Fly Away Home

Fly Away Home
by, Eve Bunting
Illustrated by, Ronald Himler

This is the story of a homeless father and his son, living at the airport. Written from the little boy's perspective, he shares what this experience is like for him, and how he and his dad work to remain invisible so that they don't get caught.

I truly got goose bumps as I read this story. I love that the author wrote such a heartfelt story about homelessness. It illustrates very well that the face of homelessness is not always what many people think. Children are homeless. Well dressed, professional looking fathers are homeless. So often, as a society, we think of homelessness as only impacting individuals who struggle with alcohol and drug abuse, older disheveled looking men pushing shopping carts, etc.

I struggle to think of this book as a controversial book. As adults, we sometimes want to shelter our children from the idea that some children really struggle in our world. Children cope with all sorts of issues, homelessness being among them. I believe that it is essential that children learn about lifestyles and situations outside of their own experiences. This story addresses the topic of homelessness in a sensitive, heartfelt way that children and adults can both learn from.

Walter the Farting Dog

Walter the Farting Dog
by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray
illustrated by, Audrey Colman

Ah-farting. Such controversy!

Seriously, I thought this book was hilarious. Adults can be so serious sometimes, and if anyone has spent time with children ages 7-11, you know that there isn't anything quite as funny as a fart joke. This book tells the story of Walter the dog, who is at risk of being sent back to the dog pound thanks to his farting problem. The family tries everything they can to change Walter's farting habits, but in the end, Walter is Walter, and the family learns to love him just as he is.

I think the only reason I might hesitate to use this book in a classroom setting would be from a classroom management perspective. I can imagine a room full of third graders losing complete control as I read this book. I understand that some people may find farting to be an offensive and rude behavior, but given that this book doesn't advocate children farting in inappropriate places- we are talking about a dog here- I think the world should be able to handle this little bit of "controversy."

Happy to Be Nappy

Happy to Be Nappy
by Bell Hooks
Illustrated by, Chris Raschka

This picture book poetically illustrates the joy and beauty of "nappy" hair. I enjoyed the poetic verse, and I thought the artwork in the book was cute, with bold colors and paint depicting young African American children with a variety of hair styles and looks. The text of the story appears in cursive writing, looking like it was written with a black crayon. This adds to the innocence of the book, and I think helps the author to evoke the sense of self-pride and confidence that she hopes children will feel regarding their own identity.

In my mind, the book by itself contains very little controversy. I think most people would agree that all children should feel confident and self assured in their appearance and their cultural identity. For an African American parent to read this book to his or her daughter probably will not spark to much controversy. However, if a white teacher is reading this book to her class, I can understand that some controversy might arise. The term "nappy hair" could be considered insulting when coming from an individual who is not a member of the African American culture. For this reason, I would be very cautious presenting this book in my own classroom (I am a white female). In my social studies methods course we discussed this book, and our instructor shared that a teacher was fired for reading this book to her class. As teachers, we strive include diverse perspectives and books with a wide range of cultural influences into our classroom. However, care must be taken not to inadvertently offend or use materials that could be misinterpreted. I think that this book has a great message for all kids- kids should should feel happy about their bodies, their hair, and themselves! However, I think the risk of misinterpretation would be great, and therefore I probably would steer away from this book in my elementary school classroom.

On the Day You Were Born

On the Day You Were Born
by, Debra Frasier

This is a beautifully written, poetic book that tells of the wonders of our planet earth, and the special welcoming of a new baby. The illustrations on each page hold bright contrasting colors, and each page seems worthy of framing.

Mostly, I love the poetic verse in this book, as well as the subtle messages of conservation and the importance of taking care of planet- for it takes care of us. The end of this book contains informational pages with expanded information about some of the terms mentioned in the books verses. There is information about migration, gravity, the sun, the moon, tides, atmosphere, etc.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will support an Environmental Learning Center in Florida's Indian River Lagoon. This book supports environmental efforts not only through the words that it shares, but financially as well. I love this book.

To Market, To Market

To Market,To Market
by,Anne Miranda
illustrated by, Janet Stevens

This is a crazy, wacky, brilliantly illustrated book based on the classic nursery rhyme. The old woman in this story goes to market to buy a fat pig (home again, home again jiggity jig). But, then when she returns to the market to by a fat hen, the pig gets loose and causes all sorts of chaos in her house. One by one, her groceries (the animals) cause trouble for the woman.

