American Slave, American Hero: York of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Laurence Pringle

    Most have heard the story of Lewis and Clark and their expedition across into Western America, however few know that there was a third individual on this expedition by the name of York.  Who is York?  York was William Clark's personal slave and accompanied the two men on their journey to the West.  After realizing that there were hardly any books written about this courageous man and important individual, Laurence Pringle wrote the book American Slave, American Hero.  The book tells the tale of York and the role he played in the westward expedition, while giving a diverse perspective of the journey. Pringle begins the book with a short note, proclaiming that some of the events in the story may not be entirely true because records of African Americans were not well kept during the 1800s. 
   York grew up as a slave to William Clark, playing with the boy until he grew old enough to care for and look after his master.  Will grew older and served in the military before returning home and receiving a letter from Meriwether Lewis,  asking him to explore the West.  After careful consideration of other volunteers, William chose York to accompany them on his voyage.  The book goes on to describe the expedition to the uncharted West and York's role on the trip.  He played with the children of the Ariakara tribe and was coined "big medicine" (meaning something awe-inspiring) by onlooking Native Americans. 
     Though the book had more text on each page than I would have preferred, the flaws in the text were overshadowed by the beautiful illustrations.  Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu created magical water color paintings to depict the events of the story and bring these happenings to life on the page. Though the use of water color may have reduced the details in the illustrations, the soft colors provide a calming and tranquil mood.  There is something soothing about the way water color painting sits on the page.  Thus, although the book had a bit more text than I would have liked, the remarkable illustrations made up for the flaw.
     The tale provides an excellent account of an individual with whom many are most likely unfamiliar and the text provides teachers the opportunity to incorporate York into studies of Lewis and Clark. Perhaps one day his story will be as well known as the two men leading the expedition, but we will have to wait and see.        

Duke Ellington by Andrew Davis Pinkney

    Travel back in time to an era of "swanky" hangouts, swing "gigs", and "sitting pretty at the Cotton" club!  Andew Davis Pinkney tells the life story of famous musician Duke Ellington in a format that adults and children of all ages will enjoy.  The book begins with the line "You ever hear of the jazz-playin' man, the man with cats who could swing with his band?" and at once readers are transported back to the era of swing.  Pinkney's clever inclusion of the vernacular and dialect of the time period truly make the tale come to live and enable readers to feel as though they actually are listening to someone from the past.
   Ellington was born with the name Edward, but decided on his own accord to have those around him call him "Duke" and the name stuck. Actually, his name was perfect for a "smooth-talkin-, slik-steppin' piano-playin' kid" like him.  As a child Duke was not fond of practicing piano and took a few years off from the instrument until he heard the "soul-rousing" ragtime tunes.  He transformed the monotonous etudes he'd once known into melodies of his own, and before long he was playing at country clubs and parties. Eventually, Duke formed a small band named the Washingtonians and toured across New York, until the landed a regular gig at the Cotton Club.  The book goes on to describe other members of Duke's band and how with the addition of more musicians, they transformation into what became known as Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.         
    Adding to the period-appropriate dialect and terms, illustrator  Brian Pinkney helps the story come alive through his beautiful brush stroke illustrations.  I particularly loved the illustration with Sonny Greer playing a "subway beat on his bass drum".  From the bass drum there is a string of music that evolves into picture of a subway.  In this illustration Pinkney presents a literal representation of the text with colorful, bold painting.  Another personal favorite illustration is on the page describing how "Duke painted colors with his band's sound".  I love how each of the instrumental groups has a particular color, the swirls of paint representing the musical notes coming from the horns.     
    Tucked within the tale are numerous similies and metaphors, making the text a wonderful tool for teaching children about the use of these literary devices.  Hardly a page goes by without a creative comparison.  Duke's music is cleverly compared to a food item, "Duke's Creole Love Call was spicier than a pot of jambalaya".  On the other hand, one of his band members' music is described as a kite tail, "Toby let loose on his sleek brass sax, curling his notes like a kite tail in the wind". 
    Though Pinkney's inclusion of dialect and terms from the era of swing makes for an enjoyable story, both to read and listen to, the tale should be accompanied by a a bit of vocabulary instruction.  Have you ever heard the word "pomade" or perhaps "cabaret"?  If not you'll want to click on the words to find out and be sure to give students the definitions while reading the text aloud.
     Hope you enjoy this trip back in time!  Perhaps you'll even want add a word like "swanky" to your vernacular.        

