A New School Year

School has now been in session for a little over a month and with teaching fifth grade all day my reading time is severely restricted. My newest find is not a new book, albeit a great book. My advice is run and get a copy of The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. The book won the Booker Prize in 2000 and Time magazine named it the best novel of 2000. I am only sad that I did not discover the book for nine years! My oldest child recommended the book and I take all the credit for their excellent taste in literature. My fear is that there are thousands of wonderful novels that I am not aware of.
Atwood writes prose like poetry and several times I re-read paragraphs simply because they were so wonderfully written.

Books My Children Love #2

My daughter just ran down the stairs, out of breath, having gotten up out of bed, "Have you listed my favorite books yet?", she asked. She had apparently been tossing and turning over her answers. I explained that she was not going to be held accountable for her previous list, nonetheless, she insisted that I add the following two entries:

A Separate Peace by Knowles
Anything written by Ray Bradbury (she thinks he writes prose like poetry).

If she can add books, I want to add some too!
All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque
Poems by Robert Frost
Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead by Lindbergh

I promise to not add anymore--after all I still have to finish my other assignments!

Books My Children and I Love

This entry is in addition to the required posts regarding children's literature. Both my children are still in their teens and I wanted to list their favorite books. It is of note that none of the books they chose were required reading in their high school classes. They are both voracious readers and although I may disagree with their choices(the ones I have actually read) it only goes to show how individual reading choices are!


One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez

Dune by Herbert

The Sandman by Gaiman

The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare

Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

The Lovely Bones by Sebold

East of Eden by Steinbeck
The Stolen Child by Donohue

The Awakening by Chopin

Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Shields

Not than anyone asked, but, my five favorite books are:

In The Woods by French

In Cold Blood by Capote

Germinal by Zola

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Diamond

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Goodwin.

A Single Shard: Newbery #2

Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard is the tale of the orphan Tree-Ear’s passing through adolescence. Set in 12th-century Korea, the book opens with Tree-ear and his caretaker-friend Crane-man living under a bridge near a town known for its pottery, Ch’ulpo. Tree-ear and Crane-man eke out a living begging and digging through the waste piles of the residents of Ch’ulpo until Tree-ear is one day caught after sneaking into a potter’s workshop to admire the work. Though Tree-ear had no ill intentions for the artisan’s products, when he is caught he accidentally damages one of the potter’s pieces. Tree-ear, ever-committed to justice, offers the potter his services in doing “grunt work” in order to pay for the damage he caused. Reluctantly, Potter Min agrees, and so the book’s central relationship begins.

The Tree-ear/Min relationship evolves over the course of the book through several events. Tree-ear learns of Min’s deceased son as Min begins to appreciate the boy’s eagerness, and so the relationship deepens. Eventually a royal emissary—a man who gives out royal commissions to worthy artisans—comes to Ch’ulpo. Min, unfortunately, is upstaged by the creatively gifted but impatient and inconsistent Kang. Min, however, manages to impress the emissary enough that the emissary suggests Min try something using Kang’s new technique and send it to the capitol for consideration for a commission. Min tries to politely refuse, giving his age and frailty as an excuse. Tree-ear, against his better judgment, tells Min that he will take the sample to the capitol if Min will create it.

Min, of course, does create the sample, and Tree-ear leaves behind the only home he has ever known, including his constant companion/friend/caretaker Crane-man. Along the way, Tree-ear is accosted by thieves, who break the two sample works spitefully. Tree-ear, heartbroken, thinks he must turn back and disappoint all those he left behind. Taking to heart an adage Crane-man once taught him, Tree-ear instead heads toward the capitol carrying only the largest piece he could find of the shattered vase. He bluffs his way into the emissary’s office, knowing that telling the guards what he has brought would only get him laughed at. The emissary, however, proves a kind and understanding man, awarding Min the commission on the grounds that even the single shard he has seen is an adequate representation of the skill he sought. Tree-ear is sent home via sea along with the good news.

Upon arriving, Tree-ear is shocked to hear of Crane-man death—the old man had fallen into the river, and the cold shock had killed him. However, Tree-ear’s grief slowly subsides as he realizes that he now has a place in the home of Min, who heretofore had been stand-offish. Though the old potter is still gruff and terse, it is clear that his respect for Tree-ear has grown immensely as he welcomes him into his home, something he had previously felt would dishonor his dead son.

A Single Shard manages to convey a simple but powerful message while integrating important elements of children’s literature. The book’s plot is understandable but nuanced enough to hold a child’s interest, while Park’s use of a unique, real setting strengthens the work as a whole and introduces a certain educational bent into what could have been a straight fantastical book.

