The Class: Final Edition

I think this class was a great experience. As an avid reader, I feel that delving deeper into the books we read is essential, especially since soon we will be influencing more minds than our own. I feel that it is crucial that we put great thought and care into our book selection for the class as well as the classroom library. We may have the power of changing a student into a reader or. I loved being able to have the opportunity of reading a variety of children's picture books as well as novels. It gave me a chance to look through our own vast library which showed me the difference of the books now as to when I was a child.

EarthDance

Earthdance by Joanne Ryder is a colorful book that allows children to step outside their ordinary realm of thinking. It asks the reader to think of themselves as the earth and then carries it through the atmosphere as if they are the earth. I liked this book because it used such great descriptive words that allowed the reader to imagine they are dancing through the atmosphere. I also liked that it was such an unique book that not all kids have read before. It is a book that will allow them to think about things in a way that puts them into the book fully. I used this book for my text set because I thought that it brought about the topic of dancing in a different way that some students wouldn't originally think of. I loved that it used a science topic to draw the readers to a topic that may have always been more oriented towards artsy types.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi was an interesting book to read. After reading So Far from the Bamboo Grove, it was weird to read from the other perspective. I feel that both of these books have the potential to be very controversial in the classroom. I looked online to see what age is recommended for this book and it said 10+. My little sister is 10 and I don't think I would feel comfortable having her read this novel. I understand that it is essential to have children understand that there are other types of living and world besides from their own but I think it would raise a lot of topics that I am not sure how I would respond to when confronted.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins was a very interesting book. I loved that it was very detailed and descriptive so that the reader was able to have vivid pictures of the experiences that the reader went through. Yet at the same time I hated reading about such a horrible topic and felt sick to my stomach throughout the book. I think that this book would be beneficial in an older elementary classroom but I think that there may be some students who will not feel comfortable reading it. I loved our discussion in the classroom because I was one of the readers who couldn't believe the urine part and just assumed that everyone felt that way. It was crazy to me to think that other didn't even pause. I think that was a very big thing for me this semester was how everyone is going to have a different perspective. I need to be conscious of this when I am a teacher because I will have over 20 different perspectives in my classroom.

Just Kidding

Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig and Adam Gustavson is a book that touches upon the subject of bullying. It shows a little boy who is constantly making fun of the other boys. However when one of the boys gets upset, the bully makes it seem like he is the one being irrational. Then the boy talks to his dad and brother about it who help him find a way to laugh it off when the boy makes jokes about him. When it still doesn't stop, the boy and his family approach the school teacher who then takes an active role in making sure it doesn't happen again. I really liked that this book showed different tactics to try when working with a bully. I feel this book would be helpful in the classroom because it may offer the courage that the students need to tell the teacher about a bully.

Leaving the Nest

Leaving the Nest by Mordicai Gerstein was a book about a bird, kitten, little girl, and squirrel that all need to "leave the nest" because they are growing up. I was very amused by this book and loved that it had a type of graphic novel approach with the text in bubbles. I also loved that there were 4 stories going on at once so I was always anxious to see what happened next. I think it had a very silly and fun approach to something that may be hard for children to deal with. I think this book could be useful for children who may not want to start school and leave their parents. It would be helpful because you could use the experiences of the characters and how much they were able to see and learn when they left. I also really liked the illustrations. Overall I think this will always be one of my favorite picture books.

1, 2, I Love You

1, 2, I Love You by Alice Schertle was a book that I feel I have read many times. It was an easy read and happy and very flowing. I don't think this book would have a deeper meaning or theme that would be useful in the classroom. However, the story does count from 1 to 10 and then back from 10 to 1, so teachers could possibly use it in a kindergarten classroom to reinforce their learning of numbers. Another possibility would be rhyming lesson as the book has a rhyming pattern throughout the pages. I think this book would be okay with younger grades but older grades would easily get bored as there is no climax or plot to the story.