Bears By Sally Morgan

    Did you know that American black bears are not necessarily black? If not, I suggest checking out Sally Morgan's exploration the lives of bears in her nonfiction text entitled Bears.  With a table of contents she prepares readers for the topics they will soon discover, such as bear types, where bears are found, what bears eat, and hibernation.
     Each page there after addresses the topic proposed in the table of contents with text and photographs.  Information is presented in an easy to read and understand manner and the photographs provide excellent extensions to the text.  Important vocabulary words are in bold type and easy to find.  Additionally, each picture has a helpful caption and on each page you will find a "Bear Fact" in a yellow circle.  You'll discover fun tidbits of information, such as "Polar bears are champion swimmers.  They have been known to swim more than 60 miles without a rest."  Did you know that?
      The photographs themselves are wonderful, but a simple added touch makes them come to life.  In the background of most of the pages readers will find the fur of the bear whom they are learning about.  For instance, on the page that discusses giant pandas eating habits, the author has placed panda fur in the background to outline the text and photographs. The book is a great tool for teaching about habitats and animal adaptations or presenting an example of an animal for independent research. 
     If you're a fanatic about bears or maybe you just want to learn more about them, then give this book a try! 

Iditarod: Dogsled Race Across Alaska By Jeffrey B. Fuerst

    What is an Iditarod?  Where did the Iditarod originate?  If you are looking for answers to these questions then Fuerst's Iditarod: Dogsled Race Across Alaska might be just the perfect text.  Fuerst has written a little book about the yearly Iditarod race in Alaska, the history of the race, and terms related to dog racing on a level that children in 3rd and 4th Grade can easily comprehend.
      The book begins by discussing the Iditarod race and depicting a map of the 1,161 mile long trail.  Ever heard of the word "musher"? If so did you know that these sled drivers sleep for only one to two hours a day before sleeping for 24 hours straight during the middle of the race?  As readers continue reading they discover that the race emerged in the days of the Gold Rush when boats were incapable of transporting supplies to and from Alaskan towns.   Eventually dog sleds became useless as manufactured airplanes took over the jobs of transporting supplies in the harsh winter months.  However, when it seemed as if the Idtitarod would never be needed again a relay team of 20 dogsleds carried medicine to children in Nome in 1925, saving their lives and bringing back the dying art of dog sled racing.  Though snowmobiles soon diminished the need for dogsleds, a clan of dogsled fans worked to bring the Iditarod back to life and created the first official Iditarod Race in 1973.   
     Each page of the book displays photographs of actual races and mushers, maps of the trail, and descriptive captions delineating each picture and map, which greatly enhance the text.  Though it is a bit small for a read-aloud teachers could certainly use the book in small guided reading groups or discussion groups to enlightened students about the history and daily life of mushers. 
     Curious to find out the translation of Iditarod? Or possibly you might want to find out the amount it costs to keep a team of dogs and prepare for the race?  Read the book to find out!

Oceans and Seas By Margaret Hynes

     The attention grabbing graphics on the front page of Oceans and Seas by Margaret Hynes will surely have readers engaged before the text of the book even commences.  Within the first few pages readers will find a table of contents describing all of the ocean topics to be discussed in the book, ranging from waves to energy to migrations to ocean zones.  At the end of the book a reader will find a comprehensive glossary of terms they will come across while reading. 
     This book will surely dispel the common misconception that nonfiction books are dull and entirely boring.  Each page is festooned with brightly colored graphics, carefully organized text, easy to understand diagrams, and multiple caption boxes to make reading nonfiction exciting!  Children will likely ask readers to stop for longer between page turns to enable them to take in every detail on the page.
       As if the book did not have enough gizmos, readers will find a website address on the right hand margin each page.  For instance, on the page about a Watery Planet, readers can follow the link in the upper right margin to extend their reading knowledge and learn about the oceans.
       The book has many applications and could be used in any of the following scenarios: as a read aloud, with small groups of children, or teachers can place it in their library to be used as a source of research for independent work.  No matter how it may be incorporated into the classroom, it's definitely a must read for any teacher who needs to address ocean curriculum.  You won't be disappointed!   

Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth

     Dr. Mark Norman presents a tale about the poles of the Earth in a graphically appealing picture book entitled Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth.  The book is set up such that each page has facts about the north and south poles.  Unlike many books, this book has binding along the top edge such that it opens like a calendar.
     Upon opening the book readers will find that facts about the north pole are found on the top page and facts about the south pole lie on the bottom page  In the center of the gutter one will discover a small graphic of the globe to further help readers understand that information about the north pole is found on the top page.  Dr. Norman has gone so far as to design the graphics on the page to appear as though the text and pictures are in the shape of a globe.
     The first pages discuss the amount of land and water in the north and south poles, explaining that the north pole is made of mostly water surrounded by land and the opposite is true of the south pole.  Readers then discover that there is not a single tree on Antarctica, whereas the north pole is home to small, hardy plants that can survive the harsh climate.  At then end of the nonfiction text readers will find a glossary of terms in bold type throughout the book.
     Teachers might find this to be an excellent read-aloud to spark conversation about habitats.  It could easily be used to teach strategies, such as comparing and contrasting.         
     Curious about where penguins live?  Perhaps you want to find out how animals camouflage in each of the poles? Then you'll have to check this book out!

The Tale of Despereaux

    Kate DiCamillo engages readers with an enchanting tale of a unique and courageous little mouse, The Tale of Despereaux. Yes, his ears may be too big for his body and he may enjoy chanting with humans, but these less desirable traits do not prevent him from carrying out his quest.
      DiCamillo launches readers into the tale of the miniature mouse quite abruptly, in fact within only a few pages Despereaux is on trial before the Mouse Council because he has committed an unspeakable act in the world of mice, he has spoken to a human.  His over-sized ears led him to follow the sweet tune of the King singing to his daughter Princess Pea.  As he sits mesmerized by the gorgeous music, Despereaux's brother spies on him and leaks the discovery to his father and the mouse council.  Talking to humans is punishable in only one fashion, a sentence to life in the rat-infested dungeon below the castle.  With red ribbon tied around his head Despereaux is led into the depths of the dungeon to fend for his life amongst the lurking rats.  When he has accepted the fact that he might soon die he is greeted by an old fellow, the jailer of the dungeon.     
    As the tale continues to unfold Despereaux crosses paths with a rat by the name of Roscuro and a servant girl with cauliflower shaped ears named Miggery Sow.  DiCamillo cleverly introduces the characters by beginning a new section, or book, in the tale and retracing their past lives.  In fact, after Roscuro encountered Roscuro in the dungeon DiCamillo quickly began a "book" about his life, before the mouse and rat crossed paths.  This approach provides readers with the back story of each character to help them better understand the events of the story.  In addition to flashbacks to the past, DiCamillo uses a clever literary device in which she narrates the story while also speaking to the reader directly.  Throughout the tale she interjects the story to ask the reader a question or provide the reader with helpful information to further his or her understanding of the intricate characters and twisting plot.  When Mig, the servant, dreams of becoming a princess, DiCamillo makes readers ponder whether her dreams are even worthwhile and challenges them to question the character's motives.  She writes, "Reader do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since, in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?". 
     You may not think it possible, but DiCamillo cleverly uses the story of a small mouse to approach seemingly humanized themes of forgiveness, love, courage, and good vs. evil.  DiCamillo's marvelous writing style and ability to truly capture her readers' attention won her the well-deserved Newbery Medal. 
      Curious as to why Mig has cauliflower ears or perhaps you are wondering the fate of poor Despereaux?  Then go to your local library and check out The Tale of Despereaux.  You won't be disappointed!
Have you already read the book?  Then motion picture version of the Tale of Despereaux, but only do this if you have read the book first.
       If you like this tale you may even want to try other books by DiCamillo, such as Because of Winn-Dixie, Mercy Watson to the Rescue, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Tiger Rising.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

