Princess and the Frog

 

 

 

 

 The Princess and the Frog is an old folktale transformed by Disney. In this tale, a young New Orleans native by the name of Tiana has high hopes for the restaurant business.  One night at an catering event she runs into a frog. Tiana agrees to kiss the frog to break the spell that turned the prince into the frog to get the money she needs for her restaurant. Instead of the frog turning into a prince, Tiana turned into a frog. Then the adventure begins! In the end the spell was broken and the Prince and Tiana married a lived happily ever after with their new restaurant. 

 

 

 

The book are screen shots for the Disney feature itself. It's a movie turned into a book for kids to enjoy over and over again, taking their imagination to a whole other level.

 

 

This book teaches children the importance of dreams. Even when the situation is tough and life takes you for a turn you keep pushing. That's what I want my kids to know, what every mother wants. For your child to work hard and peruse their goals in life! This book is a great coaching tool, not just for girls but boys will enjoy it also.

 

Activities:

 

1. Allow the children to view the movie. Let them compare and contrast the two features and tell you what they've learned.

2. Have the kids create their own twist to the story. Let them start from where Tiana kisses the frog and let their imagination run wild for a few pages.

RH Disney (2009) The Princess and the Frog. Racine,WI:A Little Golden Book

 

The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot

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The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot by Leonardo Ramirez is science fiction book full of adventures that introduce children and other readers to the Jovian world.  This book tells a story that takes place in 1862 about two boys who enters the cities of Jupiter by way of a telescope. On this adventure they rescue their father who have been missing and they helped freed the Jovians. This book also is the first book of a Steampunk Series: A great war has been fought and lost by the Jovians.  

 

 

The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot is a great book for children to read because it encourages children to use their imagination and promotes creative writing and artistic work. Although, I'm a huge fan of The Lords of the Ring among other series which is more of a fantasy than a science fiction I did enjoy reading this book because it was interesting throughout.

Illustrations of the front cover was provided by PoochieMars.  The media technique used was oil painting with representational style of art.

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Activities and Response Questions:

1. Have class to define Science fiction in their own word and provide an example of another science fiction book.
2. Have the class to predict the happenings in the next book of the series and write a brief essay about their predictions.
3. Create a profile on the main characters using the information given in the story.

Reference:

1. Ramirez, L.  (2012). The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot. (self published):Leonardoverse

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Sweet Clara And The Freedom Quilt is a children's book by Deborah Hopkinson. It's about a young slave girl named Clara who is skilled in knitting and creating fabric patterns. Clara makes a map in a quilt with fabrics and different patterns from information and details gathered over time, that leads to freedom. When Clara leaves her plantation and makes it to Canada she leave behind the quilt to help others find freedom.

 James Ransome illustrated this book using the oil painting technique with representational art. The art work presented in this book are original and absolutely remarkable.

This book is a great source for teaching children about American history. It covers a small aspect of slavery. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt goes into the lifestyle; differences between a house slave and a field slave, separation between households, and the search for freedom.

Activities and Response Questions:

1. Have the children create a map with patterns of their surroundings, whether it be at school or home.

2. Have a group discussion with the kids about slavery and what they understand about it.

3. What is the author purpose for writing this story? Explain in a brief description.

 

Reference:

Hopkinson, Deborah (1993) Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books.

 

Everything Ancient Egypt:Dig Into A Treasure of Facts, Photos, and Fun

 

Everything Ancient Egypt by Crispin Boyer with Egyptologist, James P. Allen is a informational historic children's book that gives fun and fascinating facts about the history of Egypt. Each chapter are filled with amazing pictures to gives the readers a closer look at the rise of Pharaoh, death and the afterlife, life in Egypt, and fun with ancient Egypt.       

This book is a great source for children to explore Egypt and the life of the Egyptians. I like this book because gives a lot of information on the Egyptians practices and the pictures places you in the story.

In Everything Ancient Egypt C. Boyer and J. Allen used mixed media, photo or photomontage technique for the illustrations.