Frog Face

Frog Face: My little sister and me by John Schindel is a story about a little girl adjusting to having a new baby sister in her family and life. I really liked this book because it showed that within family relationships there are going to be hard times and times when you may not like the other one very much. However at the end of the day you are going to be there for one another and with love. I really liked the pictures by Janet Delaney because they were real and showed the relationship building between two sisters over the years. I thought it was very cool that Delaney dedicated this book to her two daughters and I wouldn't be surprised if these photos in the book are her daughters that she took when they were younger. I think this book would be beneficial to have in the classroom as it teaches children to appreciate their siblings. It shows them that their siblings add a certain amount of joy to their lives and that there is no bond like the ones that siblings share.

Let's Dance!

Let's Dance! by George Ancona is a book that describes dancing in every form. It talks about dancing with groups or alone, for men or women, and so on. I really liked this book and thought it was very informational. Throughout the book it talked about different cultures and a type of dancing which I thought was interesting because I wasn't familiar with many of them. I really liked the beginning that said "If you can walk, you can dance" because I feel that many children think that they are "bad" dancers. I really would want to portray to my students that anyone can dance and it doesn't matter how you move as long as you are having fun. I think this book would be amazing for any type of lesson on dancing because not only does it instill confidence in the students, but it will teach them about different types of dance and cultures.

Dance

The book Dance by Bill T. Jones was a book about all of the different types of ways a person can move their body when they are dancing. I think my favorite part of this book was that the person who showed all of the dance moves and ways their body can move was a man. It was surprising because many of the dance books that I have read before almost always include mainly girls. I think that this will allow boys to see that dancing is okay for them also. I like the quote in the end "Dance is action and shape designed in space and time to express feelings and ideas" by the author. I think that any dancer knows exactly what he is talking about when he says that dancing is part of expressing yourself. I feel the same way with music and know that many times it will help me control my feelings whether they may be angry, sad, or happy. The pictures were very realistic and I can almost feel like I am there watching him dance. I also was excited to see that the author was the one who was doing the dancing. It made me feel that his excitement for the book was very heartfelt.

Princess Penelope

Princess Penelope by Todd Mack is a book about a little girl named Penelope who believes she is a Princess. She takes a normal day and shows the reader how her life mirrors the life of a princess. I found it amusing how she can take the most mundane task and find it glamorous such as riding in the car in her car seat which is like when a princess is sitting on her throne. The book was very girly and fun especially with the text that was written in curly cursive with some of the words written bigger and in pink. I think part of the reason this book appealed to me so much because I remember when I was a child and wanting to be a princess. I used to play in my own fantasy world and pretend that I was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I think this book gives little girls the perfect excuse to lose themselves in their own fantasy for awhile.

The Day The Babies Crawled Away

The Day The Babies Crawled Away by Peggy Rathmann is a book about a group of babies that crawled away and one older child goes after to make them come back. However they refuse to listen and keep crawling to find things that interest them. I really liked how the text rhymed and was sing-songy throughout the book because it made the whole book more fun. The illustrations were fun to look at because they kept the peoples and object silhoutted in black and add colors in the background. The colors in the background seem to be done with watercolor and depict a very realistic feeling that the day and night are progressing and eventually fading. The book is very youthful and would be a fun read especially to younger children to portray how they can do anything they put their mind to. I think this would be great for a lesson where children would write about their own series of events with colorful descriptions.

The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy

The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy by Jane Thayer was a warm fuzzy feeling book. I was intrigued because two of my friends exclaimed how much they loved this book when they were a child when they saw it in my room. The book talks about how this puppy wants his very own boy for Christmas. However his mother can't find any boys because they are short on demand this year. So Petey (the puppy) goes around to see if any other dog will give up their boy. After receiving many frightening nos, Petey loses hope until he finds a boy at a Home for Boy Orphans. The boy takes him inside and he is greeted by many boys. He then makes a home for himself at the orphanagage and is happy. I really liked this book because it gave a different feeling to getting a puppy. It was cute to look at getting a puppy from the puppy's angle and that every puppy wants a boy just as much as a boy wants a puppy. One thing I didn't like was that the puppy only wanted a boy and not a girl owner. But the book is a bit older so I think that is a big part of why only the boy is shown with the puppy.

