Book Genre: Comedy and Humor
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 48 pgs.
Awards or Honors Received: Caldecott Honor
Summary: This is a story about two girls who both decide to take the same bunny to school for show and tell. The girls argue all morning over the bunnies and eventually the teacher takes the bunnies away. The bunnies are returned at the end of the day, but it isn't until the middle of the night that the two girls realize they were given the wrong bunnies. Their dads arrange a place in town to meet and the correct bunnies are returned. In the end, the girls become best friends and share their bunnies all the time.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. This story has a cute way of relating to young children and the attachment that they feel towards their toys. I think the illustrations are funny and would capture the attention of young children. The main character in the story, Trixie, makes funny faces and says funny things. Young children would really enjoy this story.
Reading Level: 3.7
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This would be a great story to integrate with a writing lesson. Students could bring something for show and tell and then write about why the brought it. Students could also write about a toy that they have lost before and how they felt when they realized their toy was gone. A math lesson could also be integrated by sorting the show and tell items, counting the items, or comparing the items.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems or difficulties with this book.
Showing posts with label Comedy and Humor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy and Humor. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Oliver and Amanda: Amanda Pig, First Grader by Jean Van Leeuwen
Book Genre: Comedy and Humor
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 40 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This story is about an adorable little pig named Amanda. Amanda is starting the first grade and she is so excited about it. She is excited about getting first grade homework, running first grade errands, and helping out friends on the playground. She is optimistic until she realizes that she cannot read. She thought for sure that once she started first grade she would be able to read. After some time, Amanda begins noticing words around her, and she realizes that she is learning new words a little bit at a time. The story ends with her being so excited about reading that she wants to give up her recess time to stay inside and read books. Amanda Pig ends up loving first grade.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. Amanda Pig is an adorable character who young children can relate to. She has some of the same excitement and fears that many new first graders have. I really liked how the book pointed out some ways that first grade was different than Amanda Pig had expected. This was my first time reading this book, but I plan to use it in the next week before my Kindergartners leave for the first grade. I think this book will be very beneficial in relieving some of the anxiety that my students are feeling.
Reading Level: 1.7
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This book would be a great way to introduce a writing lesson on what Kindergartners expect the first grade to be like. This writing lesson would give children a chance to voice any concerns that they may have and discuss their concerns aloud. This alone could alleviate some of the anxiety that children may feel about leaving their teachers and friends. This could also be extended to an art lesson where children paint or draw a picture of what they think they will like or dislike about the first grade.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems with this book.
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 40 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This story is about an adorable little pig named Amanda. Amanda is starting the first grade and she is so excited about it. She is excited about getting first grade homework, running first grade errands, and helping out friends on the playground. She is optimistic until she realizes that she cannot read. She thought for sure that once she started first grade she would be able to read. After some time, Amanda begins noticing words around her, and she realizes that she is learning new words a little bit at a time. The story ends with her being so excited about reading that she wants to give up her recess time to stay inside and read books. Amanda Pig ends up loving first grade.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. Amanda Pig is an adorable character who young children can relate to. She has some of the same excitement and fears that many new first graders have. I really liked how the book pointed out some ways that first grade was different than Amanda Pig had expected. This was my first time reading this book, but I plan to use it in the next week before my Kindergartners leave for the first grade. I think this book will be very beneficial in relieving some of the anxiety that my students are feeling.
Reading Level: 1.7
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This book would be a great way to introduce a writing lesson on what Kindergartners expect the first grade to be like. This writing lesson would give children a chance to voice any concerns that they may have and discuss their concerns aloud. This alone could alleviate some of the anxiety that children may feel about leaving their teachers and friends. This could also be extended to an art lesson where children paint or draw a picture of what they think they will like or dislike about the first grade.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems with this book.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore
Book Genre: Comedy and Humor
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 32 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a seven-year-old girl who thinks she is like everyone else, except for her red hair and freckles. The children at school call her Freckleface Strawberry because of all her freckles. She is so upset about her freckles that she tries everything to get rid of them, such as scrubbing them off and coloring over them with a marker. When that doesn't work she decides to wear a ski mask to school. No one knows who she is. At the end of the day, she meets a grown-up who tells her that she also had freckles when she was little, but hers disappeared when she became an adult. Having some hope, the girl takes off her ski mask and all of her friends are happy to see her. She realizes that despite her freckles, she has a lot of friends who love her very much. The story ends by showing the girl as a grown-up who still has her freckles, but she comes to not let her freckles bother her.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. I liked this book. I thought the story did a great job of showing readers that some people may look different, but they have feelings just as everyone does. The illustrations in this book were just okay, but I think that the content is definitely a topic that young children can relate to and would be interested in.