Park as a wonderful website that includes a biography of the author, her blog, a bibliography of her books, and even a fun section with trivia games for fans. The site can be found at http://www.lindasuepark.com/. She has written both picture books and novels for young readers. Click, The Kite Fighters, and When My Name Was Keoko are novels. Tap Dancing on the Roof and Mung-Mung are picture books. These are only a few of the books she has written; a complete list can be found on her website.

Book To Film #3: The Story of Ruby Bridges

The Story of Ruby Bridges, written by Robert Coles and illustrated by George Ford, and the film it inspired, Disney's Ruby Bridges, are resources that I use in my fifth grade class every year. The story of the civil rights movement in America comes alive when I use this book and film. The book tells the story of how a small child embodied the hopes and dreams of equality for the African-American community in 196o.

The book tells Ruby's story from the perspective of a counselor who witnessed the events first hand. The movie allows viewers to walk in Ruby's shoes and see the events from her perspective. The book does not allow the horror of the events to be realized on a personal level, whereas the movie has moments of terror as a small child walks a gauntlet of racial slurs and threats of violence.

The movie goes into great detail about the personal prices paid by Ruby's family. Her father loses his job, she is denied an integrated learning environment for over a year, and she must endure the ugly face of racism on a daily basis. This film has never bored my students- in fact, they are often shocked by the situation that up until now they have only read about. The fact that black and white students were not allowed to attend school together usually comes as quite a shock. They are stunned to learn that I, their teacher, never attended school with any African-Americans until I went to college.

The book and the movie share the moment when Ruby prays for those who try and block her entrance to an all white school. Ruby's teacher and the way she spends her first year, isolated from the other students, is depicted in both the movie and the book.

The book is a wonderful way to introduce a story that most students are unaware of and the movie is a culmination of a civil rights unit that personalizes an ugly episode in American history. A wonderful starting point for this unit is the famous painting by Norman Rockwell of Ruby Bridges being escorted to school by U.S. Federal Marshalls.

Ruby Bridges wrote Through My Eyes, a first hand account of the events depicted in the film and book by Cole. I have not read Bridges's book but it was favorably reviewed by School Library Journal.

Book To Film #2: Where The Red Fern Grows(1974)

I chose to read this book and watch this film because I was recently admonished when I admitted that, although I had started this book, I had never finished it. It was the first book that both my children cried over and I knew it was time to finish what I had started.

The book, written by Wilson Rawls, is a semi-autobiographical look at life in the Ozarks during the Great Depression. The main character, Billy Coleman, dreams of owning hunting hounds but the depression and his family's lack of money make the dream all but impossible. A dogged determination marks the character and over a two-year time span he manages to save enough money to buy two redbone hound dogs.

The book chronicles the lives of Billy and those who share his Ozark home. His grandfather and the Pritchard brothers play main roles in the story as it unfolds. Billy's devotion to his dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, and their devotion to Billy and each other, is the heart of this story.

Through victories, insights, and tragedies, the story of a boy and his dogs is in fact a coming of age story. Billy learns to appreciate the hard life of the Pritchard brothers, the tenacity of the ghost coon, and what it means to nurture and love another living thing.

Neither the book or the movie is entirely a feel good adventure. Rubin Pritchard is killed(in the book he trips, in the film he is tripped by Billy), Dan and Ann die of injury and sorrow, and the Ozark home is left for a life in the city. The 1974 film is available in its entirety on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJtHsZmOnPg. The movie is a faithful adaptation of the book-except where Billy trips Rubin and the very important beginning of the book. The book begins with Billy as an adult who finds and nurses a sick dog back to health. This event triggers his memories of his childhood in the Ozarks and of Dan and Ann. I missed this moment in the movie.

The following website offers a comprehensive unit that can be used when reading Where the Red Fern Grows.

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/dogs/fern/where_the_red_fern_grows.htm

Book To Film #1: Tuck Everlasting

I should state upfront that I almost always prefer any book
over it's film adaptation. Too often images created by words are often lost in film. What can be said in prose is sometimes impossible to recreate on screen. With that being said, I have enjoyed several film adaptations of children's books. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is one such example. Does the film follow the book faithfully? Are basic plot lines altered? Would I recommend the film? Read on!

