Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka

Krosoczka, J.(2009). Lunch lady and the cyborg substitute. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka is a graphic novel about an undercover lunch lady and her helpful sidekick protecting the world from evildoers! It’s a classic good versus evil tale. Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered what the lunch lady does outside of school so they follow her not knowing that this would lead to an adventure of epic proportion complete with a cyborg substitute and a science teacher with an evil plan! They work together to fight the evildoers and finally defeat them...or do they?!

This graphic novel is fun, witty, and clever! I really enjoyed the gadgets created by Betty to fight crime. Also, the illustrations are thoughtfully created and add so much to the plot. Like many graphic novels, Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, would be a great book for upper elementary reluctant or lower level readers. Using the pictures as support, struggling readers could still enjoy and understand this story that has themes and context appropriate for them. Additionally, it is a quick read and reluctant readers would be less likely to lose interest. I also think this book would appeal to male readers since it is written like a comic book.

I would use this book to boost fluency and expression. In small groups, students could practice reading aloud paying special attention to the characters’ emotions and expressions as they read. Again, the illustrations would provide visual support for readers as they read aloud. Further, since this book is the start of a series of books and this book ends with a cliffhanger, students could write predictions about what might happen in the following books.

(Image from amazon.com)

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is a narrative poem about a reluctant young poet named, Jack. At first, Jack is adamant about being unable to write poetry but over the course of the year his confidence grows under the guidance of his teacher, Miss Stretchberry. She encourages him to find his inspiration which eventually leads to Jack meeting his own muse, Walter Dean, and writing a lovely, emotional poem about his late dog Sky. Jack is a likable and dynamic character. Through his poems the reader understands that Jack changes throughout the year and becomes a truly thoughtful, expressive author. Jack gains confidence and overcomes his fears of writing.

The overall message of the story is very warming and heartfelt. Jack learns to overcome his fears and express himself in new ways. This theme is very relatable to older elementary or middle school aged children. The poem structure and the use of actual poems in the novel is unique and intriguing. Also, I enjoyed that the inspirational poems are included in the back of the book. I have used this novel as a literature circle novel in my own classroom of 4th graders. They read the book independently and then came together to discuss the plot, characters, and themes. The novel was also an inspiration for my students to create their own poems. They particularly enjoyed creating concrete poems. While I do not personally love poetry, I really enjoyed this story because I loved the underlying plot and message.

(Image from sharoncreech.com)

Amelia Rules! True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know) by Jimmy Gownley

Gownley, J. (2010). Amelia rules!: True things (adults don’t want kids to know). New York,

     NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Amelia Rules! True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know) by Jimmy Gownley is a graphic novel about an eleven year old girl’s life. Amelia Rules! is a series and this particular edition focuses on Amelia’s 11th birthday, her plummeting school career, her heart-breaking crush, and her aunt’s new adventure. Amelia starts her 11th year with a magical birthday complete with a special performance by her rockstar aunt Tanner who performs a song for and about Amelia. However, some things take a turn for the worse as Amelia continues to struggle with her parents’ recent divorce, bickering friends, and her crush who is just not that into her. In the end, Amelia learns some things about herself and grows up a little along the way.

I am still new to the graphic novel genre and my first impression of graphic novels, including this one, is one of apprehension. I tend to not expect a lot from graphic novels, but so far I have been pleasantly surprised. This graphic novel had a great underlying message about growing up and experiencing the ups and downs of adolescent life. Amelia, the main character, has to deal with her parents going through a divorce. Since many children have to experience divorce they could easily relate to Amelia and her frustrations. Further, most children have an adolescence full of ups and downs where they must make mistakes and learn to succeed and fail just like Amelia. This book is certainly relatable to middle school aged children.

I found that I really enjoyed the illustrations in this graphic novel. They are simple, but expressive. I especially like the use of various types of thought and speech bubbles. The shape, color, and texture of the bubbles change depending upon what the character is thinking or speaking. I think they add a lot to the overall meaning of the text.

This book could easily be used for a literature circle especially because it is a series and deals with relevant themes for middle school students. Students could read and discuss several of the books in the series. Additionally, Amelia Rules! True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know) would be a good mentor text for students to use to create their own graphic novel.