          Lois Lowry opens the story, Number the Stars, as three girls sprinting along the street of downtown Copenhagen, Denmark, when suddenly they hear the booming voice of a German voice, "Halte".  Quickly readers will discover that the tale is set in Denmark during WWII.  German soldiers lurk around every corner, their powerful presence looming over the town like a menacing black cloud.  At first the soldiers merely stand on corners, but eventually empty storefronts with the glaring swastika symbol line the streets of Copenhagen.  The powerful presence of the Nazis have enveloped Copenhagen like a thick black cloud and the three young children running will soon realize that their worlds will forever change.
           Annmarie and Kirsti are sisters who live in the same apartment complex as their friend Ellen Rosen.  The three girls are very similar and spend much of their time together, but there is something that will either bring the three girls together or break their bonds of friendship, and that is religion.  Ellen is of the Jewish faith and the target of the menacing Nazis regime.  To protect Ellen and her family, Annmarie and Kirsti's family take Ellen in as if she were there daughter, while Mr. and Mrs. Rosen disappear from Copenhagen.  Continuing her efforts to keep the Rosen family safe, Annmarie's mother even takes Ellen and her daughters to her brother's home by the sea.
          The story continues to unfold, as does the character of Annmarie.  Though only ten years old she is very curious about the happenings in Copenhagen, wondering where the Rosens disappeared to, why the Jews are under such an attack, and whether or not Ellen will be found by the German soldiers.  The unanswered questions fester in her mind as she gradually sees small windows into the resistance movements taking place beneath her very eyes.  Throughout the story I found myself becoming very connected to Annmarie, taking on many of her curiosities and worries as my own.  The attachment to Annmarie truly made me feel as though I was right along side her, taking in her experiences breath by breath.
          As a child and young adult I was always fascinated by the Holocaust and read many novels, however I never picked this one up and am very happy to have done so.  My fascination with the time period may seem strange to others, but it is rooted in the fact that I have a very hard time wrapping my mind around the horrid acts of the Nazis.  Therefore, I find it interesting to read stories from the time period, both fiction and non fiction accounts, to further delve into the reasoning behind the awful persecutions and imprisonments.
         Unfortunately I had not experienced many tales about the resistance movement that arose in response to the Nazi control.  Therefore, I especially liked Lowry's exploration of the lives of those who sacrificed a great deal to keep their Jewish friends out of harms way.  The novel would be a superb way of showing upper elementary students the resistance efforts of the Holocaust.  Due to the violent nature of many books that focus on the concentration camps they are not appropriate for children to read.  However, Number the Stars provides students with a glimpse of the treatment of the Jews with a larger focus on the resistance efforts, making the tale appropriate for upper elementary school students.
          Though the book caters to a younger crowd, I believe adults would also enjoy reading this tale.  In fact, adults would likely point out hidden metaphors and meanings that children easily fly past when reading.  For instance, PJ Rooks found a connection to another familiar text within the book.  He writes "Number the Stars cleaves the fascinating from the frightening and spins a charming retelling of Little Red Riding Hood in which lupine Nazis huff and puff but are out-witted and out-run time and again".  
           I know you must be dying to know if the Rosens will ever reunite with their daughter.  Or perhaps you are curious about the significance of the necklace on the front page.  Per chance you are itching to find out how the Little Red Riding Hood is related to the tale.  Then you'll just have to read the book to find out more!

Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy by Ellen Potter

      Upon opening Ellen Potter's novel Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy I became instantly attached to the main character, as I could see some of my reflection in her.  Olivia Kidney, the young girl and main character of this story, is about to move into her new home, a shabby brownstone building in New York City.  Just weeks before, her father, a handyman, had received an anonymous note asking him to take on the job of a live-in handyman for Ansel Plover.  Entirely disinterested in the thought of moving to a new home and becoming the new kid on the block yet again, Olivia begrudgingly drags her suitcase up the stairs to the front of the brownstone.
      Much to her surprise and liking, the world within the building stands in sharp contrast to the world beyond its walls. As she and her father climb the stairs and arrive at the second floor, they discover a lagoon in the center of the room.  Yes you read right, a large body of water has enveloped the entire second floor.  Personally I had to re-read this section of the novel to ensure that I had in fact understood it correctly.  Olivia and her father make their way across the lagoon in a small boat and up a metal staircase to their new rooms.
       Within these first few pages readers are bound to continue reading and never put the book down.  Those who do continue will soon find that Olivia has a special way of communicating with her brother who recently passed away.  As the story further unfolds, hidden secrets of Ansel's brownstone building will be unveiled and it even becomes evident that Olivia's father is doing every possible activity except for handy-work.  Soon you will become weary of Ansel, especially when Olivia stumbles across his late night auditorium rehearsals. 
         Ellen Potter's writing style is absolutely wonderful for young children who may easily become distracted during reading.  Each page is festooned with countless details and descriptions making it so that the story comes alive in a reader's mind.  In fact, I found the few illustrations in the book a bit distracting because I had already crafted my own characters.  Though that is my personal opinion and it's quite likely that a younger child may greatly appreciate the comic-like illustrations of Peter Reynolds.
          Though I certainly enjoyed the book and would encourage my own students to read it, I would suggest that they come to me with any questions while reading.  The end of the text slightly delves into the topic of death and after-life, a topic that could easily cause uneasiness or controversy.  However, Ellen Potter discusses the fact of life lightly and with comic relief, making it more appropriate for young readers.   
          You must be itching to find out why this book is called the Exit Academy?  Before you dive head first into this book I suggest you first try Olivia Kidney, the prequel to this tale, if you have not already read it.  You have already read these books and want more, you say?  I suggest you check out other books by Ellen Potter, like Pish Posh, Olivia Kidney Secret Beneath City, Olivia Kidney Stops for No One, and Slob.