There are several differences between the book and the film, some I understand, others baffle me. I must be honest and admit that I did not notice the change in the year the movie takes place versus the book. It was not until I was researching the issue that I realized the movie was set in 1914, whereas the book was set in the 1880's. The one obvious change was the aging of the heroine Winnie from a ten year old in the book to a teenager in the film. This change was understandable considering the implications of Jesse's proposal to Winnie. The characters in the book all appear in the film: the Tucks, Winnie, the man in the yellow suit, the sheriff, and Winnie's family.

The movie poses some interesting questions. Why was Winnie so fast to accept the Tucks after they had kidnapped her- the book made the answer easy to accept, whereas the film, left me wondering why she was not more afraid. The tragedy of Miles was well developed in both the book and the film. The character of the man in the yellow suit was visually delicious in the film as played by Ben Kingsley. It is of note that this film stars several Academy Award winners: Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, and Ben Kingsley.

The overriding questions of immortality, choice, love, and loneliness are addressed in the film. In the end, Winnie makes choices that usually surprises a young audience and opens the floor for discussion of these issues.

Despite the differences between the film and the book, I would recommend this Disney film as a companion to the novel.

The are thousands of websites containing lesson plans for Tuck Everlasting. One that goes into great depth is http://www.scu.edu/character/CBL/archived-lesson-plans/upload/tuck1-3.pdf.

Books That Celebrate Diversity #2: The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate

Tolerance of all religious beliefs is only the beginning of true cultural awareness. The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate, text by Janice Cohn and illustrated by Bill Farnsworth speaks to the need to defend religious beliefs that are different from an individuals beliefs. The United States Constitution specifically protects freedom of religion; most students never think of religious freedom in locales that are predominantly Christian because the issue is never raised. This book re-tales the contemporary true story of a town in Montana that fought bigotry and hate directed toward its Jewish community in 1993. The story is told from the point of view of an eleven year old Jewish boy(perfect for a fifth grade class studying American history and government) whose town fights against violent anti-semitism.

When homes displaying menorahs are vandalized the town takes a stand by having all homes, Christian and Jewish, display the menorah. Soon business and churches of all faiths join the crusade and menorahs are suddenly everywhere in this predominantly Christian community.

The lessons of tolerance reach beyond religion and can be extended to issues of race, gender, and disabilities. My fifth grade students love this story and how it allows them to see how they can make large differences through small acts of solidarity.

I first became aware of this story when I saw the made for television movie Not in This Town, which is based upon the book. The video can be purchased at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Not-This-Town-Kathy-Baker/dp/0783222513/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=video&qid=1246300712&sr=8-1) for a very reasonable price.

There are several websites that have lesson plans based upon this book and film. I have listed several for your perusal: http://hastings.ci.lexington.ma.us/Library/Yes/Lessons/Community/communit.htm and http://ctp.facinghistory.org/book/export/html/12

Books That Celebrate Diversity #1: And Tango Makes Three

Teaching an appreciation for the diverse world in which we live can be a daunting task, especially when the diversity involves controversial issues. No one would argue that racial, ethnic, and religious diversity should be addressed in schools, however, the issue of what constitutes a family can be a minefield to transverse. The publication of And Tango Makes Three in 2005 was both applauded and criticized for its content. The American Library Association reports that And Tango Makes Three, written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole, was the most challenged book in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

The story, based on actual events, takes place at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Two male chinstrap penguins form a family unit that lasts six years. The book chronicles the events that occur during this time frame. The zoo keepers notice that the two penguins try unsuccessfully to hatch an egg- an egg that turns out to be a rock. The zoo keepers provide an egg from another couple that had two eggs and had been unable to hatch two eggs in the past.

The nurturing couple successfully care for, hatch, and raise a baby penguin named Tango. The family unit described in this book is loving, nurturing, and headed by a same-sex couple.

This book provides an excellent opportunity to introduce the idea that families are as diverse as the world in which we live. The younger student will appreciate the story of loving parents and the older student will be introduced to the diversity that exists in today's world. The illustrations will also engage the young and older reader-after all, who doesn't love a penguin!

I would be remiss if I did not warn of the possible controversy that the inclusion of this book could cause for the media center brave enough to add this wonderful book to their collection. The ALA offers, on it's website, steps to address attempts to ban and censor books(http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/index.cfm).