The illustrations in this story are incredibly creative. There is an enormous amount of detail on each page, and children will enjoy exploring the illustrations. Pieces of the illustrations are black and white, contrasted with vibrant colors that stand out against the black and white background. The illustrations in this book were done in acrylic, oil pastel, and colored pencil with photographic and fabric collage elements. I think the variety of methods used really adds to the depth of the illustrations.

Some Things Are Scary (No Matter How Old You Are)

Some Things Are Scary
(No Matter How Old You Are)
by, Florence Parry Heide
illustrated by, Jules Feiffer

This charming book explores things that are scary- both things that probably truly worry children, and very silly scary things. The book has a nice mix of serious with silly. I particularly enjoyed this book because my 6 year old son seems to worry a lot and have a lot of fears. His latest concern is that he doesn't want to move away from home when he is a grown up. The final page in this book says "knowing you're going to grow up to be a grownup is scary." How perfect for my son!

Kids can worry about so many things, and I love that this book addresses these issues. The illustrations are simply done in watercolor and felt-tip marker. The illustrator does a nice job of depicting looks of fear, worry and concern on the child's face in this book. This is a great book for gently addressing fears that children encounter.

To Be a Kid

To Be a Kid
by Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko

Let me start by saying that I truly get goose bumps when I read this book. It is a simple book, with simple words and very powerful accompanying photographs from around the world. The authors capture the common traits of childhood across cultures. The book opens with the line, "To be a kid means being carried by those who love you" and pictures children being carried by parents or big siblings in Senegal, Nepal, Japan and the United States. The photographs show that their are many different ways to carry young children, many different cultural clothes, different human expressions, but a common sense of caring. Each page in this book depicts a similar simple idea- spending time with family, playing ball, going to school, etc. I loved this book, and I think it is a great multi-cultural photo book that touches the heart.

I Met a Bear

I Met a Bear
Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

This is a song book of the well known "I Met a Bear" song. This was one of my favorite summer camp songs of my youth. Cute illustrations picture a bear, but when you lift a flap the picture shows a boy with his stuffed animals, acting out the story.

The book changes the original lyrics to the song, eliminating the original lyric that refers to a gun. Instead of "I see you ain't, got any gun," the lyrics in this book say "'cause if you don't, you'll soon be done." So, now this story makes no reference to weapons that might make some teachers or parents uncomfortable.

I love the imaginative illustrations, depicting the little boy climbing up his bunk bed "tree."

The back cover of the book has the sheet music to the tune, so anyone can sing along.

The Giver

The Giver
by, Lois Lowry

I loved this book. The plot is full of philosophical issues regarding the balancing of freedoms, choice and the idea of equality. The story is suspenseful, and I simply could not put the book down as I read. I think that this book is a great book for adults as well as junior high or high school students.

I found myself thinking about several movies as I read this book. It reminded me a bit of "The Truman Show" and "Pleasantville" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." In the end, it is our memories and our ability to experience intense emotions (including pain and suffering) that makes life such a precious and unique journey.

I enjoyed getting to know Jonas, the main character in this story. His thoughtful consideration of everything he has always assumed to be true, and his gradual realization that the world wasn't quite as perfect as he originally assumed, reminds me of the growth and learning that occurs for many teenagers and college students as they begin to encounter people and cultures different from their own.

Love Hina

Love Hina
by, Ken Akamatsu

Love Hina is a Manga graphic novel and tells the story of the Hina House girls who are left alone when Keitaro leaves to study abroad.

I truly struggled with this book. I had never read a Manga novel before, and I found myself struggling to follow the plot. This book is part of a series, and I think that some of my troubles were due to the fact that this book is in the middle of the series, and I didn't have a firm grasp of the backstory.

I also struggled with the content of this book. Although not a main part of the story, the book is sprinkled with explicit sexual references and references to drug use. The back cover of the book suggests that this book is recommended for older teens, age 16 and above. I definitely agree with this recommendation, and I would not encourage younger children to read this book.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by, Mo Willems

This story begins with the bus driver asking the reader to watch his bus for a little while. He specifically instructs the reader: "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" The rest of the story is a pigeon, pleading with the reader to let him drive the bus.