I'm still here in the bathtub (brand new silly dilly songs) by Alan Katz

If you were fond of classic songs such as "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Three Blind Mice", and "Bingo" during your childhood then you are bound to fall in love with the book of poems Alan Katz has concocted.  In this collection Katz re-writes each of the classic nursery rhymes and songs, giving them a new and funky twist.  He keeps the rhyme scheme and general format of the tune identical, but each of the songs has an revamped storyline.   

If the silly songs haven't entirely sold you, though I certainly hope this is not the case, take one peek at the illustrations and you'll be hooked.  David Catrow's bright, colorful, hugely hilarious, and detailed depictions wonderfully extend the text of the songs, keeping readers engaged long after the song is finished.  It's simply impossible to take in all of the many details on each page during one run-through of the tune.

Katz takes the original tune "Bingo" and cleverly alters the words of the tune so that it tells the tale of a small boy ranting about the items of clothing his parents have purchased for him.  Readers will find a resemblance to the original tune when they sing "I-T-C-H-Y", but that is where the similarities begin and end.  The clever illustration of the brown pooch practically pops off the page and those who look carefully will find a small boy peering from behind a slender tree.  Take a peek inside this book to discover why this small boy is hiding off in the distance.       

Within pages readers will be greeted by the chubby cheeks and pursed red lips of Aunt Marie.  The hilariously silly tale of relatives that smother and smooch upon a small child must be sung to the tune of "The Alphabet Song" for full effect.  Once again Catrow's captivating illustrations hook readers' curiosity making it difficult to flip the page without reading to find out more about these gigantic rose-colored pursed lips.   

This collection of funny songs is a wonderful opener to a poetry unit, emphasizing to children that poetry is not always serious but quite right wacky and nonsensical.  Children who have a fear of poetry may likely open their minds to the realm of rhyme and metaphorical language after hearing several of these hilarious jingles. 

If you were fond of these silly songs, then you'll also like other song books, such as Are You Quite Polite? Silly Dilly Manner Songs, Smelly Locker: Silly Dilly Songs, and On Top of the Potty: And Other Get-Up-and-Go-Songs.

Stories from the Billabong

Have you ever wondered how the kangaroo got its pouch? Or perhaps why frogs croak?  Maybe you have even been curious about how the crocodile got its scales?  Take a peek at Stories of the Billabong, with tales retold by James Vance Marshall and illustrated by Francis Firebrace, to find out. 

In this compilation of myths and legends, Marshall retells the stories of the Aboriginal storytellers of thousands of years ago.  For quite some time the stories were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth and it was only recently that the myths were transcribed using written text. 

The opening tale beautifully depicts the creation of the Earth as described by the Aboriginal people of 60,000 years ago.  According to the Aboriginal people a rainbow serpent, the Great Mother Snake, traversed empty lands creating hills and valleys and awakening the sleeping creatures of the Earth.  Illustrations of Francis Firebrace capture the art forms of the time with bold brush  strokes of paint, bringing life to the words of the tale.

Small children will likely become instantly enthralled in the next story as they become attached to the small kangaroo baby who cannot keep up with his mother as they flee from the attacking hunter.  Will little Joey get lost behind?  Read the tale to find out and even unearth the mystery of the kangaroo's pouch.

The Aboriginal people told a clever story of the origins of the frog's croak.  Perhaps you have given thought to why the frog croaks while countless other animals have quite beautiful singing voices or peaceful chirps.  In reading this legend of the Little Green Frog you will discover the origin of the croak and likely learn a bit about the repercussions of pride and boastfulness.  It's certainly an eyeopening story with a wonderful moral for young children tucked inside.


If the tales and illustrations are not enticing enough, each story concludes with a short excerpt about the animals mentioned in the tale.  After learning how the kangaroo got its pouch you will discover that there are 50 different species of kangaroo and that the largest are the red kangaroos and stand over 7ft tall.  I doubt you have ever heard of the broglas of Australia; I certainly had not before cracking open this book.  These pale-grey birds actually perform ceremonial dances as part of their courting rituals, however you will have to read the book to find out more fun facts.