(Image from https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9781416986119)

What Color is Caesar? by Maxine Kumin (Tumblebook)

Kumin, M. (2013). What color is caesar?  [Ebook]. Retrieved from www.tumblebooks.com

What Color is Caesar? by Maxine Kumin is a fun, engaging story about a dog having a bit of an identity crisis. Caesar, the main character, is a black and white dog that wonders whether he is black with white spots or white with black spots.  Caesar goes on a quest to find out his true color and meets many black and white animals on the way. Finally, he meets a guru who leads to him figure out his own true colors. The message of the story is very valuable. It teaches that the most important thing about a person is not their outward appearance but rather who they are on the inside. It promotes positive self worth. This message would be especially valuable for elementary school students. Additionally, elementary school students could easily connect with Caesar because he is a likable character. He is wondering about his own place and importance in the world which is something that children also struggle with.

This story would be a great story to use to build the classroom community at the beginning of the school year. A positive classroom community and atmosphere are essential for a productive learning environment. After reading the story, students could turn and talk with a partner to discuss the importance of the story (i.e., the message of self worth). To extend the lesson, students could then write about what they think their own true colors are and describe and even illustrate them. Overall, I think this was a decent story and I really enjoy the fact that it is on tumblebooks.com so that students can hear the story read to them. Tumblebooks.com is a great resource for beginning or lower level readers.

(Image from www.tumblebooks.com)

Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

Beaty, D. (2013). Knock, knock: My dad’s dream for me. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me is written by Daniel Beaty and illustrated by Bryan Collier. Collier was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award for his breathtaking illustrations in Knock, Knock. This is a brilliant story about a young boy’s tumultuous relationship with his father. The main character was very close to his father as a young child. Sadly, the young boy is abandoned by his father (presumably due to incarceration) and longs for his father’s return. He learns to live with the void left by his father’s absence but is forever changed by it. The story ends with a note of hope as the reader sees the young boy grow into a happy man with his own family to love.

Not only is the story touching, but the illustrations created through watercolor and collage are amazing! They add so much to the story by adding layers of texture and depth much like the emotions of the young boy. This book would be particularly powering for young people that have experienced life with only one parent and abandonment. The book shows struggle and pain, but ultimately triumph as well. Due to the interesting and creative illustrations, this book could be used to discuss both writer’s craft as well as the artistry of the illustrator. A teacher could use this text to model using different mediums to create illustrations. Students could then create their own picture book complete with text and illustrations. Perhaps this book could be used by a guidance counselor to help students cope with their feelings because, as I said previously, this book could be particularly significant for some children. It could even be used to help them connect with and overcome their feelings of abandonment. Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful, touching story and glorious art work.

(Image from www.danielbeaty.com)

The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose

Lobel, A. (1986). The arnold lobel book of mother goose. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose is a beautifully illustrated collection of traditional nursery rhymes. Some well known nursery rhymes are included such as “Three Blind Mice” and “Rock-a-bye Baby.” Lesser known classics are included as well such as “Fishy, fishy in the Brook” and “When Clouds Appear Like Rocks and Towers.” My personal favorite is “This is the Key of the Kingdom” because it starts out describing the kingdom and then narrows down to describing just a basket in a single room of a house. Then the next page basically reverses the whole rhyme and builds back up to the kingdom. It’s cute and clever. This collection would be best suited for younger children to use as a read aloud or in small groups. The repetition and rhyming would be beneficial to help young students practice fluency and accuracy. For older students, the nursery rhymes could be used as a model for how to write and illustrate the rhymes. Using these models, the students could then write and illustrate their own nursery rhymes. After that the teacher could have students read their own rhymes aloud to the class to practice presentation and public speaking skills. This is a wonderful comprehensive collection of classic nursery rhymes that would be a good addition to any home or classroom library.

(Image from www.publishersweekly.com)

Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons

Lyons, K.S. (2012). Ellen’s broom. New York, NY: The Penguin Group.