The Lorax: Lessons in Going Green

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a didactic children's book addressing the issues of conservation, pollution, greed, and possible redemption by those who once blithely squandered their natural resources. In the "green times" of today, it is hard to imagine the controversy that the publication of this book in 1971 once caused. The story resembles a fable in which an entire community perishes due to over harvesting of the local resource, namely the Truffula trees. Pollution, climate change, deforestation, and the all too common human emotion of greed play a role in the eventual destruction of a once beautiful and vibrant community. The story ends on a hopeful note of rebirth. The Once-ler, the story's antagonist, has saved one Truffula seed- perhaps enough to allow a regrowth of the community that had been destroyed by a capricious and callous use of limited natural resources.

A Cat in the Hat film version of The Lorax can be accessed in its entirety on Youtube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GECJcW2Ifm4.

Contemporary children's literature continues to be didactic in nature. Most social issues have been visited in books written for the youth market. Prejudice, bullying, the changing family, and conservation have all been addressed in recent literature. TheGreat Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest and A Christmas Tree in the White House are two recent books that tell stories of environmental conservation.

The Cat in the Hat and If You Give a Pig a Pancake

A contemporary children's book that embodies the tension between the good sense and nonsensee found in Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat is the delightful If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. The pig in question, much like the cat, takes a simple situation and makes more and more outrageous requests- eventually creating chaos-before making a circular route back to the beginning.

Children of all ages will enjoy this book- the illustrations make it impossible to not fall in love with the antagonist. The requests begin benignly enough, syrup for the pancake, only to become more and more complex as the book progresses. The host becomes more and more frazzled, much like the children in

The Cat in the Hat, as she attempts to placate her guest. The logical, yet ridiculous, requests will have students engaged in guessing what could be next.

Extension lessons could include sequencing, making predictions, and word recognition. Several websites offer lesson plans using this book series.

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/ifyougivea.html

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LACircularStoriesK1.htm
http://atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/If_You_Give_a_____Books/index.shtml

Pictures of Hollis Woods: Newbery #1

I chose my Newbery winner based upon the cover art of the novel- it touched me in a poignant way that is rarely explainable. Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Griff was a 2003 Newbery Honor winner. The story of Hollis was indeed as poignant as the book cover promised.

Hollis Woods, named for the place she was abandoned as a baby, is a child whose perspectives have been influenced and skewed by the foster care system in which she has been raised. The fact that every year I have at least three students in the foster care system, makes this book a must read for me- and for any teacher who deals with children placed in this flawed, albeit, sometimes life saving system. This book allows an outsider into the thought process of a child who views the concept of family in a way that those born into one never will.

Hollis's early life is spent moving from family to family until she is placed with the Regan family. What appears to be a perfect fit between child and family is soon destroyed by the perceptions of a child who assumes, misinterprets, and does not understand that families work problems out--they do not run from them. Although Hollis's intentions are admirable-to save a family from her actions-they are misplaced. In fact, the Regan's love Hollis and she is not to blame for the problems with Steven.

So often children misunderstand or misinterpret what adults say- it should be a lesson to all to be very careful when speaking around young children. I remember when my son, who is now 19 years old, was in the fourth grade and I decided to go back to school and get a teaching degree. The conversation in the home had centered around my ability to quit work and return to school. My husband and I knew it would be financially tight-but doable. You can only imagine my shock (embarrassment) when I went to his fourth grade open house and read his self-written profile. Under the heading of "I worry about", my precious child had written "paying our bills" and then displayed his work for all to see!! This reminded me of Hollis and made me want to cry just a little-cry for Hollis and for my child who had worried so unnecessarily at the age of nine.

Hollis leaves the Regans and eventually finds acceptance and love with an elderly woman named Josie. Hollis and Josie share an artistic bent that allows Hollis to begin to become the artist she is meant to become. Unfortunately, Josie begins to show signs of Alzheimer disease which Hollis deals with by becoming invisible. She goes to school, causes no trouble, and tries to stay under the radar of social services. Eventually Hollis decides she and Josie must run in order to remain together as a family. Where she runs to and the discoveries she makes are the climax of this book.

The Pinballs, A Child Called It, Anne of Green Gables, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and Bud, Not Buddy are books that deal with children in foster care situations.

Pictures of Hollis Woods was made into a Hallmark movie in 2007. The film starred Sissy Spacek. I have not seen the film and therefore cannot recommend it at this time.

Patricia Griff also wrote the 1998 Newbery Honor book Lily's Crossing, the Polk Street School series, and Willow Run.

Jerry Pinkney: The Ugly Duckling

Jerry Pinkney is a multi-award winning illustrator and author. He has won numerous Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Awards, and ALA Awards. His website, http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html, has excellent examples of his work in children's literature. His adaptation and illustration of Hans Christian Anderson's The Ugly Duckling was published in 1999.