The Class

I think the class is going well. I really enjoy reading books especially the novels. At times it is hard for me to pick picture books since there are so many and I am not sure where to begin in the library. I like the different presentations that we have been doing in class and am excited that we will be doing author studies further in detail. I am anxious to see how I have been doing in the class so far. I think that the novels that we have read for class have been good so far. I liked The Misfits better than Love That Dog. I really liked reading the controversial picture books because I never knew that there were picture books about such crazy topics. I found it interesting that the books were made for such young children also. I am excited to see what the rest of the semester brings!

Where I'd Like To Be

The novel Where I'd Like To Be by Frances O'Roark Dowell is a novel about an orphan named Maddie. She has been sent to foster homes her entire life and now lives at an orphanage. One day a new girl named Murphy comes to the orphanage and has tales about her life to tell Maddie. They two become fast friends. Soon Ricky Ray and Logan join their group of friends. The four build their own fort and begin to put together scrapbooks of houses that they make stories about. But Murphy makes friends with the popular kids who make fun of and ruin their scrapbooks. This brings a bridge between the whole group. The book was an easy read although kind of sad. It has always been hard for me to read books about children in foster care or orphanages. I know it is a prominent issue in the world today so it could be a good book to bring into the classroom and read together.

My Dog Never Says Please

My Dog Never Says Please by Suzanne Williams is a story about a little girl Ginny who is upset that her family is always scolding her for things that her dog can do. Her parents want her to thank you but her dog doesn't have to. Also, her parents want her to clean her room but her dog doesn't have to clean it's dog house. She finally breaks down and tells her parents she wants to be a dog. Her parents allow her to be a dog but then Ginny starts to see that she has more fun being a human. I liked how this book depicted so many things that little kids always get upset about when their parents critique them. I was glad that in the end she realizes that her life with her family is more fulfilling than her life as a dog.

Noisy Nora

Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells is a story about a typical family. Both of the parents are busy with the two children so Nora is not getting any attention. Nora gets upset and plays by herself. However she keeps making noise so her parents tell her to hush. She gets upset and decides she is leaving forever. Once it is quiet, her parents realize something is wrong. They look all over for her and can't find her. Finally, she falls out of the closet with a big crash. I like this book because I think it portrays how some children feel when they don't get attention from the parents. I wish they would have had maybe one more page with all of the family doing something together because I thought the book ended awkwardly.

Not A Stick

Not A Stick by Antoinette Portis is a book about a pig who uses a stick to play with one day. But whenever someone asks what he is doing with the stick, the reader turns the page to find out that the stick is anything but a stick. He imagines riding a horse, playing the drums, lifting weights, and fishing. It was incredible to see what the pig could do and imagine with just the one stick. I also liked how simplistic the drawings were yet it was able to be incorporated into the different scenarios in the book. This book would be fun for children to read and then make their own imaginative stick picture.

Max's Dragon

Max's Dragon by Kate Banks tells a story about three brothers. One named Max seems to be the outsider while Karl and Benjamin seem to always play together. Max tries to play with them but they make fun of his imaginative dragon and rhyming patterns. However, as the story progresses Karl and Benjamin follow Max as he is playing with his dragon. They stop making fun of him and seem to enjoy their adventures with Max. Once Max has made friends with his brothers, the dragon magically goes off to sleep so that the three brothers can bond. I really like how Max has his own personal friend when he doesn't seem to get along perfectly with his brothers. Whenever I talk to friends who are from a family of three siblings, it seems like two are always teaming up on the other one. I think that has got to be hard especially when they are younger because no one likes to be left out.