Ellen’s Broom is written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter. Minter was awarded the Coretta Scott King Award in 2013 for his illustrations. Ellen’s Broom  tells the story of a young African American girl and her parents wedding broom. At the beginning of the story, Ellen learns that her parents, like all African Americans at the time, were not allowed to officially be married but times are changing! Slavery has ended and soon Ellen’s family is off to the courthouse so her parents can finally become husband and wife under the law. Ellen connects with her past and her future through the story and tradition of the broom. The story is told from Ellen’s perspective and we learn that Ellen is a kind and caring young girl that loves her family. The book could easily be aligned with social studies standards. It would be a great read aloud when discussing slavery and the injustices faced by African Americans at that time. Students could write their personal reactions to the injustices which could then be used to initiate a meaningful discussion or even a debate at the upper elementary grade levels. Ellen’s Broom  was an enjoyable story, although it was not one of my favorite picture books.

(Image from www.scholastic.com)

Lon Po Po by Edward Young

Young, E. (1989). Lon po po: A red riding hood story from China. New York, NY: Penguin

      Putnam Books for Young Readers.

Lon Po Po by Edward Young is the Chinese variation of the little red riding hood folktale. In this version, the mother of three young girls leaves the house to visit their sick grandmother. Upon seeing the mother leave, a sinister wolf thinly disguised as the grandmother comes to the house. The oldest of the siblings, Shang, soon realizes this visitor is not what she seems and tricks the wolf resulting in his demise! This clever story shows the young girls outwitting the wolf which is in contrast to our idea of the traditional red riding hood tale in which the young girl must be saved by someone else. Shang, the eldest, is a smart and cunning girl that essentially saves her own life and her sisters’ lives. She is a great role model for young girls. I have actually used this picture book in my classroom in the past. I read Lon Po Po aloud and then read the traditional red riding hood tale. My students had to compare and contrast the two stories using a venn diagram. The focused on the similarities and differences between the plots, settings, themes, and characters of the two tales. To extend the lesson, I had my students write a persuasive paragraph. In the paragraph they needed to state which version was their favorite and also try to persuade others to agree with them. My students were very intrigued by the idea of familiar folktales being told in slightly different ways in other countries. Personally, I prefer Lon Po Po over the traditional tale because it values ingenuity and cleverness especially in young girls. The messages of working together, problem solving, and determination are admirable. The lesson from this story would be beneficial in any elementary classroom.

(Image from www.scholastic.com)

Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? by Tana Hoban

Hoban, T. (1978). Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? is a concept book meant to teach or reinforce color recognition. This book is best suited for very young preschool aged children. The author uses actual photographs of everyday objects to reinforce colors. Displayed at the bottom of each page is a circle or circles of the prominent color(s) on the page. There is no cohesive story to speak of since this is book is completely wordless and only consists of unrelated photographs. It would best be used in preschool rooms as a read aloud. The teacher could ask students to identify the color(s) on each page. Then the teacher could ask students to point out various objects in the photo. This task would help with observation skills as well as vocabulary since it would require students to verbalize their response. Is it red? Is it yellow? Is it blue? was not my favorite concept book simply because it was a bit outdated and a little too simplistic. I would have preferred to see the names of the colors on the page so that students could start to link the name (in text) with the spoken word. Overall, though, it was a good example of a concept book because it focused solely on the concept of color.

(Image from www.harpercollins.com)

Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail

McPhail, D. (1997). Edward and the pirates. Boston, MA: Little, Brown Books for Young

      Readers.

Edward and the Pirates is a wonderfully imaginative story about a book-loving young boy that experiences many grand adventures through the books he reads. In his biggest adventure yet he is approached by a gang of pirates that demand he help them find the treasure by giving up his beloved library book, but will Edward help and risk losing the book?

This book reminds me of a quote I read recently that says “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one” by George R.R. Martin. I enjoy this quote on several levels but mostly because I have “experienced” many stories in my lifetime as an avid reader. Edward, the main character, has also experienced a vast number adventures through reading. His imagination allows him to travel to any time past, present, or future and any place in the world and beyond! This book exemplifies the joy of reading. As such, it would be an ideal read aloud at the beginning of the school year to get students excited about reading. In fact, I will most likely use this picture book in my own classroom or library to do just that. It is of utmost importance to get young students excited about reading! A love of reading helps set students up for academic success throughout their lives. Obviously, I enjoyed this book very much! It was clever, imaginative, and meaningful!

