Bibliographic Information: Auch, M. J. and Auch, H. (2002). The Princess and the Pizza. New York, NY: Holiday House.
Brief Annotation: Princess Paulina who use to be a princess decided to enter a competition to become the princess bride of Prince Drupert. The competition consisted of many tests to find a real princess. Princess Paulina pass all the test until the last one, which was a cooking contest. With odd ingredients, she didn't have know what to make but she managed to complete a dish which the queen and prince loved! That dish gained the name, "Pizza!" Seeing how everyone loved her pizza dish, Princess Paulina decided not to marry Prince Drupert and lived happily ever after making Pizzas!
Genre: Fractured Fairy tales
Grade Level: K-3rd
Readers who will like this: Students who are familiar with fairy tales
Response/Rating (1-4): 4, This was a very entertaining and comical take on the Princess and the Pea. This would be a great book to use when teaching about fractured fairy tale!
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Who has read or heard the tale of the Princess and the Pea?
Monday, March 26, 2012
On My Honor
Bibliographic Information: Bauer, M. (1987). On My Honor. New York, NY: Yearling.
Brief Annotation: Joel and Tony are friends but Tony is way more daring than Joel. Taking a biking trip to a place Joel didn't even feel like going, the boys' trip turns into a nightmare. Joel ends up daring Tony to swim across the river to the sandbar even though Tony wasn't a good swimmer. Unfortunately, Tony ends up drowning and Joel is left figuring out how he is going to tell their parents.
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: 4th-5th
Readers who will like this: Readers who like an adventure with a good lesson.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4, I liked how there is action right away. This is a good book to recommend to struggling readers in higher grades. It is a short read and the action occurs within the first few chapters, which will hook the reader.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever lied about something and that little lie just turns into a bigger problem?
a. Reading Strategy: Hot Seat
b. Strategy Description: Have the students take turns sitting in the hot seat. In the hot seat, the students will take on the identity of one of the characters in the book. Then the other students will ask the student, in the hot seat, questions relating to the story of the book. If the there is a definite answer, they student in the hot seat must answer to their best abilities. If the answer is based on what they character could have been thinking, the student can improvise what they thought.
c. Rationale: This is a great strategy for retelling in a creative way. This strategy is also great for the students to show their comprehension of the book.
Brief Annotation: Joel and Tony are friends but Tony is way more daring than Joel. Taking a biking trip to a place Joel didn't even feel like going, the boys' trip turns into a nightmare. Joel ends up daring Tony to swim across the river to the sandbar even though Tony wasn't a good swimmer. Unfortunately, Tony ends up drowning and Joel is left figuring out how he is going to tell their parents.
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: 4th-5th
Readers who will like this: Readers who like an adventure with a good lesson.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4, I liked how there is action right away. This is a good book to recommend to struggling readers in higher grades. It is a short read and the action occurs within the first few chapters, which will hook the reader.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever lied about something and that little lie just turns into a bigger problem?
a. Reading Strategy: Hot Seat
b. Strategy Description: Have the students take turns sitting in the hot seat. In the hot seat, the students will take on the identity of one of the characters in the book. Then the other students will ask the student, in the hot seat, questions relating to the story of the book. If the there is a definite answer, they student in the hot seat must answer to their best abilities. If the answer is based on what they character could have been thinking, the student can improvise what they thought.
c. Rationale: This is a great strategy for retelling in a creative way. This strategy is also great for the students to show their comprehension of the book.
Jazz
Myers, W. (2008). Jazz. Illus. Christoph Myers. New York, New York: Holiday House, Inc.
Annotation: This is a poem book compiled of 15 different poems. The poems depict the history of jazz as well as making the reading feel like they can hear the music by the beeps and bops that are in the book.
Genre: Children's Poetry (Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award 2007)
Grade Level: 2nd-5th
Readers who would like this: This is a good book for teachers to keep in their library, because it is a fun way of presenting poetry to students. A lot of kids are pursuing band the beginning of 5th grade, so it presents a way to show poetry in a different light than Romeo and Juliet.
Ratings/Response: I give this book a 4. I am not a huge fan of poetry, but the illustrations and unique structure of this poetry book is outstanding.
Question: Do you play an instrument?
