Children’s Literature Responses

Literature Response #1

Cindy Ellen

1. Author: Susan Lowell

2. Illustrator: Jane Manning

3. Date of Publication: March 2001

4. Title: Cindy Ellen

5. ISBN #: 0439270065

6. Grade Level: K-2

7. What is it about?

This story is a western rendition of the classic Cinderella story.  Cindy Ellen lived on a ranch in the western United States with her father.  Her father married a cruel woman with two mean daughters.  Soon after the wedding, Cindy Ellen’s father died.  Cindy Ellen was left to live with her terrible stepmother and stepsisters.  One day all of the girls were invited to go to a rodeo to meet the rodeo champion Joe Prince.   Cindy Ellen’s stepmother would not let Cindy Ellen go.  The evil stepmother told Cindy Ellen that she had too much cleaning to do at the house.  Fortunately, Cindy Ellen’s fairy godmother arrived and transformed Cindy Ellen into a glamorous cowgirl.  Cindy Ellen arrived at the rodeo and immediately stole Joe Prince’s heart.  The evening progressed and Cindy Ellen made a quick exit just before midnight.  While Cindy Ellen was dashing off, a piece from her cowgirl boot fell off.  Joe Prince searched in every town to the girl with the missing boot piece.  He finally found his true love, Cindy Ellen, and they were soon married.  Cindy Ellen and Joe Prince lived happily ever after.

8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This book could be used to make a connection to life in the United States during western settlement.  This story would introduce students to the fractured fairy tale genre.  This book is a read aloud.

 

Literature Response #2

The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Take From Jewish Tradition

1. Author: Nina Jaffe

2. Illustrator: Louise August

3. Date of Publication: 1998

4. Title: The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale From Jewish Tradition

5. ISBN #: 0805043845

6. Grade Level: K-3

7. What is it about?

 In Poland, a rabbi lives with his wife and three daughters.  The rabbi wanted to know how much his daughters loved him, so he asked them.  His youngest daughter, Mirelen told her father that she loved him the way meat loves salt.  The rabbi was outraged at his daughters response and banished her from his household.  Merelen journeyed into the forest and encountered the prophet Elijah.  Elijah gave her a magical stick to tap three times on the ground if she ever needed a blessing.  Eventually, Mirelen came upon a house outside of the forest.  Rabbi Yitskhok, his wife, and son lived in this house, and they allowed her to stay with them.  The family attended a wedding and Mirelen wanted to attend too so she tapped her stick on the ground three times.  She was then dressed from head to toe in fine garments and she arrived shortly after that to the wedding.  At the first moment that Yitskhok’s son laid eyes on Mirelen, he fell in love with her.  Mirelen escaped from the wedding before midnight and the son only had the shoe of the fair maiden to identify his true love.  The son realized that Mirelen was his true love and at first he was hesitant to accept her true identity.  Yitskhok and his wife both had dreams one night confirming the marriage.  Mirelen in the son were married and at the reception Mirelen insisted that there was to be no salt in the meat.  Mirelen overhead a gentleman comment about how the meat would have tasted much better with salt, the gentleman was her father.  Mirelen was united with her family and she and her husband lived happily ever after.

8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

 This read aloud book would be an excellent tool to teach students about Jewish history and culture.  The story discusses the prophet Elijah as well as traditional Jewish weddings.  Students need to be exposed to multicultural literature.  This piece of literature could be used as an introductory to a unit on Judaism.

Literature Response # 3

The 3 Little Javelinas

1. Author: Susan Lowell

2. Illustrator: Jim Harris

3. Date of Publication: September 1992

4. Title: The 3 Little Javelinas

5. ISBN #: 0873585429

6. Grade Level: K-3

 7. What is it about?

This book is a version of the classic “3 Little Pigs.”  It is set in the western United States with Hispanic and Native American influences.  The three little javelinas (a cousin to the pig) each decide to build their own house.  The first little javelina builds his house out of tumbleweed, but the coyote blows it down.  The second javelina builds his house out of saguaro ribs, but the coyote blows it down.  The third javelina builds his house out of adobe bricks.  All of the javelinas run to the adobe house and they eventually outsmart the tricky coyote and he gets burnt in the wood stove.

 8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This book could also be used to make a connection to life in the western United States.  This book could also be used to teach students about Hispanic and western Native American culture.  This book is a read aloud.

Literature Response #4

Three Cool Kids                                

1. Author: Rebecca Emberley

2. Illustrator: Rebecca Emberley

3. Date of Publication: 1995

4. Title: Three Cool Kids

5. ISBN #:0316236667

6. Grade Level: K-2

 7. What is it about?

This story is a rendition of the Three Billy Goat’s Gruff, set in the middle of a city.  The    three cool kids are Big, Middle, and Little.  Big is very much the boss and in charge of his two younger siblings.  Middle loves to spend money and is very concerned with what she looks like.  Little loves his new pair of red sneakers and he is very proud of his older siblings.  The Cool Kids want to move to another open lot across the street but they are a     little nervous about the huge rat that lives near the lot.  The huge rat tries to eat all three    of the Cook Kids, but he is not successful.  In the end, the Cool Kids get to live happily in the lush, green lot across the street.

 8.  What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This book could be used to teach a lesson about money and how to spend it wisely.  This is a read aloud story.

Literature Response #5

Adelita

1. Author: Tomie dePaola

2. Illustrator: Tomie dePaola

3. Date of Publication : 2002

4. Title: Adelita

5. ISBN #: 9780399238666

6. Grade Level: K-3

7. What is it about?

 In a little village in Mexico, Francisco and his wife Adela found out that they were going to have a baby.  The couple’s housekeeper, Esperanza, helped take care of Adela during her pregnancy.  Adela gave birth to a beautiful daughter Adelita, but Adela passed away during childbirth.  Years after Adela’s death, Francisco fell in love with another woman and married her.  Francisco’s new wife Dona Micaela and her two daughters Valentina and Dulce moved in with the family.  Esperanza sensed right away that Dona Micaela and her daughters were not very kind people.  Francisco suddenly died from and illness and Dona Micaela was left to take care of the household.  She forced Adelita to constantly do housework all the time and Dona Micaela fired Esperanza.