(Image from www.amazon.com)

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane Evans

Evans, S. (2011). Underground: Finding the light to freedom. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane Evans is a 2013 Coretta Scott King Award winner. Underground tells the harrowing tale of the plight of slaves escaping to freedom using the underground railroad. It is told very simply with no more than a few words on each page. The illustrations of the book are primarily composed of deep blue hues with dark tones to signify the night time journeys undertaken using the underground railroad. Some yellow is introduced as the story moves along to show light along the way shining from the lamps of those who helped the slaves along the way. At the end yellow hues are prominently displayed to symbolize the slaves’ new found freedom and life. This book would be a good story to use to infer various story elements. For example, students could infer why the author says certain things like “We run”, “We fear”, and “Some don’t make it.” Students could then make inferences about why the slaves must run or are fearful or why some don’t make it to freedom. Additionally, Underground could easily be used as a link to the social studies curriculum when learning about slavery and the underground railroad. For instance in the third grade standards, students are expected to learn about the contributions of famous americans and Harriet Tubman is included in those famous people. This book would be a good read aloud while learning about Harriet Tubman and her bravery leading slaves to freedom using the underground railroad. The overarching theme of the story-hope, determination, and freedom make this book a pleasure to read!

(Image from www.amazon.com)

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen is a simple, humorous picture book that won the Caldecott Medal in 2013. A sneaky little fish steals a bowler hat from a sleeping, much larger fish and swims away insisting page after page that he will not get caught. Little does he know that the big fish is on his tail and finally recovers his hat after all! The illustrations are very simple and consist of the little fish, the big fish, the hat, and some seawood all placed on a dark black background. The light colored fish are in stark contrast to the dark background making the reader’s eye focus on the fish, the main characters. This book would be best for younger preschool aged or early elementary school aged students do to the simple comedy and design. The illustrations very subtly show emotion through eye movements and color, therefore, a teacher could use this book to help young readers determine the emotions of the characters. The students could act out different emotions using just their own faces to practice. At the end of the book, the big fish gets his hat back but the reader does not get to see how it happens. Students could make a prediction about what happened when the big fish swam into the seaweed behind the little fish and then came out with his hat. Overall, I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the other Caldecott books that I read. It was okay, but I was somewhat turned off by the smug attitude of the little fish and I did not particularly love that fact that he was stealing. While I did not enjoy this book, I can see how young children might enjoy the story.

(Image from candlewick.com)

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Flotsam was written by David Wiesner in 2006 and received the Caldecott Medal in 2007. The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking in this wordless picture book. They tell an intriguing story about a magical camera that travels around the world capturing surreal images of undersea life. A young boy finds the camera on a beach and discovers this fantastical water world after he develops the photos from the camera. Upon further investigation, the boy realizes this magical camera has been taking amazing images of ocean life for dozens of past generations. At the end of the story, the reader is taken to a new beach with a new child and realizes that the magical camera will continue its work well into the future. This is a fascinating picture book and it’s almost hard to believe that the story is told entirely through illustrations alone! It is no wonder how it was awarded the Caldecott Medal. This book is appropriate for children of all ages. In lower elementary grades, the book can be used as a catalyst for story writing. In upper elementary grades, students can use the book to infer story elements and make predictions. Also to extend comprehension, a teacher could ask inferential questions such as “why does the author show the pictures within pictures?” or “how does the reader know that this camera has taken pictures in the past?” I truly loved this picture book!! It is beautifully illustrated and tells an wonderfully imaginative story.

(Image from www.hmhbooks.com/wiesner)

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Raschka, C. (2011). A ball for daisy. New York, NY: Schwartz and Wade Books.

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka is the 2012 Caldecott Medal Winner. The whimsical, nearly wordless picture book chronicles the story of a ball-loving puppy that suffers the heartbreaking loss of her beloved ball after it is ruined by another puppy friend. However, in an act of goodwill and responsibility, the owner of the puppy friend replaces Daisy’s ball and then once again all is right in Daisy’s world. The simple, colorful illustrations weave the tale of Daisy and her ball beautifully. In addition to the minimal word count, Daisy’s emotions are easily seen on her face and in her body language making the book appropriate for young readers. It would be easy for children to relate to Daisy since most children have a favorite toy and sometimes have even experienced the loss of that toy. This book could be used for shared writing or independent writing in a Writer’s Workshop depending upon the ability of the students. It could also be used to practice inferencing skills or determining character traits and feelings for first, second, or third graders. The cute, whimsical story told in A Ball for Daisy was very appealing and will be one that I will use in my classroom or library.