The short blurbs of information about each animal or species provide a great spring board for further exploration of the creatures in the Aboriginal tales and add the aspects of nonfiction to an otherwise fictional and imaginative retelling of Aboriginal tales.  Teachers can easily encourage children to pursue further research about the myths using the excerpts as a basis.  Or they may even ask students to write their own legend about an Australian creature.  There are simply countless lesson plan opportunities emerging from this collection of Aboriginal tales.  

Now I know you are just itching to find out how the kangaroo got its pouch!  The answer is only a library trip or bookstore purchase away!

Wolf

Becky Bloom presents a tale about a quite unusual wolf, a wolf who will likely inspire your students to take a page out of his book.  Like many picture books the story commences before the text even emerges, on the inside of the opening cover.  Readers will find a grumpy wolf with nap-sack trudging through the streets of town.  The wolf chooses to make his way to a nearby farm to find himself something to eat, but when he arrives  he is alarmed to discover farmyard animals who not only have no fear, but appear engrossed in their reading.  The animals are quick to inform the wolf that he must learn to read if he wishes to become a part of their community.  The wolf takes the challenge and attends school in order to become educated like the animals on the farm.  The story takes readers through the phases a beginning reader must progress through as they learn how to read.  At first the wolf reads a very easy reader, with words "Run, wolf! Run!, and gradually progresses to reading The Three Little Pigs.  However, the animals criticize the wolf for his reading style and he quickly returns to the library to read more books and become more fluent in his reading.  When the wolf finally ventures back to the educated animals they are completely astonished by his reading abilities and beg him to read book after book, after book.  
       I discovered this book in my practicum classroom as the teacher read it aloud to the students.  In the first few pages of the story I predicted that the book would be a parody of The Three Little Pigs since the wolf was on his way to find food of the animal variety, however the tale took a sharp turn upon the encounter of educated farm animals.   I couldn't help, but wonder whether the students had made a similar connection to the The Three Little Pigs and had I been in charge of the read aloud I think I might have probed for their thoughts.
     The teacher chose the book in order to demonstrate concepts from reading workshop to the children.  Reading workshop is a reading program in which children read in whole-groups, small groups and individually.  When children read individually they are allowed to make themselves comfortable throughout the classroom, as the teacher calls on particular children to conference about their reading.  The vibrant water color illustration of the animals reading outside the barn, specifically the cow lounging on the pile of hay, provides a perfect depiction of the atmosphere that ought to be present while children are reading quietly during reading workshop.  Later on in the story, when the animals asked  the wolf to change his reading style, the teacher explained that the animals were referring to the wolf's fluency.  Defining the concept of fluency, she let the children know that they would be practicing their fluency and the best way to practice fluency is to read and read and read.  
    On a side note, while listening to the read aloud I became aware of how the new generation of children has no recollection of the Dick and Jane books.  The teacher had to explain that "Run, wolf! Run!" was in fact a reference to a Dick and Jane book with the phrase "Run, Spot! Run!".  The teacher and I exchanged glances and chuckled at this discovery.      
   All in all I love how the book ensures children that learning to read is not impossible.  Children can easily relate to the wolf and aspire to work hard and become a star reader just like him.  Sue Sherif says "Parents, teachers, librarians, and newly skilled readers will love the unabashedly undisguised message of the text".  Thus, the tale is for all ages and inspires both children and teachers alike!

