Module 4/ SLIS 5420/ September 21-27

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village

by

Laura Amy Schlitz

Bibliography

Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village. Candlewick, 2007. ISBN 978-076361578-9

Summary

Laura Amy Schlitz gives readers a collection of seventeen monologues describing life in a medieval village. The author gives historical notes about religion, society roles and town life. The illustrations are fun and and show how people dressed in the time period. This book is a great appoarch to medieval life for students with simple text and illustrations. The monologues are written in free verse and even rhythm.

For The Young At Heart

This is not one of my favorite books. I still can not see how it won the prestiges Newbery award. It is a good book to teach children about medieval times, but I notice the book does not even circulate at the library. The eight copies besides my copy are still on the shelve. This shows to me the book is not very popular.

Reviews

Schlitz gives teachers a refreshing option for enhancing the study of the European Middle Ages: here are seventeen monologues and two dialogues that collectively create a portrait of life on an English manor in 1255. Horn Book Magazine Reviews, June 2009

Schlitz helps students directly into the shoes and lives of medieval children in this outstanding collection of iterrelated monologues. School Library Journal, August 2007

Suggested Activities

I would collobrate with the history teacher and suggested using the seventeen monologues to teach the students about the European middle ages. I will work with the teacher setting up the lesson plan and recruit students to play the parts.

Module 4/SLIS 5420/ September 21-27

Higher Power of Lucky

by

Susan Patron

Bibliography

Patron, Susan. The Higher Power of Lucky. Antheneum. 2006. ISBN. 1416901949.

Summary

Lucky Trimble lives in Hard Pan, California, population 43 in a trailer park with her guardian Brigitte from Paris, France. Lucky is scared she will be going to Los Angeles, Califronia to live in a orphange because she over hears Brigitte discuss how she wants to go back to France. Lucky's mother dies in and electrical strom, and her father gets Brigette from France to raise Lucky. Lucky decides to run away during the worst dust storm in the history of Hard Pan. The story has a happy ending because Brigette legally adopts Lucky as her daughter, so she will never feel unwanted again.

For the Young at Heart

This was a very interesting story. I can't say I really like the story, but the story did not have very much of a plot and the characters I feel were not fully developed. I don't think this book is worthy of the Newbery Award.

Reviews

Readers will gladly give themselves over to Patron, a master of light characterization and closely observed detail. Kikus Reviews, October, 2006

Lucky's tendency to jump to conclusions is frustrating, but her struggle to come to terms wit her mother's death and new life ring true. School Library Journal, December, 2006

Suggested Activities

I would do a book talk with this book to get the children interested in reading this book, Although I did not like it. I want to hear their feelings and thoughts.

Module 3/SLIS 5420/September 14-20

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By Brian Selznick

Bibliography

Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Scholastic, 2007. ISBN. 978-0439-813785

Summary

A graphic novel told with illustrations and words. Brian Selznick skectchs in charcoal pencil the story of Hugo Cabret who lives in a train station in (1931) setting clocks. He has no family, no home, and sees people who travel through the station. His home is in the train station beknown to others he befriends the girl ( Isabelle)and becomes enemies with the old man ( George) who owns the toy store in which Hugo steals from. The sketches of the train station and the setting in Paris is amazing you can not leave one out or the other without having a story. The illustrations truly tell the story in this book and the automation that is revealed. Selznick puts together a wonderful full page illustrated spreads.The time period reflected (1931)in the illustrations. The look and feel is so real one feels the reader is right in the mist of everything going on in the train station. The ending is endearing when Hugo has a new home

with his grandfather!

For the Young at Heart

I love this book the design and the illustrations. I am not sure that it should have won the Caldecott Award because it is not a picture book and does not fit the critera. ( What I think) I do not know how the commitee got aound it. But, I think of the book as thought provoking , mesmerizing and I could not put it down.

Reviews

With characteristic intelligence, exquisite images, and breathtaking design, Selznick shatters conventions related to the art of bookmaking in this magical mystery set in 1930's Paris. School Library Journal, March 2007

A brief introduction sets the time ( 1931) and place (Paris) and invites readers to imagine they're at the movies. Hornbook, Fall 2007

Suggested Activities

I recommend booktalking this book for 4th and 5th graders in the school media center. I would have students use charcoal pencils and sketch their own original action pictures.

Module 3/SLIS 5420/September 14-20

Let it Shine

by

Ashley Bryan

Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley. Let it Shine. Antheneum, 2007. ISBN. 978-0-689-84732-5

Summary

Ashley Bryan uses his mother's scissors to make the vibrant collages in Let it Shine, three favorite spiritulas originally created by African American Slaves. The spiritulas originally created by African American slaves. The spirituals "This Little Light of Mine", "He's Got the Whole World in his Hands", and "Oh, When The Saints Go Marching In", are accompanied with the words along with detailed colorful collages. At the end of this wonderful book, Ashley Bryan gives a note to the reader giving the history of the spirituals. The words and notes to each spiritulas are given as a great ending.