  

Activities and Response Questions:

• Have the class pick a topic out the book that they found most interesting. Then have them reflect and write about it.
• Have the class create a collage about Life in Egypt. Include pictures and facts.
• Recreate a Egyptian's  artifact with students using clay that express admiration for Egypt.   

Reference:



  

1. Boyer, C. & Allen, J. P. (2012). Everything Ancient Egypt. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Emma's Dilemma: Big Sister Poems

 

 

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by Kristine O'Connell George is a children book of poetry that tells a story about Emma, Jess little sister and her dilemma. The poems within the books describes the highlights and the low points of Jess and Emma's sibling relationship. Be sure to read the poems Picture Books, Stuffy Grown Up Say and Role Model.         

 

Emma's Dilemma: Big Sister Poems uses condensed language, expression and imaginative thoughts and perception. This is a great book for children that have older siblings to read. I like this book because its gives great insight on siblings and relationships, the poems a cute, and the illustrations are vivid and realistic.

Nancy Carpenter illustrated Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems using Pen and Ink and digital media technique with representational art style. The pictures told a story of its own. I could see the love between the two sisters without it ever being mentioned.

 

Activities and Response Questions:

1. Every student will create a poem about their siblings.
2. Have students Discuss or write about the poem they liked the most in Emma's Dilemma: Big Sister Poems and why they like the particular poem.
3. Create a theme song about Emma and her dilemma.

About the Author:

Kristine O'Connell George is a Children's Contemporary poet. She has authored a collection of picture books and poems. Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems, Little Dog Poems, and Fold Me a Poem are just a few of books. You can view her official website to learn more about her and her collections of books WWW.Kristinegeorge.com

 

Reference:

1. George, K. O. (2011). Emma's Dilemma: Big Sister Poems. New York: Clarion Books.
2. The Official Kristine O'Connell George website, www.kristinegeorge.com

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a passed down African tale, written in this book by John Steptoe. It falls under the folktale/fairy tale category. In the book a village man named Mufaro has two daughters he is raising, Manyara and Nyasha. Manyara was very sneaky and rude to her sister behind her fathers back. Nyasha on the other hand was a very kind and giving women who labored hard in her duties. One day a message was sent out that the king was looking for a queen. During the journey to the city the girls both went through test and trials. Manyara was her selfish and deceitful self and when she reached to city all she found was a 3 headed snake and was scared off. When Nyasha reached the village she recognized her garden snake friend from her garden where she labored. The snake changed transformed into the king. Nyasha married him while her sister became a servant in her house.

This book is filled with beautiful pictures with a very organic pastel look. The photos were inspired by ruins of an ancient city found in Zimbabwe, and the flora and fauna of the region.

There are many lesions that can be taught from this book. Even if a child is too young to read the book by them-self it can be read to them and easily understood. The moral is kindness pays off. Nyasha became a queen because she was kind to the people along her journey! She was giving, she gave the small boy in the forest her last yam to eat. She was respected, the tress bowed to her while they laughed at her sister. Nyasha respected her elders while Manyara deceived her father and called the old women in the forest foolish. Humbleness always pays off! In the end Nyasha was a cherished queen and Manyara just a servant in the crowed.

Activities

1.Have the children tell you the differences between the sisters and how it effected each of the outcomes.

2. Make the children share with you a time when they were kind and what reward they got from it.
3. Mufaro means  "happy man", Nyasha means "mercy" and Manyara means "ashamed". Have the children explain how each of the characters  characteristics withholds the meaning of their name.

Steptoe, John (1987) Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Stevie

Stevie is a multicultural contemporary realistic fiction written and illustrated by John Steptoe.  This children's book is about a little black boy named Robert and his family opening up their home to a little boy named Steven. Steven  moved into Robert's home temporary. Robert resented Stevie even though they shared some fun times.  When Stevie moved away with his parents a short while later Robert realized just how much he had missed and enjoyed having him around.     