Pumpkin Soup

    Do you have children at home or in the classroom who might need a little help with the concept of sharing?  Well, then Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper may just be your ticket to success.  Cooper's clever tale depicts the adventures of three animals and their encounters with the twists and turns of friendship.
     Readers meet the Cat, Squirrel, and Duck  in a cabin in the woods, playing music late into the night.  Frequently the three friends work together to make pumpkin soup and each friend has their own job.  The Cat slices the pumpkin, the Squirrel stirs the water, and the Duck measures just a "pipkin of salt".  After eating their soup the animals play their tune and drift off to sleep under a blanket made with the help of all friends.  The Duck's technique for measuring a "pipkin of salt" caused memories of my great grandmother to flood into my mind.  My mother frowns upon me when I am too precise while baking, telling me stories of how my great grandmother would measure salt and other dry goods in the palm of her hand.  Anything she baked turned out absolutely perfect, regardless of the precision of her measuring. 
         Back in the story, the animals are sleeping happily in their bed until little Duck is struck with an awfully tempting idea and he makes his way to the kitchen, his mind fixed on a wish to become the head chef of pumpkin soup.  Grabbing the spoon he announces to his sleeping friends that he wishes to stir the soup today and a terrible quarrel unfolds.  The illustration of the animals attacking one another with spoons and spouting curse words (cleverly depicted by symbols) perfectly portrays the ruckus that has unfolded in the kitchen.  However, this illustration is not the first drawing to extend the text and illustrate the little creatures' emotions.  In fact, each page is festooned with large pictures to the left or right of the text and smaller drawings between sections of text. These tiny drawings create a scene-by-scene description of the occurrences in the story and will likely engage readers such that they do not miss a beat.
         The quarrel subsides and the Duck announces that he is running far away from his friends.  The Cat and Squirrel soon begin to search for their missing friend, but after no luck they head in for the night and cook soup that tastes absolutely horrid.  The illustration depicting the Squirrel crying over his soup and looking at himself in his spoon would create great discussion in regards to the emotions the animals are feeling.  Teachers reading the story aloud may wish to probe their students to see whether they understand the hidden meaning found in the Squirrel looking at himself and broach the topics of friendship and sharing with one another.
           When there still is no sight of the Duck, his friends make their way deep into the woods (which seemed to be an interesting reference to the Wizard of Oz), worrying about their friend.  Still no luck the two return back to the cabin telling themselves that the Duck possibly found a better life without them.  To their surprise the Duck is home waiting for his friends and the three joyously make soup together, allowing the Duck to stir regardless of the mess he makes.  All seems back to normal until the Duck proclaims his wish to play the bagpipes and the animals break into a fight on the final page of the story.
             At the very end of the story one will find a recipe for pumpkin soup, a version for humans, of course.  After reading the story aloud it would be especially fun to make and eat the soup together as a class.  While making the soup children could practice their sharing and direction-following skills.
              If you liked Pumpkin Soup then you might consider reading these other books by Helen Cooper: The Boy Who Wouldn't go to Bed, Delicious, or A Pipkin of Pepper.  
                    
     

One Fine Day

Nonny Hogrogian grasps her readers attention before they even so much as move their hand to open the front cover of her tale One Fine Day.  The  marvelous illustrations crafted using delicate brush strokes on canvas won Hogrogian the Caldecott Medal winner in 1971.  These paintings commence the story before any glimpse of the text emerges, as readers will find an old woman with a pail walking and a small fox lurking in the woods on the title page.
      The text appears and story unfolds, as the little fox makes its way to a pail of milk.  The angry old woman and owner of the milk becomes outraged and cuts off his tail in one fell swoop, claiming that she will not return his tail until he returns her milk.  The fox meanders on to find a cow, who requests some grass in exchange for the milk.  The field beckons the fox to bring it some water and the fox continues on its way to the stream.  Like the field and cow, the stream would like something in return, specifically a jug.  Continuing along his journey the fox talks with a fair maiden, a peddler, and a hen.  The hen's request for grains sends the fox searching for a miller and when the poor little fox reaches the miller he bursts into tears.  Showing more apathy than the creatures and people before him the miller agrees to give him some grain out of the goodness of his heart.  After returning and retrieving all of the items the fox finally makes his way back to the old woman with the milk she requested and she reattaches his tail.
    The story ends as it began, with a simple illustration and no text.  However, the read must be certain to flip to the back of the very last page to find the little fox scurrying through the woods to find his friends.  The illustrations also provide the element of time to the story.  At the beginning of the tale the sun is slowly rising far to the left of the center binding, and as the fox proceeds on his journey the sun makes its way across the top of the page.  The sun finally sets far to the right of to center binding depicting that the fox has traveled for an entire day to complete his mission and retrieve his tail.  Furthermore, the fox's emotions are carefully depicted in the paintings, as the light of hope and happiness slowly vanish from the fox's face. Though at first glance the illustrations seem simple and devoid of details, it takes a discerning eye to unveil the extensions these paintings make to the text. 
     Nonny Hogrogian found inspiration for her story in an Armenian folktale, in fact there are quite a few Armenian folk tales for those interested in expanding their knowledge of Armenian history.  Hogrogian has written a another rendition of an Armenian tale, entitled The Contest.  Teachers may wish to take time to introduce children to the country of Armenia after reading this book to allow children to make connection between the setting of the book and the country.  The story also lends itself to a lesson in which children can sequence the events that take place on the fox's journey.  For example, students could be given slips of paper with one step of the journey and asked to work together to rewrite the story on the board.   

   

Berlioz the Bear

Looking for a way to incorporate music and reading?  Ever heard of a bear playing a bass?