An affluent family in the area, the Gordillo’s invited Dona Micaela and her daughters to a party at their home celebrating the homecoming of their son Javier.  Adelita really wanted to go to the party but Dona Micaela would not let her.  The night of the party, Esperanza showed up at the door and insisted that Adelita go to the party.  The two women found one of Adela’s dresses that Adelita wore to the party.  Adelita looked absolutely beautiful and Javier immediately fell in love with her.  Eventually the pair married much to the dismay of Dona Micaela, Valentina, and Dulce.

 8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This Spanish Cinderella story is an excellent way to incorporate the Spanish language and culture into any classroom.  I like how this book gives English translations for the Spanish words and even mentions customs from the Catholic faith, which is very prominent in Hispanic cultures.  This is a read aloud book.

Literature Response #6

Voices in the Park

1. Author: Anthony Browne

2. Illustrator: Anthony Browne

3. Date of Publication: 1998

4. Title: Voices in the Park

5. ISBN # 078942522

6. Grade Level: K-5

 7. What is it about?

This book is about four people; a mother and son, and a father and daughter.  The book gives each individual’s perspective of a day in the park.  The mother does not like her son to play with the girl.  Everyone seems to have a fairly pleasant day, except for the mother.  The mother gives off a very haughty attitude and she does not want her son or even her dog for that matter to associate with someone of “lower” status.

 8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This book would be good to discuss socioeconomic status and the importance of never judging someone based on what they look like or what they have.  This is a read aloud story.

Literature Response #7

Not for the Cat

1. Author: Jack Prelutsky

Illustrator: Ted Rand

2. Date of Publication: 2005

3. Title: Not for the Cat

4. ISBN # 039799082

5. Grade Level: K-2

 6. What is it about?

This book gives a detailed description of various animals and insects.  The reader must use the description to identify the animals and insects.  Wonderful colors and pictures are used to give the reader hints.

 7. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This book does an amazing job of incorporating science and animals.  It also contains wonderful vocabulary that will certainly enrich students’ learning.  It is a read aloud.

Literature Response #8

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table

1. Author: Cindy Neuschwander

2. Illustrator: Wayne Geehan

3. Date of Publication: 1997

4. Title: Sir Cumference and the First Round Table

5. ISBN #: 0590002155

6. Grade Level: 4-6

 7. What is it about?

In Camelot, the Circumscribers were preparing to make war with King Arthur and his men.  Sir Arthur employed Sir Cumference to design a table to discuss war plans at.  Sir Cumference designed a square table, a parallelogram table, and an octagonal table, but all of them were unfitting to the King.  While horseback riding, Sir Cumference, his wife Lady Di, and their son Radius found a tree trunk that would work perfectly as a table.  King Arthur and all of his men were very satisfied.

 8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it read aloud?

This book is all about math and it would be a fantastic tool to help teach students the circumference, diameter, and radius of a circle.  This is a read aloud book.

Literature Response #9

A Place for Grace

1. Author: Jean Davies Okimoto

2. Illustrator: Doug Keith

3. Title: A Place for Grace

4. Publication date: 1993

5. ISBN #: 13 9781570610691

6. Grade Level: K-3

7. Summary: Grace was a dog that had dreamed of becoming a guide dog for the blind.  She went to guide dog school but she could not attend because she was too small.  One day, Grace was out walking and she saw a little boy running into the road just as a fire truck came speeding down the road.  Grace jumped on the boy so he would not run out in the road and get hit by the fire truck.  A man named Charlie saw this incidence occur and he knew he had found the perfect hearing dog.  Charlie was deaf and he needed a dog to notify him when the doorbell rang and when his alarm clock went off because he could not hear these things.  Grace struggle in school but Charlie was convinced that she would pass and provided her extra training at school.  Charlie and grace became very close and eventually Grace passed ‘hearing dog” school.

8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This is a read aloud book.  I think this book offers a wonderful opportunity to discuss with students the importance of helping other people and looking out for those in need.  We all can make a difference, but it takes perseverance.

Literature Response #10

Someone for Mr. Sussman

1. Author: Patricia Polacco

2. Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

3. Title: Someone for Ms. Sussman

4. Publication date: 2008

5. ISBN #: 9780399250750

6. Grade Level: 1-5

7. Summary: Bubbie is a matchmaker.  She helps all kinds of people find husbands and wives.  Bubbie had a particular client, Mr. Sussman, whom she never could find a perfect match for.  The truth was, Bubbie had a crush on Mr. Sussman.  Every time Mr. Sussman made a comment about something he liked, Bubbie was sure to alterations to accommodate Mr. Sussman.  When Bubbie found out that Mr. Sussman loved the color blue she went out and bought fabric and covered her entire living room in blue.  Additionally, when Bubbie found out that Mr. Sussman wanted a wife that knew how to make; Bubbie baked so many cakes and cookies that they filled the entire house.  Eventually Bubbie got tired of having to change herself to place Mr. Sussman and she asked Mr. Sussman to leave her house.  After a few days Mr. Sussman came back to Bubbie’s house to tell her that he loved her just the way she was.  Mr. Sussman and Bubbie got married.

8. What might you be able to do with it in class: what themes could be covered or what content could be linked to books?  Is it a read aloud?

This is a read aloud book.  A teacher could use this story to emphasize the importance of being ourselves and never trying to change our personalities to please other people.