Author: Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean
Illustrated: Dave McKean
Copyright Date: 2003
Suggested age: 9 to 12
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: This book is a book that will spook you silly with its deep story of a odd person in a different world, (through a secret door) who tries to steal children and sew buttons into their eyes and take them in forever to love and live off of. The other world is the exact same, save for a few things. But she also finds a duplication of her parents in the other world, who wanted for her to live in the other world. But reality was way different there were also other children souls trapped and lost there as well. Coraline had to fight with the evil parents and save the lost children as well as herself and her real parents.
Reaction: This is an excellent book for younger but mature readers (4th through 7th grade), but it could be somewhat scary for anyone younger. It's fast paced, very Tim-Burtonish, a really quick read. I couldn't put it down! I could only say that Gaiman consistently produces sophisticated works that blend fantasy and reality into absorbing stories. The movie is also excellent, but do read the book first.
Uses: I would ask children to write a book report: Main characters, settings, introduction (How does the book begins), Point-of-View-From whose point of view is this story told from? Explain why you think this point of view is best for this story. List the two main characters and briefly, How did the main characters solve the problem? Reaction and conclusion.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Old Bear
Author: Kevin Henkes
Age range: 3 to 7
Picture Book
Summary: Old Bear sleeps for winter. Dreaming of spring and being a cub again, he travels through a daisy sun summer and yellow and orange autumn to an ice covered winter. Old Bear sleeps and dreams only to melt away the winter into spring. He wakes up to a beautiful spring day, as if no time has passed.
Reaction:I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book. Simple idea but richly presented, I could imagine being there with OLD BEAR as he slept and dreamed.
Uses: Play a hibernation sorting game. Using animal pictures or photographs have students sort the animals into different categories, such as animals that hibernate and animals that do not.
Make a pro-and-con chart to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hibernating.
Possible questions might be: Which animals hibernates the longest?
Age range: 3 to 7
Picture Book
Summary: Old Bear sleeps for winter. Dreaming of spring and being a cub again, he travels through a daisy sun summer and yellow and orange autumn to an ice covered winter. Old Bear sleeps and dreams only to melt away the winter into spring. He wakes up to a beautiful spring day, as if no time has passed.
Reaction:I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book. Simple idea but richly presented, I could imagine being there with OLD BEAR as he slept and dreamed.
Uses: Play a hibernation sorting game. Using animal pictures or photographs have students sort the animals into different categories, such as animals that hibernate and animals that do not.
Make a pro-and-con chart to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hibernating.
Possible questions might be: Which animals hibernates the longest?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazzards
Author: Serge Block
Copyright Date: 2008
Suggested age: Pre-k to 2nd graders
Genre: Non- Fiction
Summary: Is about a little boy who is feels very anxious on his first day of school. His mother had asked him if he wanted to talk about his feeling regarding his first day, and the little boy had tell mommy that he felt nervous and he also felt that he had butterflies on his stomach. The book ends up by him feeling “happy as a puppy with two tails”.
Reaction: It’s a great book to read on the first week of class because it gives us a unique and sympathetic perspective on a boy's and girls first day of school, their reactions and feelings. It also include a commonly used metaphor like "cat got your tongue", and "wrong side of the bed". Of course the illustrations of the pictures are simple line drawings with color photo accents.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Bug Dance
Author: Stuart J. Murphy
Illustrator: Christopher Santoro
Copyright: 2002
Suggested Age Level: Pre-school to 1 Grade
Genre: Non-fiction
It's a collection of funny story about math and is provided in different grade level. Children will enjoy reading. This story is about a bug "centipedes" who can't dance, he also have problems following direction. But his coach is always encourage him to keep trying and to never give up.
Reaction: This book provides lots of opportunity for children to learn math in a fun way. Teach children the basic foundation of maps and geometry skills.
Uses: For science; talk about different kind of bugs.
For Math: teach concepts right, left, backward and forward.
Illustrator: Christopher Santoro
Copyright: 2002
Suggested Age Level: Pre-school to 1 Grade
Genre: Non-fiction
It's a collection of funny story about math and is provided in different grade level. Children will enjoy reading. This story is about a bug "centipedes" who can't dance, he also have problems following direction. But his coach is always encourage him to keep trying and to never give up.
Reaction: This book provides lots of opportunity for children to learn math in a fun way. Teach children the basic foundation of maps and geometry skills.
Uses: For science; talk about different kind of bugs.
For Math: teach concepts right, left, backward and forward.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The hello, Good bye Window
Author: Norton Juster
Illustrated by: Chris Raschka
Copyright: 2005
Suggested Age: Pre-k to Third grade
Genre: Multicultural and Realistic fiction
The books talks about a little girl who spend and share her time with her grandparents called Nanna and Poppy. The little girl is enthusiastic and caring who has a loving and warm family. She describes that she lives in a big house with many windows, but she she always talks about this special window located in the Kitchen. Her grandparents spend the majority of time at the kitchen where valuable, precious and unforgettable moments always occurs.
Reactions: I strongly recommend this book, because it focus and teaches about tradition, values and a devoted family. The book illustrate impressionistic pictures with cheerful bright primary colors.
Uses: As writing activities;ask children about their family generation, feelings and culture.
As a science activities: Properties of light, gardening plant and flowers, children could look out the window to talk about day or night, what do they see during this time of the day.
Illustrated by: Chris Raschka
Copyright: 2005
Suggested Age: Pre-k to Third grade
Genre: Multicultural and Realistic fiction
The books talks about a little girl who spend and share her time with her grandparents called Nanna and Poppy. The little girl is enthusiastic and caring who has a loving and warm family. She describes that she lives in a big house with many windows, but she she always talks about this special window located in the Kitchen. Her grandparents spend the majority of time at the kitchen where valuable, precious and unforgettable moments always occurs.
Reactions: I strongly recommend this book, because it focus and teaches about tradition, values and a devoted family. The book illustrate impressionistic pictures with cheerful bright primary colors.
Uses: As writing activities;ask children about their family generation, feelings and culture.
As a science activities: Properties of light, gardening plant and flowers, children could look out the window to talk about day or night, what do they see during this time of the day.
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