(Image from amazon.com)

I Can Read! Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean

Dean, J. (2013). Pete the cat: Pete at the beach. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Pete The Cat: Pete at the Beach is an I Can Read! book designed for shared reading for emergent readers. I Can Read! books are conveniently leveled for young readers. There are five levels starting from shared reading which is intended to be read aloud with a child and progressing to advanced reading for older readers that are preparing to move on the chapter books. As a teacher, the leveled books make it quick and easy to find suitable reading material for students of various ability levels. Pete the Cat is a lovable, blue cat that can be found in many picture books such as I Love My White Shoes and Rocking in my School Shoes. This particular installment of Pete follows Pete, his mother, and brother, Bob on their adventure to the beach. Pete is unsure of the water at first, but finally decides to take the plunge and enjoy the cool, refreshing water on a hot, summer day! Pete’s fear of the water (and something new) is something that children can easily relate to and understand making it a perfect book for young readers. Pete overcoming that fear makes the story even more powerful for young readers! This would be a great book to read aloud to very young readers as it provides repetition and sight words. Further, the illustrations are fun and childlike. It could also be used for small group reading among emergent readers to practice dialog, expression, and fluency. The text is located on the top of every page with the illustration underneath providing a very structured, easy to follow story which is good for beginning readers. I personally love Pete the Cat and the fun stories about him and this book was no exception!

(Image from Harpercollinschildrens.com)

Locomotive by Brian Floca

Floca, B. (2013). Locomotive. New York, NY: Atheneum for Young Readers.

Locomotive  was written and illustrated by Brian Floca. It won the Caldecott Medal in 2014. The book chronicles the journey of passengers headed out west by way of a steam train during the great westward expansion in the mid-late 1800’s. As the passengers are riding along on the new transcontinental railroad you experience the sights and sounds of the era through realistic illustrations,creative fonts and bold text. The endpapers of the book are worth mentioning as well because they provide valuable information to the reader about the actual construction of the railroad in the 1800’s and the inner workings of a steam locomotive. The “main character” of this book is probably the actual locomotive itself rather than the passengers. The story revolves primarily around the sights, sounds, and feel of the steam locomotive moving across the country. The text and content of the book is best suited for upper elementary school students. In the classroom, this book could easily be used across the curriculum particularly when discussing westward expansion. It provides rich nonfiction text about the railroads and trains. Additionally, nonfiction text features could be discussed using the endpapers. Further, due to the use of unique fonts and text, a teacher could use this book to discuss writer’s craft with students and perhaps even encouraging them to employ some of the techniques used by Brian Floca. Locomotive is a fun and exciting story that is sure to please many young readers. I enjoyed this book, the illustrations, and even the endpapers very much!

(Image from brianfloca.com)

The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Pinkney, J. (2009). The lion and the mouse. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company

Books for Young Readers.

The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney is a wordless picture book that won the Caldecott Medal in 2010. The book tells the Aesop fable about a lion that shows an act of kindness by graciously saving the life of a mouse. Soon, though, the lion is the one in danger and the grateful mouse returns the favor and saves the life of the lion. The illustrations are beautifully crafted and intricately painted. Since the book has no words, the illustrations are crucial to the story and do a wonderful job of conveying the plot and message of the fable . The illustrator uses beautiful color and detail to represent the main characters, the lion and the mouse. Both characters show compassion and empathy through their decisions to save the life of the other. This book could easily be used from kindergarten through 5th grade. In kindergarten, the book could be used to help determine the sequence of a story since it is written in a sequential, straightforward manner. In first or second grade, it could be used as a catalyst for creating a story by having students write a story based on the pictures. In upper elementary grades, this book could be used to determine the theme of a story, particularly focusing on the theme of compassion and helping others. I really enjoyed reading this book and experiencing the story through the pictures. I definitely plan to use this book in my classroom or library in the future.

(Image from jerrypinkneystudio.com)