Module 14 Poetry and Story Collections

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Book Summary:
Poems about the origami creatures a little boy makes in the book and what he does with them after he makes them.
APA Reference of Book:

George, K. O., & Stringer, L. (2005). Fold me a poem. Orlando: Harcourt.

Impressions:
Very simple poems about the origami creatures the boy makes. The pictures are pretty and bright using different perspectives on different pages. Despite being simple text the poems are great and spark the imagination. It feels like the little boy is talking to the origami animals or the reader. I wish that it had how to make the origami animals in the book at the back! It does give you some suggestions for what books to read to learn more.

Professional Review:
K-Gr 2-- George's 32 brief poems focus on a boy as he folds a series of origami animals and imagines their thoughts and possible activities. Some of the selections exhibit a creative spark, while others tend to take their meaning from the illustrations, which are the real strength of the presentation. The vividly colored acrylics depict the boy actively engaged in play with his creations, and the details that Stringer provides infuse the verses with both energy and humor. Her illustrator's note offers insight into her own efforts to master the art of origami. No patterns or instructions are included, although a useful bibliography is appended to guide those wishing to learn the craft themselves.
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By Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Oliff, G., Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., & Raben, D. (2005). Fold Me a Poem. School Library Journal, 51(3), 193

Library Uses:
You could include this as a read aloud for different poems. Also as an extension you can have students try and fold basic animals.

My Rating: ***

Module 10 Historical Fiction

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Book Summary:
Tomas' family moves from Iowa to Texas to work in the fields. This story tells about how he went to the library and read books given to him by the librarian to read. He would get lost in the books and be able to take some home to read to his family because the librarian checked some out under her name. When it was time to leave he thanked her with some pan dulce and she gave him a new book and a love of reading to remember her by. Later on in life Tomas became a national education leader and professor but still remembered this librarian in Iowa.

APA Reference of Book:

Mora, P., & Colón, R. (1997). Tomas and the library lady. New York: A.A. Knopf.

Impressions:
WOW! This book was powerful in that it shows how just reading a book can transform your life. The librarian went out of her way to make the books accessible to Tomas by checking books out to him under her name and by giving him books that he was interested in. I also like how it shows the spanish/hispanic culture of story telling, food, and family. The pictures with their wood block printing also gave it a "old time" feel but also lent to the culture as well. Living in Texas this should be a staple in any classroom or library!

Professional Review:
Gr 2-4--Tomas Rivera, who at his death in 1984 was the Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside, grew up in a migrant family. Here, Mora tells the fictionalized story of one summer in his childhood during which his love of books and reading is fostered by a librarian in Iowa, who takes him under her wing while his family works the harvest. She introduces him to stories about dinosaurs, horses, and American Indians and allows him to take books home where he shares them with his parents, grandfather, and brother. When it is time for the family to return to Texas, she gives Tomas the greatest gift of all--a book of his own to keep. Colon's earthy sun-warmed colors, textured with swirling lines, add life to this biographical fragment and help portray Tomas's reading adventures in appealing ways. Stack this up with Sarah Stewart and David Small's The Library (Farrar, 1995) and Suzanne Williams and Steven Kellogg's Library Lil (Dial, 1997) to demonstrate the impact librarians can have on youngsters.

Elleman, B. (1997). Preschool to grade 4: Fiction. School Library Journal, 43(10), 105.

Library Uses:
Hmm. Not sure maybe to talk about someone who was important to their reading journey or just talk about what they remember about learning to read and books to now? Maybe favorite book? Or did someone ever recommend a book to you since the librarian gave him a book she thought he would like.

My Rating: I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Module 4 Newbery Award

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Book Summary:

A boy and his mom get on a bus to go to a soup kitchen on Sunday. As they ride the bus the boy listens to music that the people on the bus make.

APA Reference of Book:

Peña, M. D., & Robinson, C. (2015). Last stop on Market Street. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.

Impressions:

The pictures are very simple and use primary colors to show the bus as it takes the boy and his mom to Market Street. I found the story cute with simple sentences and you don't know until the end why they are taking the bus. As you get to the soup kitchen you realize that the boy and his mom volunteer their time. I liked that this showed how ordinary people can help others in small ways.

Professional Review:

CJ and his nana depart church and make it to the bus stop just in time to avoid an oncoming rain shower. They board the bus, and while CJ is full of questions and complaints (why don't they have a car? why must they make this trip every week? and so forth), Nana's resolute responses articulate the glories of their rich, vibrant life in the city, as presented by the bus' passengers and passages. A tattooed man checks his cell phone. An older woman keeps butterflies in a jar. A musician tunes and plays his guitar. At last the pair arrive at the titular destination and proceed to the soup kitchen where, upon recognizing friendly faces, CJ is glad they came to help. Robinson's bright, simple, multicultural figures, with their rounded heads, boxy bodies, and friendly expressions, contrast nicely with de la Peñas lyrical language, establishing a unique tone that reflects both CJ's wonder and his nanas wisdom. The celebratory warmth is irresistible, offering a picture of community that resonates with harmony and diversity. -Thom Barthelmess

Barthelmess, T. (2015). Last stop on market street. The Booklist, 111(11), 46. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1651244372?accountid=7113

Library Uses:
Like CJ does in the book have the students listen to music with their eyes closed. Then listen again and have them draw or color a picture while the music plays. Discuss how the music helped you draw.

My Rating: ***