I love the end pages of this story. They picture the pigeon, with a thought bubble including his daydream of driving the bus. This is a funny, funny story. The pigeon pleads and pleads, eventually screaming (with large, wild print) LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!! The simple illustrations of an exasperated pigeon make this book very hilarious to read. The final end pages of the book picture the pigeon, now daydreaming about driving a fire truck. Funny.

Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf
by Vladmimir Vagin
from the symphony by Sergei Prokofiev

This book tells the classic story of Peter and the Wolf. Peter disobeys his grandfather, but in the end, captures the wolf (with the help of the little bird).

At the end of this book, the author has included a description of the symphony, complete with musical excerpts from the orchestral piece. He explains which instruments portrayed the various characters in the story. He also included a page with information about Prokoviev. I really like the addition of these two sections, and I think it would be fun to read this story, while also exposing children to this musical composition.

This is a beautiful book, with artful illustrations. I've never loved the plot of this story- mostly because the boy doesn't listen to his grandfather, but in the end is rewarded for his disobedience. (As a parent, I struggle a bit with this message!) But, my own children love this story, and they are always amused by the silly duck and the bird quarreling.

Abiyoyo

Abiyoyo
by Pete Seeger
illustrated by Michael Hays

In this story song book, Pete Seeger tells his interpretation of an South African lullaby and folk story. A little boy and his magician father are banished from town, but when the ferocious giant Abiyoyo appears, the two of them save the day, using music and magic to make Abiyoyo disappear.

I read this story to a Kindergarten class, and the children eagerly participated singing the "Abiyoyo" song in the book. It is a fun story, and the suspense really kept the children engaged. The father's magic wand in the story goes "zoop!" and I taught the children to wave their pretend magic wands and yell "zoop!" as I read the story. The kids loved it, and they were full of predictions about how the boy and his father would take care of Abiyoyo.

The oil on linen illustrations really add nice detail to the story, creating a magical image for the reader.

Hedgie Blasts Off!

Hedgie Blasts Off!
by, Jan Brett

I chose this book because I am a huge fan of author Jan Brett. I have always been drawn to her illustrations, and have frequently visited her website (www.janbrett.com). I highly recommend this site. It is full of activity suggestions, printable pages, etc. that teachers and parents can utilize when reading her books.

Hedgie Blasts Off! is a little different book for Jan Brett. The illustrations are cute, and the story features a classic Jan Brett character "Hedgie." I was disappointed that the book did not have the classic Jan Brett borders, however. Typically, her illustrations feature a border that provides hints and clues to the reader about what is going to happen next in the book. This book did not have this extra detail, and I was a little disappointed. The plot of the story is unique for Brett as well. A broken robot provides Hedgie with an opportunity to go into space and try to save "Big Sparkler." Most of Jan Brett's other books are more old fashioned in feel, and often she writes about classic fairytales. All in all, this is not one of my favorite Jan Brett books, but it is cute enough, and I think kids will like it.

Orson Blasts Off!

Orson Blasts Off!
by, Raul Colon

This is the story of Orson, a little boy who is terribly upset when his computer breaks. Now he can't play his video games!! When his talking jack-n-the-box, Weasel, prompts him to play outside, Orson's imagination takes him on many grand adventures.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book. The dialogue between Orson and Weasel amusing, making this a fun story to read out loud. Weasel, speaks with serious formality, using elegant manners and many "excuse me sirs" when he is talking with Orson. The print of this dialogue is in two different colors, with Weasel's words typed in blue, and Orson's dialogue in black. This adds another element of interest for the reader, and makes it easy for a young reader to follow along. The colorful illustrations will spark the readers imagination, and perhaps inspire video game crazed children to take a little time for imaginative play. The story is also full of idioms and double messages with words, adding interest and humor to the story.

Mouse Count

Mouse Count
by, Ellen Stoll Walsh

"Mouse Count" is a fun little counting book about a snake, gathering mice for his dinner. But the mice fool him, and escape from the snakes jar. The book demonstrates counting both forward and backwards- as the snake fills the jar, and as the mice escape. The illustrations are from a cut paper design, and the snake artistically slithers from one page to the next.