Reading Level: 1.6
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This book could be used as a springboard of ideas for writing about a time when the children were made fun of or witnessed someone being made fun of because they were different. This would be a great social skills lesson on how to treat other people, particularly people who look different. This could be extended to talk about people who have to use wheelchairs, wear braces, wear glasses, etc. This book could also be the introduction to a research project where children have to find out what causes freckles and why some people have them and some people don't.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems with this book.
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 32 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a seven-year-old girl who thinks she is like everyone else, except for her red hair and freckles. The children at school call her Freckleface Strawberry because of all her freckles. She is so upset about her freckles that she tries everything to get rid of them, such as scrubbing them off and coloring over them with a marker. When that doesn't work she decides to wear a ski mask to school. No one knows who she is. At the end of the day, she meets a grown-up who tells her that she also had freckles when she was little, but hers disappeared when she became an adult. Having some hope, the girl takes off her ski mask and all of her friends are happy to see her. She realizes that despite her freckles, she has a lot of friends who love her very much. The story ends by showing the girl as a grown-up who still has her freckles, but she comes to not let her freckles bother her.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. I liked this book. I thought the story did a great job of showing readers that some people may look different, but they have feelings just as everyone does. The illustrations in this book were just okay, but I think that the content is definitely a topic that young children can relate to and would be interested in.
Reading Level: 1.6
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This book could be used as a springboard of ideas for writing about a time when the children were made fun of or witnessed someone being made fun of because they were different. This would be a great social skills lesson on how to treat other people, particularly people who look different. This could be extended to talk about people who have to use wheelchairs, wear braces, wear glasses, etc. This book could also be the introduction to a research project where children have to find out what causes freckles and why some people have them and some people don't.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems with this book.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
I Took My Frog to the Library by Eric A Kimmel
Book Genre: Comedy and Humor
Publishing Information: Penguin Putnam, Inc, 32 pages
Summary: This fictional book is about a little girl who takes different types of animals to the library. As she talks brings the animals to the library they cause different things to happen. For example the frog jumps on the librarian's desk and scares her. The python sheds its skin all over the books. At the end all the animals are left at home where they read to themselves. The pictures are colorful and demonstrate what would happen if animals really came into the library. I Took My Frog to the Library is imaginative and entertaining for children of all ages.
Personal rating: ***Good This is a good solid fun book that can be read as a read aloud for children.
Reading level: 2.5
Interest level: K-2
Integration: This book could be used to discuss social skills about how to act in the library. The animals just wanted to read, but they did innapropriate things inside the library.
In writing children could use this idea to write their own stories about what happened one day when they brought an animal to the library.
Potential Problems: The only problem that I see with this book is the fact that the little girl is breaking a rule by bringing animals in the library.
Publishing Information: Penguin Putnam, Inc, 32 pages
Summary: This fictional book is about a little girl who takes different types of animals to the library. As she talks brings the animals to the library they cause different things to happen. For example the frog jumps on the librarian's desk and scares her. The python sheds its skin all over the books. At the end all the animals are left at home where they read to themselves. The pictures are colorful and demonstrate what would happen if animals really came into the library. I Took My Frog to the Library is imaginative and entertaining for children of all ages.
Personal rating: ***Good This is a good solid fun book that can be read as a read aloud for children.
Reading level: 2.5
Interest level: K-2
Integration: This book could be used to discuss social skills about how to act in the library. The animals just wanted to read, but they did innapropriate things inside the library.
In writing children could use this idea to write their own stories about what happened one day when they brought an animal to the library.
Potential Problems: The only problem that I see with this book is the fact that the little girl is breaking a rule by bringing animals in the library.
Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann
Book Genre: Comedy and Humor
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 40 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a girl who loves the color pink. One rainy day her mother bakes pink cupcakes and decorates them with pink icing. The girl in the story likes the cupcakes so much that she keeps asking for more. Although her parents say no, she continues to sneak into the kitchen and eat cupcakes until she turns pink. She cannot get the pink to wash off so she has to go to the doctor. The doctor tells her the only way to return to her normal color is to eat nothing but green foods. However, the girl does not listen and sneaks one more pink cupcake. The next morning, she has turned red. She decides to follow the doctor's orders and she eats all kinds of green foods. She quickly returns to normal, but at the end of the story the pink cupcakes are nowhere to be found. The story ends with her little brother turning the color pink.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. This is a cute book and the mischievous girl continues to do what she wants, even though her parents have advised her otherwise. The bright illustrations and silly ways in which the main character behaves would appeal to young readers.