Stevie is a multicultural contemporary realistic fiction because its a cultural diverse children's books that tells a story using real characters that have real life adventures and issues. John Steptoe illustrated this story using the acrylic and pastels and crayon media technique with the representational art style.

I enjoyed this book because it reminds me of my first summer break spent away from home. I absolutely hated being at my aunts that summer but once I returned home I realized just how much fun I had with my cousins and begged to go back.   

       

 

Activities and Reader Response Questions: 

 

1. Write a story about a friend or relative that you spend sometime with over a period of time that your weren't to thrilled about but end up missing.
2. Draw a picture that displays Robert's different emotions during this experience and in your own words tell the class what emotion each picture represents.    
3. Write a Once/Now essay......... This essay is about the main character ,explaining what the character was like in the beginning and who the character is now 
4. Create a character scrapbook for Robert and Stevie.

 

About the Author:

John Steptoe is an award winning author and illustrator of many children books that address African Americans experiences. He is known for his book, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters.

 

 Reference:

 

1. Steptoe, J.(1969/1998) Stevie. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Martin's Big Words

Martin's Big Words is a children's biography about Martin Luther King Jr authored by Doreen Rappaport. It goes through his life touching events from his childhood until his death.

• Martin L. King Jr was born January 15,1929
• June 18, 1953 Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King Jr are married
• December 5,1955-December 21,1956 he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott
• January 10,1957 he became the president of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• August 28,1963 Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the march on Washington
• December 10, 1964 He received the Nobel Peace Prize
• April 4, 1968 Martin Luther king Jr was assassinated  

This book is great to teach small children about African- American History. It goes into detail with out adding too much and confusing the child. It's just enough! The illustrations are very vivid and keep the child interested. Illustrator Brian Collier used watercolor with a collage format  and Representational art. In 2001 New York Times awarded the book " Best Illustrated Children's Book".

   Class Activities:

1. Have the children explain why Dr. M. L. King Jr is important and why he is celebrated.

2. "I have a dream" assignment. Have children create their own "I have a dream" speech.



 About the Author : 

Doreen Rappaport is the author of many award winning book for children like: The School is Not White, Freedom ship, and Abe's Honest Words 

 

Reference:

1.  Rappaport, Doreen (2001), Martin's Big Words. New York, NY: Jump At The Sun.
2. The official Doreen Rappaport website, www.doreenrappaport.com 

A Chair for My Mother

 

A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams is a multicultural Realistic fiction that is based on a little girl named Rosa, her mother, and her grandmother whose house was destroyed in a fire.  Rosa's mother works really hard as a waitress at the Blue Tile Diner. After the fire, Rosa, her mother and her grandmother moved into a new house and was given many things. But they needed a big comfortable chair.  Therefore, this family got a jar that they used to save their coins in with the hopes of buying a new chair for all of them to enjoy. At the end of the story the three of them takes a picture in their new chair.



A Chair for My Mother is also a picture book that was also illustrated by Vera B. Williams.The book is considered a picture book because it has a combination of text and  art.  The Media and Techniques used in this book are oil painting and acrylic. The style art used is Folk art and Naïve art.

 

Activities:

• Retelling the Story: Have children retell the story including characters, plot, setting, and theme.
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• Decorate  coin jar and come up with a theme for saving:  Ask children if there is anything that they want to save for specifically and decorate jar and write their purpose for saving on the coin jar.
•  Create a character scrapbook for the main characters

The Author:



 

Vera B. Williams is an American children's writer and illustrator.  She award winning author and is known best for A Chair for My Mother.  Vera has written many children books that represents diversity like Cherrie and Cherry Pits and Home.

 

Reference:

1. Williams,V.B.(1982/1998) A Chair For My Mother. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

 

 

 

 

 



Llama Llama red Pajama

Llama Llama red Pajama is one of many in a series written by Anna Dewdney. In this particular book mama llama is putting baby llama to sleep. After she reads him a story and goes to do other things baby llama grows impatient. He cries and screams for mama. When she comes she explains to him she is always there for him even if she cant be there when he wants.