I enjoyed this book, although the slithery snake triggers my slight snake phobia a bit. I think the author does a nice job building suspense with a very simple plot. Children reading this book are likely to feel concerned about the cute little mice trapped in the snake's jar. I was so relieved when the mice escaped! I enjoyed the moral lesson of the book as well- don't be too greedy!

One Hungry Monster

One Hungry Monster

by, Susan Heyboer O'Keefe
illustrated by, Lynn Munsinger

This silly rhyming counting book tells the story of a boy dealing with some rowdy, rude and hungry monsters. The little boy, never appearing afraid, finally puts the silly hungry monsters in their place and orders them away.

The rhyming lyrics of this story make it a fun book to read out loud. As I read the book, a clear rhythmic pattern emerges. The illustrations depict silly monsters, and I couldn't help but giggle as I read about monsters "drooling at commercials for sauerkraut and beans." The illustrations remind me of the illustrations in "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. The plot is similar as well, with a little boy gaining control over some wild monsters.

I own the board book version of this story, and when I checked this book out from the library, I didn't realize that it would be different than the board book version. In the board book version, most of the second half of the book, where the little boy is getting rid of the monsters, is left out. I enjoyed reading the part that was omitted from the board book, and really, the story and conclusion makes so mch more sense with the entire book.

H is for Hawkeye

by, Jay Wagner
Illustrated by Eileen Potts Dawson

This is an informative ABC format book about the state of Iowa. Each page is rich with beautiful illustrations, outlined with a list of towns in the state beginning with a letter of the alphabet. The book opens with "A is for Amana Colonies."

While this book is an ABC book, it is really more an informational book about the state of Iowa. I like this book because it is appropriate for a wide range of readers, and even as an adult, I found myself learning more about Iowa's history and heritage. In addition to the beautiful illustrations and informative text, each page also includes an illustration demonstrating the American Sign language alphabet. I enjoyed this unique "Hawkeye state" alphabet book.

Counting Ovejas

By, Sarah Weeks
Illustrated by, David Diaz

This colorful picture book depicts a young boy counting sheep, trying to fall asleep. As the sheep arrive, it becomes more and more difficult to get them to leave. The words to the story are written in English and Spanish.

I love the acrylic and pencil illustrations in this book. The variety of colors make this a beautiful book to look at. I also loved the words are both in Spanish and English, and that the phonetic spelling of the Spanish words are also in the book, making the book easily read by non-Spanish speakers (such as myself). The words in this book are simple and repetitive. I enjoyed that the author uses some less common color words in this book, such as turquoise and violet.

ABC Alphab'art

ABC Alphab'art
Find the letters hidden in the paintings
by, Anne Guery and Oliver Dussutour

This picture book displays classic paintings from artists of many different eras. Each page prompts the reader to find hidden letters in the paintings.

I enjoyed this alphabet book. I particularly found the descriptions of each of the paintings along with the "answers" in the back of the book fascinating. I have never taken an art class, and I am not very familiar with the different styles of art. I think that the hidden letters in the art serve well to engage the reader in a careful observation of the various paintings.

Juliet Dove, Queen of Love

Juliet Dove, Queen of Love
by, Bruce Coville

This novel tells the story of Juliet Dove, a 6th grader nicknamed "Killer" for her frequent outbursts of unkind words. But, it is Juliet's overwhelming shyness that causes her to say these things, and she feels terrible about it. When Juliet stumbles into a magic shop, she receives an amulet that casts a spell upon every boy in school. Suddenly the center of attention, and trapped in a world of magic, spells and ancient Greek Gods, Juliet must find the key to escaping the poser of the amulet.

I really didn't love this book. The elements of fantasy and magic simply were not convincing enough to me. Juliet's siblings and friends were quick to accept the idea that she had Cupid trapped in her amulet, and the flying rats were there to help her release him. When I read the book "Lightning Thief", a similar book about magic and ancient gods, the elements of magic and mythology felt plausable. In this book, it just felt silly to me. I think that young children might not be as bothered by this, and 6th grade girls might enjoy the inclusion of elementary school crushes and drama. For me, however, this book lacked enough convincing realism to draw me into the fantasy world.