Reading Level: 2.7
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): After reading this story, students could brainstorm about a time when they did not obey their parents. Students could illustrate and write a story about what happened when they did not listen and why they decided to disobey.
This book could also be used to discuss how recipes are used when baking cupcakes. Measurments could be incorporated and students could use cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons to practice measuring various materials, such as buttons, beans, pattern blocks, water, etc. This would also include more than, less than, and equal.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: The only problem I see with this book is that the main character talks back to her parents. Children would need to understand that this book is for humor, and that talking back is not acceptable behavior.
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 40 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a girl who loves the color pink. One rainy day her mother bakes pink cupcakes and decorates them with pink icing. The girl in the story likes the cupcakes so much that she keeps asking for more. Although her parents say no, she continues to sneak into the kitchen and eat cupcakes until she turns pink. She cannot get the pink to wash off so she has to go to the doctor. The doctor tells her the only way to return to her normal color is to eat nothing but green foods. However, the girl does not listen and sneaks one more pink cupcake. The next morning, she has turned red. She decides to follow the doctor's orders and she eats all kinds of green foods. She quickly returns to normal, but at the end of the story the pink cupcakes are nowhere to be found. The story ends with her little brother turning the color pink.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. This is a cute book and the mischievous girl continues to do what she wants, even though her parents have advised her otherwise. The bright illustrations and silly ways in which the main character behaves would appeal to young readers.
Reading Level: 2.7
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): After reading this story, students could brainstorm about a time when they did not obey their parents. Students could illustrate and write a story about what happened when they did not listen and why they decided to disobey.
This book could also be used to discuss how recipes are used when baking cupcakes. Measurments could be incorporated and students could use cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons to practice measuring various materials, such as buttons, beans, pattern blocks, water, etc. This would also include more than, less than, and equal.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: The only problem I see with this book is that the main character talks back to her parents. Children would need to understand that this book is for humor, and that talking back is not acceptable behavior.
Monday, May 25, 2009
I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
Book Genre: Comedy and Humor, General Fiction
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 32 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a little girl who likes herself just as she is. She likes everything about herself, no matter what others might think. She portrays herself with messy hair, silly faces, and crazy antics. Even at her silliest, she is happy with who she is.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ****Great! I love this book for its very colorful and hilarious illustrations. It teaches children that we are all different and that we should be happy with our uniqueness. This book also contains rhyming words, which young children usually like.
Reading Level: 1.8
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): After reading this book, children could think about a time that maybe they were not very happy with themselves, or a time when someone made fun of them, and they could illustrate and write a story about it. Children could also create their own book portraying themselves in silly illustrations just as this book did, and write about themselves in a humorous light. This book is also great to use during phonics lessons that focus on rhyming words. I usually like to read this book at the beginning of the year with my Kindergartners because it is a great resource when we are learning about social skills and how to treat others.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: The only problem that I foresee is that there is one sentence about possible names that the girl might get called. Young children might think that this is funny and that name calling is okay. When I read this book to my Kindergarten students, we talk about how name calling hurts people's feelings.
Publishing Info.: Scholastic Inc., 32 pages
Awards or Honors Received: N/A
Summary: This book is about a little girl who likes herself just as she is. She likes everything about herself, no matter what others might think. She portrays herself with messy hair, silly faces, and crazy antics. Even at her silliest, she is happy with who she is.
Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ****Great! I love this book for its very colorful and hilarious illustrations. It teaches children that we are all different and that we should be happy with our uniqueness. This book also contains rhyming words, which young children usually like.
Reading Level: 1.8
Interest Level: K-2
Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): After reading this book, children could think about a time that maybe they were not very happy with themselves, or a time when someone made fun of them, and they could illustrate and write a story about it. Children could also create their own book portraying themselves in silly illustrations just as this book did, and write about themselves in a humorous light. This book is also great to use during phonics lessons that focus on rhyming words. I usually like to read this book at the beginning of the year with my Kindergartners because it is a great resource when we are learning about social skills and how to treat others.
Potential Problems or Difficulties: The only problem that I foresee is that there is one sentence about possible names that the girl might get called. Young children might think that this is funny and that name calling is okay. When I read this book to my Kindergarten students, we talk about how name calling hurts people's feelings.
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