The Birthday Box

The Birthday Box by Leslie Patricelli tells a story about a little boy who got a present in the mail from his Grandma. He rips off the paper and sees that it is a box. After he plays with his box for a little bit, he opens it up and sees that he got a dog. Then him and his dog play with the box. They imagine it is a plane, a robot, and then finally a bed. It was an easy read and could be for very young kids. It brought back some memories because when I was younger I used to play in a laundry basket and pretend that it was a boat. Then I would bring my cat in with me and make her take the trip with me.

The House Across the Street

The House Across the Street by Jules Feiffer is a book about a little boy. He lives across the street from an older boy who has a perfect life. The boy across the street has 4 dogs, a better bike, parents who listen to him whenever, he doesn't have to go to school, and so on. At the end the older boy goes on vacation and the little boy walks across the street to the house. The little boy pretends that the boy invites him in and they have sleepovers. I am not exactly sure what happened at the end because there is a picture of the two boys playing videogames. But he had just said that the boy was on vacation. So I am not sure if the boy is imagining the whole thing or if the boy across the street is his friend. I liked the book at the beginning because it showed how imaginative the little boy can be. Also, little kids always think another child has it better somewhere else. But towards the end I just got confused with what exactly was going on.

Kids Like Us

Kids Like Us by Carole Lexa Schaefer was a really great book. It shows a group of kids who are playing with their toys in a classroom. As they are playing imaginative games, the illustrator Pierr Morgan, draws scenes over the children playing. One example was the children as firefighters saving a family in a fire. Another was them all acting as dinosaurs. I really liked that they kids were able to use their imaginations in so many different ways and play together. The book used color to catch the reader's attention and point out the important, exciting parts. The writer also uses many colorful words like "Shooshh" and "Squirt" which I think the reader could have a lot of fun with when reading the book to children. I also liked how much the children seemed to know about so many different things and subjects even though they were so young.

Don't Let Go

The book Don't Let Go by Jeanne Willis is a story about a little girl who wants to learn how to ride a bike. She explains how she has tried to do it by herself but she is not able to. Her dad helps her and holds on until she tells him she can let go. Then her dad is upset because he doesn't want her to ride away without him. She tells him that she will not let go until he says it's okay either. One thing I really liked about this book was how the mom and dad live in separate houses. But the book doesn't throw it in your face but very casually mentioned it. I like that the book shows how some children's parents are divorced and show that their fathers stay involved. The book also includes rhyming which a teacher could incorporate easily into the classroom and teaching units. The illustrations by Tony Ross are very typical but one thing that does seem to stand out to me is how the settings seem to move.

Heather Has Two Mommies (Controversial)

The book Heather has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman is a book about a little girl with two moms. She is perfectly happy with her life until she joins a play group in which the other kids talk about their dads. When she realizes she doesn't have a dad, she gets upset. However the teacher has all of the kids draw pictures of their families which show how different each one is and explains that all families are unique. I thought this book was very graphic especially when they explain about how Heather was conceived. Also, this book was a little too cookie cutter for me because every family in her play group was not the typical. One has two dads, one was divorced, one a single parent, etc. I know that there are many families that may represent these different types, it was just a little too convenient that all of them happened to be represented in her play group. I am not sure what age group should read this book. I would lean towards older middle school which is interesting though because Heather is probably around 5 years old in the book which makes me wonder if they were trying to target it towards younger children.

I Never Knew Your Name (Controversial)

I Never Knew Your Name by Sherry Garland is a book that shows a younger boy who watched an older teenager over a period of time. The older boy was always in the shadows by himself and watched the other children go off to dances and such. Many times the younger boy has the urge to approach the older boy to hang out but never follows through. In the end of the book, the older boy kills himself and then he is noticed by everyone. This book was very sad to read but very true especially in todays world. Children are often left out of groups of peers and become depressed. As adults, we hope that we are able to help before the depression becomes too much and someone loses a life. I thought it was interesting how the little boy's older sister said "He wasn't that bad, I don't know why he did it" yet she never once made an effort to include him. So often we think that someone else will make that extra effort but too often no one does. Although this book is very realistic I do not think that 4th graders should be reading it. I would use this book more for older middle school or junior high because it seems like that is when everyone starts to get clicky.