The classic tale of self-actualization focuses on the trials of the self-described animal "too ugly even for a dog to eat" to the beautiful swan he was destined to become. Pinkney's illustrations are large, two page spreads that are filled with details that will engage children for hours. The illustrations are colorful, yet subtle in presentation, as watercolor tends to be.

The timeless tale of adversity, bullying, and eventual triumph as the duckling blossoms and fulfills his destiny as a swan can give hope to child who find themselves in similar situations. Too short, too tall, too heavy, too skinny, glasses, braces; these are situations that many students worry constantly over and stories like The Ugly Duckling may provide a brief respite for them. This would be an excellent book to read the first day of school and have students write about their own visions of themselves in the future--this would give the classroom teacher insight to the individual student; their fears and their dreams. A Spanish version of the book is available.

An entertaining and informative interview of Pinkney for children can be found at http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/bookzone/pinkney.htm. The author and illustrator is pictured to the right.

Yoshiko Uchida: The Bracelet

The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida tells the story of U.S. Government internment of Japanese-Americans following the outbreak of World War II as seen through the eyes of a seven year old Japanese-American girl. The story is based upon the real-life experiences of the author and her family. The story follows Emi and her family as they are forced to leave their home and friends and settle into squalid living conditions that were common in the internment camps of the era. I can not recommend this book, which was based on a short story, for several reasons. As much as I wanted it to, the story does not create a feeling of empathy towards the characters in the story. The mother and sister are never fleshed out in terms of character or despair, in fact, the main character, Emi, leaves me wanting more emotionally. The illustrations by Joanna Yardley lack emotion, in fact, almost every page has more empty space than used space.

The friendship between Emi and Laurie is almost a side story, contrived, to allow the introduction of the bracelet. I never get a feeling of this relationship and why is appears to be lost. I would assume that a better lesson would be how a friendship can survive despite distance and events.

I am not quite sure the intended age group this book would appeal to. Very young students will not understand the concept of internment and older students will have to be given historical context to fully appreciate the situation the book attempts to describe. My fifth grade students would not be engaged by a seven year old protagonist and seven year olds may not be able to grasp the concepts of racism, prejudice, and fear based upon threat of wartime uncertainty.

Uchida is a prolific writer of children's books that address her experiences as a Japanese-American. She has been awarded honors from School Library Journal, the American Library Association, and the New York Public Library. Her notable children's books include Best Bad Thing, Jar of Dreams, and Journey to Topaz. Her complete bibliography of children's books includes over seventeen titles.

Martin's Big Words: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner

A wonderful resource for finding books that offer insight to cultural diversity and the African-American experience are the Coretta Scott King Award winning books. The 2002 illustrator honor winner was Martin's Big Words written by Doreen Rappoport and illustrated by Bryan Collier. This picture book will appeal to students of all ages because of the textured layering of the illustrations. The younger students will enjoy the large colorful illustrations that accompany the simple text, while older students will be engaged by the intricate weaving of different textures into the collage design chosen by the artist. Collier also explains in a forward that he uses symbolism in his work, in this case, the four candles which represent the four children killed in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing that occurred in 1963 in Birmingham Alabama. The use of a repeating image of stained glass windows throughout the book will open discussions of King's life, the non-violent measures he espoused, and how the civil rights movement of the 1960's was led by African-American church leaders.

The illustrations in the book add to the simple text that will not overwhelm the very young student and at the same time will engage the older student. Historical events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, bombings of civil right leader's homes, the legislative outlawing of segregation laws, and King's eventual murder are written about in simple text. As a fifth grade teacher, I find this book an excellent way to introduce the civil rights movement in America without overwhelming the student. Martin's Big Words is full of quotes by King that will open discussion for the older student while introducing the younger student to the idea of peaceful protest to bring about change.

Collier has illustrated several award winning books. A Freedom River and Visiting Langston were both Coretta Scott King Award winning books. He also was honored with an Ezra Jack Keats and Coretta Scott King Award for Uptown. His books Rosa and Martin's Big Words were awarded Caldecott Honors.

The Caldecott and Newbery Awards

Two of the most prestigious children's book awards in the United States are the John Newbery Medal and the Randolph Caldecott Medal. Although both are awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, they are bestowed based upon very different criteria.