     Open the cover of Berlioz the Bear and dive into a world of instrument playing animals, cleverly crafted by Jen Barret.  A group of bears, an orchestra of bears to be exact, are on their way to perform for the ball in the village.  Poor Berlioz is fretting about the disturbing buzzing noise coming from his double bass.  Paying too much attention to his buzzing bass and too little attention to the mule pulling the bandwagon, he is unable to steer away from a deep hole that halts their journey.  Despite the help of several animals, the wagon remains stuck on the path as the time of the ball draws near.



   
 Jen Brett's colorful illustrations bring the story to life and there certainly is not a lack of detail in her vibrant depictions of the journey to the gala.  It is particularly interesting how she captures both the adventures of the bandwagon in the foreground and the occurrences in the town square in the background and along the upper border on each page.  While animals are coming to assist the helpless band, the border along the top of the page enables to the reader to see the number of animals that are making their way to the town square.  On each new page, two new animals walk along the path on the left and right margins of the pages to join the rest of the town.
     When all hope seems to have vanished Berlioz bows his bass so that it buzzes, which releases a bee from the instrument's hollow body.  With one sting from the bee, the mule lurches forward and pulls forward, bringing the band to the town square just in the nick of time.  Once the band reaches the square the illustrations along the upper border of the page vanish, signaling that the band has arrived.  As if her illustrations could not add more to the text, readers will discover a hidden reference to the "Flight of the Bumblebee" on the final page of the story.
      The story not only provides classroom discussion through the illustrations, but also unfolds countless lessons about the orchestra, composer Hector Berlioz, and the Flight of the Bumblebee.  Looking closely at the instruments in the bandwagon students will become familiar with the various orchestra instruments and the book can easily be tied into a lesson on the orchestra.  Teachers can likewise ask their students if they have any idea as to why the bear was named Berlioz, explaining that he was named after a famous composer named Hector Berlioz.
      Personally at first I was hesitant to read this book, but grew to love it as the story developed.  I even found that I could certainly use this book to connect to my own lives and demonstrate personal connections to my class.  In fact, my favorite animal has always been a bear and since about fourth grade band has been an important puzzle piece in my life.  Through telling a bit about my own interests I would challenge my students to make connections to their personal lives when reading any book they pick up.

Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody

     You may remember the well known tale Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown with pictures by Clement Hurd.  Simple mention of the book may bring back memories of loved ones reading the story as you drifted off to sleep.  Are you aware that there is a parody to this soothing bedtime story?  Micheal Rex has presented readers with a spooky rendition of Goodnight Moon, a parody entitled Goodnight Goon.

     Like Goodnight Moon, the lines rhyme in couplets and readers will find roughly the same amount of text on each page as they would find in the original.  Though there are many similarities, the two books quickly diverge on the first page, where a reader will find small boy monster trying to sleep in his "cold gray tomb".  In place of a small bunny snuggled up in bed lies a boy monster surrounded by tomb stones, a black lagoon, skulls, bats, and other creepy creatures.  Hanging in the lair are pictures of "martians taking over the moon" and "three little mummies rubbing their tummies".  Reading on one discovers hairy claws, jaws, a screeching bat, a black hat, and later a skull, shoe, churning pot, and a werewolf on a rocking chair.  Once the creatures and objects in the room are made known the author begins to say good night to each of them. He wishes goodnight to the tomb and goon, to the martians on the moon, to the bones and black lagoon, and to the mummies and tummies. When at last it may seem that the creatures have all made their way to sleep, the little monster in his blue striped pajamas wishes the mischievous goon goodnight and sternly sends him to sleep under his bed.  The story closes with a goodnight wish to all creatures.
       Each page of the story is festooned with descriptive illustrations that cause readers to look beyond the text present and explore the setting of the page in much greater depth and detail.  Students will likely ask their teacher to pause before turning the page so that they may take in every minuscule piece of the picture.  As they look further into the pages of the story they will let their imaginations run wild as they pretend to be the small monster.
        Goodnight Goon would be a fantastic book to read and share at any time of the year, but may be especially fun during October as Halloween approaches.  Children of all ages would likely enjoy hearing the story read aloud, with high appeal for both girls and boys.  Due to the spooky nature of the story, teachers may wish to take time to emphasize that the story is purely fantasy and they need not worry about a goon sleeping under their bed.  Although the text may be quite simple for children in older grades, these children will be able to determine and understand the connections to Goodnight Moon.  The story also lends itself to many lesson ideas, ranging from drawing pictures to represent the story to having the students work as a class to write another parody on Goodnight Moon.    
      Like this parody by Micheal Rex?  Then take a look at The Runaway Mummy, another parody on The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown.