older children who are possibly studying other cultures.

Next we read, Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola, which is a wordless book. The children seemed to like it. I asked them some questions and had them dictate what was happening in the picture and make predictions.

The Crayon Box that Talked and I Knew You Could!

The children and I read, The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf and illustrated by Michael Letzig. The children really seemed to enjoy the story a lot. They asked a lot of questions and were very engaged. We read, I Knew You Could! by Craig Dorfman and illustrated by Cristina Ong. They were also very engaged in this story and responded well to the context of the book. They really liked the trains. Both of these book have really good positive messages that celebrate acceptance and perseverance. In the future I will use both of these books in my classroom.

Hey, Pancakes!

I read to the children the book, Hey Pancakes! words by Tamson Weston, pictures by Stephen Gammell. The children seemed to enjoy the story and the pictures. The story incorporates a lot of words that are interjections and onomatopoeias, which are fun for the children to listen to. The children enjoyed the excitement of the characters as they made, ate, and played with their pancakes. It was a good book and I will use it again in my classroom.

Makeup Mess

I read to the children the book, Makeup Mess, by Robert Munsch illustrated by Michael Martchenko. One of the young girls chose this book for me to read, I think she liked the picture and the dress-up theme in the book. The book does have the main character robbing her brother, which might need a followup discussion about why you shouldn't rob people, even your family. The message of the story is that the little girl realizes that she is the most beautiful when she has no makeup on. It's a nice story with a good message, the children enjoyed listening to it and liked the book. I think that Robert Munsch does a good job at writing books that children understand, even if they might be a little strange to adults, children can connect to them. This is a book that I will use again.

Amy Loves the Snow

I read to the children, Amy Loves the Snow, by Julia Hoban pictures by Lillian Hoban. There's nothing too exciting about the book. It's a simple story that would be good for early readers. It has some difficult words, but there are few words on each page. The children and I read it because it had just snowed. In the future I would use the book with students who need to work on reading ability, but not for a read aloud book.

The Paper Bag Princess

The children listened as I read to them the book, The Paper Bag Princess, story by Robert Munsch, art by Michael Martchenko. The children listened to the story and enjoyed it, but I think it would be most meaningful to an older group of children so they can better understand the trickery and message of the story. I really like the story and am enthusiastic to read it, which the children responded well to. I like the story because it portrays a princess saving a prince, which is quite uncommon in the fairytale world! I also like when the prince doesn't like how his heroine is dressed and instead of trying to "get the guy" the princess calls him a bum and carries on single, happily ever after. I think the story promotes positive social-emotional development in children and I will use it in the future.

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

The children and I read, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. The classic beginner book was successful with the children. They were all familiar with the book, which made them comfortable and kept their attention. This is a book that I like and will use as part of a collection in my classroom.

The Funny Little Woman Retold by Arlene Mosel Pictures by Blair Lent

I wasn't sure how the children would respond to The Funny Little Woman retold by Arlene Mosel pictures by Blair Lent because of some of the language used and the Japanese mythology that is so different from the stories they usually hear. But they loved it. They were all very engaged to the story and the pictures. I also enjoyed the book and will use it again in my classroom. I remember the pictures in this book from my elementary school librarian reading it to my class. It brought back good memories.

Ben's Trumpet by Rachel Isadora

The children and I read Ben's Trumpet by Rachel Isadora. The children liked it and we discussed the different instruments that were seen being played in the book by playing each one the same way that Ben plays his trumpet. I love this book. I love the story, but mostly I love the artistic style that is used. When I read this book and look at the pictures, I feel like I can hear jazz music. I think the book would be a great introduction to instruments, jazz music, and life in the United States in the early 20th century for some African American people.

Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott

One of the 4 year old girls asked that I read to them Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermot. The children seemed to be okay with the story, but it was not as engaging as it could be. I think it was a little hard for them to follow, maybe it would be easier for older children. I like that the illustrations in the book are similar to the art style used by traditionally by puebloan people, however, I think the colors and the lines are a bit too harsh. It hurts my eyes to look at it. I would use the book again in the classroom or if we are studying mythology or folklore.

Winnie the Witch by Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas

The next book we read was Winnie the Witch by Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas. The book is fun and colorful and the children enjoyed it. I probably wouldn't use it in lesson planning, as it doesn't really have a lesson. The story is fun and the drawings are nice. I would have it in the classroom and have it available for children to read as they please, especially if we are doing a halloween theme. This is a book I would have enjoyed reading when I was younger because it has witches and magic and it's colorful and happy.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

The children had already read A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon before my visit, but they liked it and wanted to read it again anyway. The children were all very engaged and liked the book. I think the book serves a purpose in the classroom and I will use it for social emotion development. The book teaches children that it's important to be yourself, even if other people are not like you. The pictures are also great. Very colorful.

Poetry!

When reading poems to the children I selected several poems from The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury selected by Jack Prelutsky illustrated by Meilo So and several fromDancing Teepees selected by Verginia Driving Hawk Sneve with art by Stephen Gammell. We read 4 poems from the poetry treasury. The children listened fairly intently, more so the older 3 children. I don't think they have had much experience with poems, I don't think they understood the format that they were like little stories. After reading 4 poems I asked if they wanted to keep reading poems or choose a book. They agreed on picking a new book. Later we read several stories from Dancing Teepees. The children listened and seemed to enjoy the art and the poems.

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster and Chris Raschka

The multicultural book I chose to read to the group of 5 children age 2-5 was The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster and Chris Raschka. This book features a family of different ethnicities. It was a pretty good story and the children liked it. They didn't seem to notice or care that the family members were of different races. It is a book that I would use in my classroom. I think it is important for all students to see literature with representation similar to their own family as well as other peoples families too. The artistic style used in the book is also very appealing and the children seemed to like looking at the pictures.

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and David Shannon

The next book I read was, How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and illustrated by David Shannon. The illustrations are very colorful oil paint pictures; they are very detailed and captivating. The main character is a young boy and of the children I was reading to the boy seemed to be the most engrossed in the story. The pirate vernacular and bold intonation in the book make the story even more captivating. This is a book I would choose to read again. The illustrations are great!

Fredrick by Leo Lionni

One of the children chose that I read the book, Fredrick by Leo Lionni. This is a fantasy picture book, again the children were attracted to the animal on the cover. Upon choosing the book, I was also attracted to the cover because of the illustrations and the simplicity of the pictures. The illustrations are comprised of collage on top of a white background. The children enjoyed the pictures and the story.

The Picnic by Bobby Lynn Maslen pictures by John R. Maslen

The next book I read to the children was, The Picnic by Bobby Lynn Maslen pictures by John R. Maslen. It is apparently part of a young readers series called Bob Books. I picked it out at Tidal Wave Books because it was 50 cents and it is a child sized, small book. I wanted to see if the children would be more inclined to choose the book because of its size. The children, however, did not choose the book on their own. The pictures are very simple and hand drawn. The story if very flat and mundane. The children seemed indifferent to the story. It may serve its purpose as a book to help young learners improve their reading skills; it does not serve as a book for an engaging story or great illustrations.

One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian

On my next visit with the children I began with the book One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian. This is a fantasy storybook. The children chose this book on the account of the fox on the cover. The children seemed to enjoy the illustrations in the book, they especially liked the fox. The story is also repetitive which the children responded well to.

The Secret Science Project That Almost Ate the School by Judy Sierra pictures by Stephen Gammell

The Secret Science Project That Almost Ate the School by Judy Sierra pictures by Stephen Gammell was very engrossing to the children. The fantasy storybook includes elements of rhyming that make the story fun to read and listen to. The story itself is quite humorous and the pictures are amazing. The bold font type assist the reader in appropriate inflection that makes the reading experience more enjoyable. Upon finishing the story one of the little girls said, "Let's read that one again!" In the future this book could be used to introduce a class to the science fair tradition in elementary school and even to teach children about the importance of using discretion and multiple sources when researching on the internet, because as we have all seen you never know if what you find it true, reliable, and authentic.

Where the Wild Things Are story and pictures by Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak was a popular fantasy storybook amongst the three older children. The story and I believe even more so, the illustrations captivated their attention. It's a book I would read again in my classroom. I would use it in units about social emotion development, most specifically dealing with anger, as well as fantasy play.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

The next storybook I read to the children is called The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The children responded well to the story, they seemed to be pretty captivated with the illustrations. The 2 year old didn't make it through the end of the story though. The older children related with the story with character identity, as we had also gotten some fresh snow. In the future I would use the story to discuss winter and the changing seasons or perhaps integrate it into a science experiment about melting.

Hug by Jez Alborough

I read this mostly wordless book, with the exception of "hug" "Bobo" and "Mommy," to the same group of five children ages 2-4 years old. I chose to read the book Hug by Jez Alborough because I thought it was a really sweet story. It was fun to ask the children how they thought Bobo was feeling throughout the story. The children liked listening as Bobo's request for a hug got more and more desperate until finally he becomes very happy. The children liked looking at the colorful pictures and animals. In the future I will use this book for social emotional learning and feelings.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by A. Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka

The same three children and I read the fantasy storybook The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith. I briefed the children by having them tell me what they know about the story of the three little pigs. We read the book, the children listened intently. This a very fun book with an interesting take on the classic story of the three little pigs. The author does a great job grabbing the children's attention and would be captivating of younger and older audiences. This story could be incorporated into units involving different versions of the same story.

Look at Me by Robert Munsch

The next book that I read to the same children was Look at Me by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Marchenko. This is a fantasy storybook. The two younger children from the group got disengaged when I started reading this book; the pictures are more complex and there are more words. It was more appropriate for the 4 year olds. The 4 year olds responded well to the story and with out being asked began counting the flowers on the main characters cheeks cheeks. The story is pretty silly and as the flowers multiplied, one of the children felt inclined to self-talk throughout the book that the character only had one flower painted on her cheek.

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Gerald McDermott

The same children and I read Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti, adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermot next. The children were interested in the story and wanted me to repeat all of the spiders names from the story by referring to the different shapes on the spiders body. While reading the story the children verbalized the danger that Anansi was experiencing. We predicted how his sons might be able to help him out of trouble. The older children were more able to understand the story and that the story implied how the moon got up in the sky. The younger children still enjoyed listening to the story and looking at the pictures. In the future I would use this book in lessons about shapes, spiders, or mythology and tales from other cultures.

Harold's Fairy Tale by Crockett Johnson

I read this fantasy storybook to a group of five children at an at home day care center. The age range for the children is 2-4 years old. We read the book sitting on carpet, the children gathered around me in a semi-circle. I gathered a group of books and asked one of the children to pick out a book. She chose Harold's Fairy Tale by Crockett Johnson because she was familiar with the book and knew that she liked the story. The children responded well to the story and it held their interest. Upon asking the children what they enjoyed most about the book, they responded to the fantasy aspects of the story most. One child said that he liked the flying rug and another said that she liked the giant witch most. This is a book that I will use again with children in this age range. The illustrations may be simple, but the children were highly captivated. To add on to this project I would provide each child with a single crayon and encourage them to create their own fairy tale.