Llama llama red pajama expresses the virtue of patience to children. The book explains how when you want something it may not happen when you want it to happen but it will happen. I feel it also explains a small part of the role of a mother. It shows how mama is busy in her duties but she still loves baby very much and is always with him. It's great for children to read.

Anna Dewdney illustrated this picture book using the Acrylic and Pastels media and technique.  The illustrations of Llama Llama red Pajama reflects Representational Art. 

This is a fantasy picture book because the author took realistic events and told a story.  A. Dewdney used two talking Llama to carry out real life like events. The pictures are very vivid and lively.

 

Activities :

 SEQUENCING 

• .Select 5 students. Pass out the 5 pictures in random order.
•  Have the students discuss what happens in the story.        
•  Line up the students with the pictures in order of the story

 

LLAMA BINGO 

Each student has a card with different pictures of the story.

The teacher will show in different order a picture from the story, students will color the picture called with red crayons.

The students that finish first will be the winner of the game

Create a theme song for this book

 

 

 

Reference:

1. Dewdney, A (2005) Llama Llama red Pajama. New York: Penguin Group

Harry and the Dinosaurs Go to School

This is a Fantasy children book that is about a small boy named Harry getting ready for his first day of school. He brings his bucket of dinosaurs to school with him for security. Harry is nervous at first on his teachers reaction to the dinosaurs, but they eventually help break the ice in the class room

Ian Whybrow has a large collection of "Harry" books. The Dinosaurs are featured in several of them: "Harry and the Bucket of Dinosaurs" and "Harry and the Dinosaurs have a Happy Birthday" are a few. Whybrow's works were first published in 1989. He has over 100 children's books in over 27 different languages. Ian even illustrates. Personally I feel the books I have read by Ian Whybrow are great for kids. They are easy for the kids to read with enough challenge and the illustrations help my two grade level kids figure out the tough words.

This book was illustrated by Adrian Reynolds. Adrian Reynolds has collaborated with Ian Whybrow to create a collection of books about Harry and his dinosaurs.

 

 

Fun Activities your child can do at home:

Write a story about a boy / girl who discovers 'bucketful of action figures in an attic. What might they discover? What adventures will they have?

Can you think of any special tricks to help you to learn the spellings of different dinosaur names and how to identify each dinosaur by name?

What do you know about dinosaur?

Reference:

Whybrow, I (2006). Harry and the Dinosaurs Go to School. New York: Random House Children's Books

 

Ira Sleeps Over

Ira Sleeps Over 

 Bernard Waber wrote a children's book titled Ira Sleeps Over which is about a young boy named Ira, who is nervous about his first sleep over encounter. The entire book Ira is debating on whether or not he should take his teddy bear to the sleepover. In the end his friend had his own teddy bear and Ira felt comfortable enough to get his teddy bear.  This book is a great tool to use to teach children not t be afraid to be themselves and to be confident in who they are.

 

 

 

    Ira Sleeps Over is a contemporary realistic fiction book because this story uses real like characters and it  talks about things that are happening everyday. The story takes place in a contemporary setting. The children travel to school and each others home, which is in a child's daily activity. 

 

 

When having a discussion about sleepovers with me children I would choose to use this book .  Its a great introduction to the subject, helping them understand the events to come and what to expect. I feel as though the book can help a child  with the apprehension of being away from there home because it explains how much alike the two young boys really are. Ira never should have been embarrassed about taking his teddy bear to his friends house because he had one too.    

 

Activities:

1.After reading this book aloud I would ask the children to answer open questions like:

• What was Ira's sister like in the book compared to his parents?

What was the major problem Ira was having? How was it solved?

What were the activities they wanted to do during the sleepover?

 

2. Make the children give you a reflection of the story and what they learned from it.

 

 Reference

Waber, Bernard(2000)Ira Sleeps Over. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.