The rhyming text is okay, but what makes this book special are the illustrations. Make sure you spend time just looking at the pictures and noticing aThe rhyming text is okay, but what makes this book special are the illustrations. Make sure you spend time just looking at the pictures and noticing all the funny details of the bats' trip to the beach. I can't even choose a favorite, every page has something that makes me laugh.
And don't forget to check out the next book:Bats at the Library.I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but hope to soon....more
This classic poem by Mary Howitt is great. I couldn't passively read the words. Before I knew it, I was reading aloud - pausing at each page to studyThis classic poem by Mary Howitt is great. I couldn't passively read the words. Before I knew it, I was reading aloud - pausing at each page to study the illustrations. I love, love, love DiTerlizzi's white on black illustrations. They add several levels of meaning and humor to the poem. I especially love the bug ghosts who try to warn the fly of the danger she is flirting with. And the note from the spider at the end is a hoot! Anyone who has ever read Charlotte's Web needs to read this book....more
This is the book I should be using when I teach parts of a book! It could be used as a very fun and funny (and hopefully memorable) way to show titleThis is the book I should be using when I teach parts of a book! It could be used as a very fun and funny (and hopefully memorable) way to show title page, dedication page, table of contents and even endpapers. At one time I tried to read all of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's books, but somehow I missed this one until now. I definitely need to get a copy of this for my library. Not only do I need to be ready next time I teach parts of a book, but the stories and illustrations are completely wacky! I think many of my students would get a big kick out of this book. As I said, simply wacky and a lot of fun.
Note: Another book dedicated to me! I think that's three now. I might have to start a shelf for them.:)...more
I didn't like this one much at all. I thought the illustrations were just okay, the text was a bit sparse with too much of it in a tedious handwrittenI didn't like this one much at all. I thought the illustrations were just okay, the text was a bit sparse with too much of it in a tedious handwritten cursive. I don't feel like I learned much about Galileo that I didn't already know....more
Unhei is attending school in America for the first time since moving from Korea. She decides to change her name when the students on the bus find herUnhei is attending school in America for the first time since moving from Korea. She decides to change her name when the students on the bus find her name funny and can't pronounce it correctly. The students in her class try to help her pick an American name by putting suggestions in a name jar.
I kept waiting for someone to suggest "Grace" since that is what her name means in Korean. The illustrations are okay. I like Choi's use of colors, but some of her people are awkward looking....more
A nice enough story about a girl who is waiting with her grandma and her kitten for her mother to come back home. Her mother has gone to Chicago to geA nice enough story about a girl who is waiting with her grandma and her kitten for her mother to come back home. Her mother has gone to Chicago to get a job while all the men are off fighting in the war. Nothing spectacular here, just a nice simple wartime story focusing on those left at home waiting....more
The illustrations for this are quite unique - a mixture of collage and watercolor. I would love to see how Bryan Collier creates his art. I thought thThe illustrations for this are quite unique - a mixture of collage and watercolor. I would love to see how Bryan Collier creates his art. I thought the text was just okay, although I did like the use of so many quotes from Martin Luther King. I also find it curious that they didn't include the book's title on the front cover....more
It's easy to see why Christopher Bing won a Caldecott Honor for this one. His attention to detail is simply amazing. Bing designed the entire book toIt's easy to see why Christopher Bing won a Caldecott Honor for this one. His attention to detail is simply amazing. Bing designed the entire book to look like an old-fashioned scrapbook with articles and illustrations that look as if they came from period newspapers and baseball memorabilia of the time. Make sure you read more than just the poem - all of the baseball extras, including the extra articles giving details about proposed changes in baseball at the time are very interesting. I particularly enjoyed the old-time library catalog card on the inside endpaper - including a stamp saying that the book can be found on the "High Circulation Shelf." Just fun. The many details in the illustrations couldn't be fully appreciated in a classroom read-aloud setting, but would be best in small groups or one-on-one....more
Brr! Reading this made me cold!Blizzard: The Storm That Changed Americais a well-written account of the blizzard that struck the East Coast in MarchBrr! Reading this made me cold!Blizzard: The Storm That Changed Americais a well-written account of the blizzard that struck the East Coast in March of 1888.Jim Murphyused newspaper articles, books, letters, and autobiographies written by survivors as sources for much of his information. I didn't find it quite as intriguing asThe Great FireorAn American Plague,but still felt it was well worth reading. I was very interested to read about the changes that happened because of the blizzard, such as wires being moved underground and cities taking responsibility for snow removal....more