My Two Uncles (Controversial)

My Two Uncles by Judith Vigna is a story that portrays a family where some are accepting of a gay son and others are not. The gay son's brothers and niece are okay with the fact that he has chosen to be gay and have a partner but his parents are not. I think it was a great way to show that the younger generations are more okay with people that are different but older generations do not like the changes. It reminds me of my grandparents sometimes in the way that they are pessimistic about all of the changes that are coming about in the world. I liked how in the end his mom comes in to give both him and his partner a hug yet his dad stays outside. I thought it was important to show that although he is trying to be supportive, it is a process that he will need to grow with.

The Un-Wedding (Controversial)

The Un-Wedding by Babette Cole is a story about a pair of siblings that have parents that fight about everything. Their marriage is not only ruining the parents' lives but also the children begin to blame themselves. The decide to hold a meeting at their school for all the children with parents who do not get along. Sooo many children come that they decide that something needs to happen. Paula comes up with an idea and decides to un-marry the parents. The parents are so excited and after their un-marriage they go off to their own honeymoons. Then the children bulldoze the house and build two in its place: one for each parent. I think this is an interesting way to present divorce to a child. It shows that there are hardly any unpleasant emotions for the children involved and presents a happily-ever-after for the family. In real life, this is not always the case which could be upsetting for children who read this book. I wish it would have been a little bit more realistic since divorce is so common and so many children have to go through it.

Happy to Be Nappy (Controversial)

The book Happy to be Nappy by Bell Hooks and Chris Raschka is a book that shows how little girls with black girl can have beautiful hair also. It goes through the different ways that black girls wear their hair. I liked how the book seems to be written by a little girl in cursive handwriting. I am not sure how I would feel if I was black though. The fact that their is a book that tells them that their hair is beautiful no matter how they wear it seems to be a bit much. I think it would be different if they had a book talking about all different peoples' hair types and then they mentioned about the different ways that black people wear their hair. I like how the book has simple but fun illustrations with the different shades and types of color highlighting behind the girls' hair.

What Did I Look Like When I Was A Baby?

The book What Did I Look Like When I Was A Baby? by Jeanne Willis is a favorite book of mine. It shows a little boy asking what he looked like when he was a baby. Then it goes to show a bunch of animals asking their parents what they were like when they were babies. All their parents respond with answers that they looked like either their mom or dad until a frog asks what he looked like. His mother shows him a picture and he gets very upset until he hears his brothers and sisters singing a song about tadpoles turning into frogs. I really liked that they included a wide variety of animals that children don't see in their everyday lives. Also, I was excited to see that their was a song in the book that a teacher could incorporate into their classroom. The Bullfrog Song is then shown on the back cover so that the teacher contains lyrics to it. I think this would be a great way to bring music into the classroom.

A Frog in the Bog

A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson and Joan Rankin tells a story about a frog who is sitting on a sunken log that keeps eating different insects. With every insect that the frog eats, he grows. When the frog gets big and fact, he realizes the log is a gator! The gator tries to eat the frog but when the frog yells out all of the insects crawl out. Then the gator loses interest because the frog is not going to be meal enough. I really liked how educational this book is. Every page contains lines that rhyme which a teacher could use on a rhyming unit. Also, a unit on insects and nature could be used with this book. The illustrations of the book are okay. I think they are done with watercolor which gives the book an outdoorsy feel. I would definitely keep this book for younger grades.

The Misfits

The Misfits by James Howe was an amazing book. I was immediately drawn into the book because of the way Bobby describes everything. He had such an interesting description of the events at school. His gang of friends were such a great group of friends. They were all portrayed wonderfully with their different sets of quirks and personalities. I was unsure of why they portrayed Joe so flamboyantly. But after our discussion in class, it all seemed to fit together. This book was such a hard one to put down because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. When I first got done with the book, I was pretty upset with how everything ended. I couldn't believe the No-name party didn't win the election but after I thought about it for awhile I realized there was no other way to end the book. I thought it was great that the Gang of Five ended up winners and were able to implement one of their ideas even though the didn't end up as the winners of the election. I really liked that Bobby confronted his dad about the way he was living. Sometimes a child can see things that an adult can't and I really liked that Bobby was able to help his dad. I think this book may be a little advanced for middle school but I could see 7th or 8th graders reading this book.