For the Young at Heart

I really enjoyed how the collages accompanied the words in this book of spirituals. I really like how the author and illuustrator put the words to each song with music. Ashley Bryan gives a wonderful note to his readers about the history and origin of spirituals which I think is a great addition to the book.

Reviews

Bryan's vibrant illustrations interpret and engergize three beloved songs.

School Library Journal, January 2007

Using only cut-paper and clamorou, swirling, out-of sight colors Bryan sets three spirituals to pictures that might be projected across the back of a perfomance stage.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews, 2007

Suggested Actvities

I would share this ook with kindergartners and first gradrs during Black History Month. I will read stories and sing the songs and discuss the origins of the songs from African-American slaves.

Module 2/ SLIS 5420/ September 7-13

The Story of Ferdinand

by Munro Leaf

Bibliography

Leaf, Munro. The Story of Ferdinand. Viking, 1936. ISBN. 0-670-67424-9

Summary

Ferdinand is not like all of the other bulls. He does not

want to be in the bull fights in Spain. He wants to smell the flowers in pasture. The charcoal sketched illustrations give a great depiction of Ferdinand and how he wants to be left in the pasture in peace every since he was a little bull. After accidentally sitting on a bee, and getting a bee sting that makes him look fierce. Ferdinand is taken to Madrid for bull fighting. The hilarous part of the book is when he comes out to the middle of the fighting ring and sits down and smells the flowers in the ladies hair. Of course, Ferdinand is taken back to the country to sit and smell the flowers under the cork tree. This book is a timeless classic.

For the Young at Heart

This book is a fun timeless classic that children love. It was used last year for the Read for the Record, reading program in schools and public libraries. The charcoal, pencil sketches are fun and the story has a great plot. I truly enjoyed the story and the expressions on the matadors faces towards Ferdinand's actions in the fighting ring. A great book about peace and non-conflict

Reviews

In this classic and well-loved tale the bull, Ferdinand, would rather smell the flowers than fight in the bullring. Booklist, April, 1987

Suggested Activities

When I go to the local elementary school ,and read to the children in the school media center. I will read The Story of Ferdinand to 1st and 2nd graders about peace and conflict resoultion.

Module 2/SLIS 5420/ September 7-13

Bibliography

Keats, Ezra Jack. Peter's Chair, Viking, 1967. ISBN. 0-670-88064-7

Summary

Peter has a new baby sister name Susie and his mother and father are paying more attention to his sister than peter. While peter's father is painting his old high chair pink, Peter decides get his chair out of his room that has not been painted. Peter decides to run away with his chair and other items. He is soon found out that his chair is too small for him, and decides to be a big brother and helps his dad paint the chair for his sister.

For the Young at Heart

I love this classic timeless book. the collages are still brillant and reflective today as Ezra Jack Keats made them in the 1960's. I love reading this book during story time.

Reviews

A soupcon of security for displaced preschoolers, and a glowing companion to The Snowy Day and Whistle for Willie. * Starred Review*, Kirkus, May 1, 1967.

Suggested Activties

Peter's Chair is great to use for preschool storytime in the public library. I use it for storytime for the two and three year olds. The parents of the preschoolers tell me their mother read the book when they were small.

Module 1/SLIS 5420/August 31-September 6

Bats at the Library

by Brian Lies

Bibliography

Lies, Brian. Bats at the Library. Houghton Mifflin books, 2008 ISBN. 978-0-618-99923-1

Summary

Bats bored with nothing to do on a fall night learn that the window of the library is left open. The bats have been waiting for this night all year! Lies, with rhyming text and dark oil paintings shows how fun it is when bats go to the library. The bats are shown in detail reading cookbooks, during children's storytime, using the copy machine and misbehaving in the library. The most special moment in the story is when the bats are dreaming about being famous characters in books like, "Little Red Riding Hood", "Drummer Hoff", " The Wizard of Oz", and "Alice in Wonderland". These bats defintely show all the wonderful things to do at the library.

For the Young at Heart

I really enjoy readng this book what fun! I have never read this book before and the rhyming text and the illustrations made this defintely a fun read. I can read Bats at the Library, over and over again. A great addition to any school or public library collection.

Reviews

Lies's arcylics are sucessful fusion of fantasy and reality. The rhyming narrative is genearlly smooth, with enough humor and sophistication to propel readers along. School Library Journal, November 2008

The first plural rhymes are amusing, but without its bats protagonists, the story would be a conventional love letter to books and reading. Horn Book, Spring 2009

Suggested Activities

I plan to use Bats at the Library during preschool storytime during halloween and September's National Library Card month with the school media specialist. I plan on reading the story to kindergartners. and first graders.