This book was simply fascinating. I don't remember ever hearing about Waterhouse Hawkins before, but I have come across several references to him andThis book was simply fascinating. I don't remember ever hearing about Waterhouse Hawkins before, but I have come across several references to him and his dinosaurs at the Crystal Palace in the UK several times since reading this book. Both the text and the illustrations were very informative. Once I read the author's and illustrator's notes at the end, I had to reread the book to catch all the details I had missed the first time. A great picture book for older students on a fascinating subject!...more
Amazing illustrations! Kadir Nelson's use of lights and darks is inspired. When Harriet Tubman reaches freedom, the entire page lights up. I wasn't asAmazing illustrations! Kadir Nelson's use of lights and darks is inspired. When Harriet Tubman reaches freedom, the entire page lights up. I wasn't as thrilled with the text. It was very poetic, but I would have preferred a little more information about Harriet Tubman and her experiences. Although I guess that was a conscious choice by the author since she says in her note at the end that it is a "fictional story based on the spiritual journey of Harriet Tubman." For teaching about Harriet Tubman, this would need to be paired with other books....more
Ella Sarah is right up there with Fancy Nancy and Olivia for personality and style. Margaret Chodos-Irvine's illustrations match Ella Sarah's personalElla Sarah is right up there with Fancy Nancy and Olivia for personality and style. Margaret Chodos-Irvine's illustrations match Ella Sarah's personality with bold, bright colors and patterns. Even the endpapers brightened my day!...more
It is very apparent that Hondo and Fabian are a real dog and cat. Peter McCarty has captured the essence of "dog" and "cat" perfectly using very few wIt is very apparent that Hondo and Fabian are a real dog and cat. Peter McCarty has captured the essence of "dog" and "cat" perfectly using very few words and very nice illustrations. Dog goes on an adventure. Cat stays home. Dog runs into the ocean waves. Cat runs from baby. My favorite picture is of the cat having fun in the bathroom unrolling the toilet paper. I recommend this for parents to share with very young children and all dog and cat lovers....more
Another great story from Polacco's life that had me all teary-eyed. Share this with all the horse-crazy kids in your life.Another great story from Polacco's life that had me all teary-eyed. Share this with all the horse-crazy kids in your life....more
This was better than I expected. Poppy is very reminiscent of Mrs. Frisby. Recommended for students who like talking animal stories, but aren't quiteThis was better than I expected. Poppy is very reminiscent of Mrs. Frisby. Recommended for students who like talking animal stories, but aren't quite ready for Redwall or Watership Down....more
**spoiler alert** Wow. You know you've accomplished something when you've come to the last page of The Stand. I can't even imagine the sheer amount of**spoiler alert** Wow. You know you've accomplished something when you've come to the last page of The Stand. I can't even imagine the sheer amount of time it must have taken to write such a LONG book, because even just reading it was quite the undertaking.
I definitely wouldn't recommend this for everyone. A lot of unpleasant things happen here - basically the end of the world as we know it with most everyone dying from a superflu. The story then carries on with the few survivors who are immune to the flu as they find each other and begin to create a new society. All of the survivors begin having similar dreams which lead them to either join with the group led by the very faithful Abigail Freemantle or the group led by the evil Randall Flagg, who isn't quite human. A LOT of things happen - much of it very unpleasant. At one point, I was ready to stop because it was getting to be a bit much. But whatever you have to say about King, he does write some memorable characters, and this book in particular is filled with them. I was also worried about the ending. Was I going to spend all this time only to have every single character killed off one by one or even worse? I wanted at least some of the good guys to end up with a chance for a happy life after the story. I did persevere to the end and was happy that at least some of my favorite good guys came out on top.
I haven't read very many Stephen King books so I can't spend much time comparing this to his other work. I read this because of its connection to the TV show Lost. And therearea lot of Lost connections: two groups of people, one good and one bad, who are sending individual people or small groups back and forth for smaller skirmishes while preparing for an ultimate showdown. The bad group has a leader who always knows more than he should about everything that is going with both groups. Also, both Lost and The Stand share an overall theme that deals with the conflict between science and faith....more
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