Love That Dog

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech was an interesting book to read. At first I was not excited to read it because I have never been a big fan of poems. When I was growing up, I think I had a very specific image of what a poem should be. Rhymes, short, intense, meaningful. But reading this book gave me a different perspective on what a poem should be. I really liked that the teacher was always encouraging the student to keep writing and made him feel secure about the poems he was writing. It made me wonder if anything could be considered a poem. How do you decide if something is a poem or if it isn't? Can anyone string together words and call it a poem? Was he writing poems? Or were they more like journal entries? It would be interesting to read the second book from Sharon Creech. It might help me clear up what I believe a poem should be.

Winners: Batter Up, Bailey Benson!

Winners: Batter Up, Bailey Benson by Linda Lee Maifar is a story about two best friends named Bailey and Nikki. They both love to play softball and have been practicing for months to make a spot on one of the leagues. They both make it but on separate teams which has never happened before. They vow that nothing will change their friendship but soon softball practices are coming before sleepovers and the girls get jealous. Bailey believes that Nikki is not being a "best friend" and stops talking to her. During their first game where their teams play each other, Bailey accuses Nikki of throwing her bad balls on purpose. Nikki runs off the field upset and Bailey realizes her mistake. Bailey apologizes and they soon are friends again. I thought this book was a good one for children especially girls because when I was growing up all sports books were about boys. I was happy to see that there was a children's novel about two girls who love sports. I also like the message that the book is sending about friendship. I believe middle school can be a tough place and many friendships are put to the test. It is great for children to see that these friendships can last.

Momma, Where Are You From?

Momma, Where Are You From? by Marie Bradby is an excellent book. A young girl asks her mom where she comes from and the mom starts to paint a picture of her history for her. She uses description and the five senses to relate her past to her. She tells of how her siblings have to travel far to attend a school for blacks even though there is a school across the street. She tells about the jobs her siblings and she worked even when they were young. She speaks of Sundays when their families would come together and enjoy their off time together. I was a fan of the illustrations by Chris Sentpiet as they were very detailed. I feel that this book would be better for middle aged children because of the lengthy descriptions.

The Trouble With Baby

The Trouble With Baby by Marisabina Russo is a story about a typical middle class family with one boy and one girl. The brother, Sam, and sister, Hannah, get along perfectly until Hannah has a birthday party. Hannah receives a baby doll that she instantly becomes attached to. She brings Baby everywhere with her and soon Sam become jealous. Sam starts to play with his teddy bear as a replacement to Hannah. However, Hannah realizes that Baby can't replace Sam and they make up. They become inseparable again. After reading this book, I realized how perfect the plot line is. Perfect family, little fight, make-up, perfect family. In real life, things don't always work out like that. I also found it ironic how Hannah takes on a motherly role when she receives the baby doll but before she had the baby doll, she played lots of other games with Sam. There wasn't anything that truly caught my eye in this book but it would be an easy read for younger children.

Run Far, Run Fast

Run Far, Run Fast by Timothy Decker was a very odd book. I was very excited to read about the plague and it's play in history but I found myself confused after reading the book. The story unveils a young girl whose family is being hit with the Pestilence. Her mother sends her away and tells her to "Run far, Run fast". The girl goes from city to town but the plague is everywhere. She encounters one man who shares his views on the plague and she returns home to get her brother. The story ends with them sleeping at his house. The book was very vague in it's story line. The entire book is black and white which gives a very depressing feel to the book which fits since it is about the plague. But I didn't understand some of the pictures in the book which was frustrating because I feel that the pictures are telling a story of their own.

Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave

Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave by Dolores Johnson is a very realistic book. It starts with a mother explaining to her daughter that the diary has been handed down for generations. She then begins to share the entries. The entries talk about how a family of slaves decides to flee their master and ends up joining a group of Seminoles. However soon the government wants to Seminoles to leave their land and move to Oklahoma. This move splits their family and the diary ends there. I really liked this book because it showed how hard times were for minorities and also that not every story has a happy ending. The illustrations had an interesting blended quality to them that made the characters not stand out clearly. I thought the illustrations of the clothes from that time period were characteristic of their roles in history.

A Boy Named Giotto

A Boy Named Giotto by Paolo Guarnieri is a story about a young shepherd boy who aspires to be something more. He has a passion for drawing and wishes to become an artist. However his father doesn't share the same aspirations for his future. Giotto soon meets an accomplished artist named Cimabue and shares his dream. Cimabue realizes Giotto's talent surpasses his own and convinces his parents to allow him to pursue it. I really liked the illustrations done by Bimba Landmann. They were very clear and detailed. However, I thought the story was kind of dry and hard to follow. The book recommends 5 years of age and older but I don't think this book would hold a 5 year old's attention. The "follow your dream" message that the book sends is great. It allows kids to believe in themselves.

Have you ever heard The Story of the 3 Little Pigs? Of course you have. Well a story by A. Wolf (as told to Jon Scieszka) called The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs the reader is offered another look into the original story. In the book, Alexander T. Wolf is able to give his side of the story. This has always been a personal favorite of mine. The story gives a sarcastic and humorous way to look at a favorite past time tale. The pictures are easily related to the text and offer a different way of picturing the characters.

Cinderella 2000 by Mavis Jukes is a modern day remake of the original Cinderella. Ashley's mother died when she was young and her father remarried a woman who had twin girls. However, shortly after her father also passed away which leaves her in the custody of her step mom Phyllis. Phyllis treats Ashley as her chef, nanny, and maid while the twins are constantly butting into Ashley's life. As the New Year of 2000 approaches all Ashley wants to do is attend a party with her super-crush. This story was very fun to read and entertaining. I was constantly wondering what the next page would bring. I would recommend it to girls in middle school or early junior high.

The Lonely Moose by John Segal told a story about a moose that had no friends. One day the Moose saves a bird's life and they become good friends. A fire separates the friends until one day Bird flies back to Moose. The story was interesting but kind of long. I didn't find myself very drawn to the illustrations. I liked the story line because I believe that many kids feel that they are alone as Moose is in the beginning.

Tippy-Toe Chick, Go by George Shannon tells a story about a Hen with her three chicks: a big chick, a middle chick, and a little chick. Everyday they go to their favorite garden to eat but one day a big dog stops them in their path. Both the big chick and the middle chick take turns trying to scare the dog but fail. The littlest chick wants to try but the others laugh. The determined little chick decides to go forward to try. He uses his quick mind and speed to outwit the dog. I liked that this book had such a great message behind the story: size doesn't matter.

The Monster at the end of this Book by Jon Stone is an excellent book. I really enjoyed the way the book was so interactive with the reader. Grover is terrified of the monster that the title promises will arrive at the end of the book. The entire time he is trying to convince the reader to stop turning pages so he will not have to see this monster. The illustrations by Michael Smollin really made me pay attention to the shouts Grover makes to attract the readers' attention. Also, I really liked the ways that Smollin used illustrations to demonstrate the ways that Grover is trying to stop the reader from turning the next page. I think this book would be great for younger readers.

Mommy in My Pocket by Carol Hunt Senderak portrays every child's fear of leaving behind their mom to start school. The story is an easy read with colorful and fun pictures by Hiroe Nakata that anyone can follow. The story follows the girl throughout a normal school day in which she has her Mom in her pocket. The ending is great because the girl finally realizes she doesn't need her Mom with her as long as she has her mother's love with her all day.