The Newbery Medal, named in honor of British book publisher John Newbery, has been awarded annually since 1922 to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This award was the first to recognize excellence in children's literature. The criteria for consideration is that the book must have been published in English in the United States the previous year and have been written by a citizen or resident of the United States. The book must also stand alone(not as a part of a multimedia presentation) as a contribution to children's literature. Since 1971 the runners-up for the Newbery Award have been named Newbery Honors Books, an honor that was retroactively afforded all Newbery Medal runners-up. In 2008 the award came under criticism for its choices as being to difficult for young readers and too dark in subject matter to appeal to most children(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121503293.html).

The Caldecott Medal, on the other hand, is awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Caldecott Honor citations are awarded to deserving runners-up. Awarded annually, the honor is named for Randolph Caldecott, an English artist and illustrator. The major criteria for consideration is that the book must have been published in English in the United States the previous year and the artist must be a citizen or resident of the United States. The illustrations must be original work that appropriately address the various needs of children. The illustrations should advance theme, plot, character, and setting of the text. Like the Newbery winners, the book must be able to stand alone as a piece of work.

A complete list of Newbery and Caldecott Medal and Honor winning books can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm.

Henry's Freedom Box: Caldecott Review #5

Henry's Freedom Box was a Caldecott Honor recipient in 2008. The book was illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Ellen Levin. Speaking as a 5th grade teacher, I am always very careful when presenting books that may be perceived as factual, when in fact, they are not based on any documented evidence. An example of such would be Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Hopkinson, which, despite the lack of any documented evidence, places forth the supposition that quilts were used in the Underground Railroad as guides to freedom, a claim that has not been verified by any scholarly research(http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070624/2quilts.htm). Henry's Freedom Box is based upon a documented escape of a slave in 1849. The story of Henry "Box" Brown is retold in simple, yet compelling prose. The pain and anguish of losing everyone you love is presented in such a way that students of all ages will be able to put the peculiar institution of slavery into perspective. Henry's mother says, "Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the trees like slave children are torn from their families." In fact, Henry is torn from his childhood and adult families just like the leaves from an autumn tree. The story focuses on Henry as an adult and his resolve to be free. After losing his wife and children when they are sold, Henry decides to mail himself to a place where he can be free. The book tells of his dangerous journey to freedom.

Kadir Nelson illustrated Henry's Freedom Box using a mixture of mediums. Crosshatched pencil lines layered with watercolors and oil paints are used to create the large pictures that illustrate the book. The pictures convey a sense of sadness through the use of a muted, autumnal palate. The last illustration in the book is based upon the original lithograph that inspired Levine to write Henry's Freedom Box. Nelson also illustrated Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, which also was a Caldecott Honor recipient.

Many readers will be left with a sense of incompleteness. Does Henry ever find his family? This is the most common question asked when finishing the book and unfortunately the answer is no, although the book does not answer this question. As with the institution of slavery, all the answers are rarely tied up so neatly.

Several websites offer extension activities to supplement lesson plans regarding slavery, the Underground Railroad, and Henry's Freedom Box.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=32442

http://www.state.lib.la.us/empowerlibrary/henrys%20freedom%20box.doc

So You Want to Be President: Caldecott Review #4

So You Want to Be President, text by Judith St. George and illustrations by David Small was the 2001 recipient of the Caldecott Medal. This book can make ancient history (to a 5th grader that would be anything before 1992) interesting. I have found that when history is taught with an eye toward the characters, the concepts usually become more interesting and encourage discussion. Students usually yawn when we discuss Jefferson's "and all men are created equal" until I tell them he was a slave owner. This information will unleash a deluge of questions and debates. So You Want to Be President is a book that will encourage questions, debates, and further research. St. George's book is filled with accurate presidential anecdotes ranging from the oldest and youngest, tallest and shortest, and fattest and thinnest. The previous jobs of President's have included teacher, farmer, lawyer, and even movie actor. The book also mentions Nixon's resignation and Clinton's impeachment ( unfortunately it does not mention Andrew Johnson's impeachment).

David Small's illustrations are styled as cartoon caricatures which I do not personally favor. I would assume that most social studies teachers would make sure that students were shown actual representations of the Presidents. Students, on the other hand, appear to enjoy the cartoon-like portraits. Small's illustrations include humorous pictures of Presidents being lifted into bathtubs and horses in a White House bedroom.

There are drawbacks to this book, most notably, the absence of President Barack Obama. The book specifically mentions that no person of color has been elected President.

Scholastic has a website that offers an audio selection from the book, along with an updated activity to include Barack Obama at http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/r/RB_BarackObama.pdf.
Another website that includes activities to accompany this book can be found at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/presidents/literature-guide/5241.html.