Annotation: This is a poem book compiled of 15 different poems. The poems depict the history of jazz as well as making the reading feel like they can hear the music by the beeps and bops that are in the book.
Genre: Children's Poetry (Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award 2007)
Grade Level: 2nd-5th
Readers who would like this: This is a good book for teachers to keep in their library, because it is a fun way of presenting poetry to students. A lot of kids are pursuing band the beginning of 5th grade, so it presents a way to show poetry in a different light than Romeo and Juliet.
Ratings/Response: I give this book a 4. I am not a huge fan of poetry, but the illustrations and unique structure of this poetry book is outstanding.
Question: Do you play an instrument?
Good Enough to Eat
Cole, B. (2007). Good Enough to Eat. Illus. Brock Cole. New York, New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Annotation: This is about a homeless girl that the people in town would love to get rid of. When an ogre shows up to town one day they pawn her off on him. She is able to outwit the townspeople and the ogre.
Genre: Theme paper book (fairytale and fantasy)
Grade Level: K-5th
Readers who would like this: This would be a cute bedtime story for a little girl to read or have read to her.
Response/Rating: I give this book a 3. The illustrations weren't my cup of tea. I like more vivid colors and more modern illustrations. The story line was well written.
Question: Do you know what an ogre is?
Annotation: This is about a homeless girl that the people in town would love to get rid of. When an ogre shows up to town one day they pawn her off on him. She is able to outwit the townspeople and the ogre.
Genre: Theme paper book (fairytale and fantasy)
Grade Level: K-5th
Readers who would like this: This would be a cute bedtime story for a little girl to read or have read to her.
Response/Rating: I give this book a 3. The illustrations weren't my cup of tea. I like more vivid colors and more modern illustrations. The story line was well written.
Question: Do you know what an ogre is?
The Lightning Thief
Bibliographic Information (APA): Riordan, Rick. (2006). The Lightning Thief. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion.
Brief Annotation: This is a book about a boy that has been raised by a single mother. He has never met his father but when a strange set of events happen on a school field trip he learns that his father is much more powerful than he knew.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction
Grade Level: 5th and up
Readers who will like this: Children that enjoy books with action or a hero main character. Children that enjoy fantasy novels. Children that enjoyed Harry Potter.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4; I loved this book for many reasons. I loved that this drew a lot of Greek history and knowledge about greek gods. This books shows a lot of growth in Percy when he has to go on a quest to find his father's lightning bolt in order to save the world. This book has a great plot that drives the book. Many children will become interested in Greek history when they read this book.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever wished one of your parents was a super hero or a god?
The Sorceror's Stone
Bibliographic Information (APA): Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. Illus Mary GrandPré. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Brief Annotation: This is about a young boy named Harry that becomes a wizard and is sent to wizarding school. He finds that he is welcomed by many but not by all.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction
Grade Level: 4th and up
Readers who will like this: Children that enjoy fantasy books or books about wizards.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4; This is a wonderful book for children. Rowling writes beautifully and engages the reader on every page. The characters are well rounded and deep. The plot is wonderfully written and easy to follow. I would recommend this book for avid readers or children that don't seem to enjoy reading. Harry grows through this book ans discovers a lot about himself.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you ever wish that you were a wizard?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
The Whole World's Crazy
Bibliographic Information: Gownley, J. (2006) Amelia Rules: The Whole World's Crazy. Harrisburg, Penn: Renaissance Press
Annotation: This is the story of Amelia. She begins to wonder if the whole world is crazy, or maybe it's her. She is experiencing many new things, and her friends are along for the ride.
Genre: Graphic Novel
Grade Level: 2-6
Readers who will enjoy this book: Students who have expierenced change including moving and divorce
Response/Rating: This was a great introduction to graphic novels. I loved the book and it really made me laugh! 4
Classroom question: Have you ever moved away and had to find new friends? Do you know somebody who has?
Annotation: This is the story of Amelia. She begins to wonder if the whole world is crazy, or maybe it's her. She is experiencing many new things, and her friends are along for the ride.
Genre: Graphic Novel
Grade Level: 2-6
Readers who will enjoy this book: Students who have expierenced change including moving and divorce
Response/Rating: This was a great introduction to graphic novels. I loved the book and it really made me laugh! 4
Classroom question: Have you ever moved away and had to find new friends? Do you know somebody who has?
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