The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems by Mary Ann Hoberman

 

The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems by Mary Ann Hoberman

 

Bibliography:

Hoberman, Mary Ann, and Betty Fraser. 1998. The llama who had no pajama: 100 favorite poems. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Co.

ISBN: 0152055711

Plot Summary: This is a collection of poems by Mary Ann Hoberman illustrated by Betty Fraser. Within the book, there are over 100 poems that range from Hello and Good-bye to Applesauce and Comparisons. These poems range in readability and leave the young reader wanting more. They tell the tales of timeless childhood experiences while encouraging readers to learn about new information in the form of a poem. There are poems about insects and animals that will appeal to all readers. Teachers are extended the opportunity to enhance lessons through the use of poetry with this collection of poems. The colorful illustrations that accompany each poem also enhance the collection of poems and draw the reader into the subject.

Critical Analysis: This collection of  poetry includes 100 favorite poems and is perfect for  readers of all ages. Hoberman uses a variety of topics to engage readers and each poem has its own rhythm and rhyme scheme and in many instances repetition of sounds. The text gives information about animals, food, and everyday situations that can apply to all children. For example, in the poem that is based off of the title of the collection, it talks about the llama that has no pajamas and conveys a sense of emotion in which the llama feels sad in the beginning of the poem because he has outgrown his pajamas. The poem states "In a voice that was deep with despair; O llamaly mama I need a pajama". However, throughout the poem, the llamas mood changes  because he realizes that he does not need to sleep in pajamas to have a good night's sleep and the poem resolves with the question of "Should llamas be wearing pajamas?". The other poems in the story are based off of animals and they use rich vocabulary in which the reader is introduced to scientific vocabulary. There are also poems about manners and comparisons. Through each poem Hoberman uses imagery to create a mental picture in the readers mind. For example in the poem, The Gazelle, there is a heavy use of alliteration, imagery, and repetition. The poem states:

 "O gaze on the graceful gazelle as it grazes. It grazes on green growing leaves and on grasses. On grasses it grazes, go gaze as it passes. It passes so gracefully, gently, O gaze!"

This creates a colorful mental picture in which the reader is able to visualize a gazelle grazing in a savannah.

This collection of poetry is arranged and organized in an easy to read format and allows children to read and learn about various topics through the use of poetry. The words and language are arranged in meaningful ways that allow the reader to make connections to their everyday lives. Each poem is also accompanied with a poem that enhances the readability and helps the reader to create background knowledge.

Review Excerpts:

·         From School Library Journal - "Hoberman's rhythms are lively and agile, and her imagination and sense of humor are still in tune with young readers. Fraser's simple but detailed gouache and watercolor illustrations exhibit the same qualities . . . Good for beginning or experienced readers of poetry, this should indeed become a favorite."

·         From The Horn Book - "This collection of some forty years of Hoberman verse is a charmer."

 

Connections/Activities:

 

·         This book can be used as a supplement when examining insects and animals within a science unit.

·         Students can create their own poem based off of an animal or insect featured within the text.

·         Students can dissect the poem using the elements/characteristics of poetry. For example, students can examine the repetition, rhyme scheme, sound, and uses of language within the poem.

·         Select other poems by Mary Ann Hoberman:

o   The Seven Silly Eaters - 0152024409

o   A House is a House for Me - 0142407739

o   Miss Mary Mack - 0316366420

·         Related Texts:

o   The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose: A Treasury of More Than 300 Classic Nursury Rhymes by Arnold Lobel - 0679887369

Personal Connection:

Before completing this book review, I had not heard of this author or book. After reading, I can think of numerous ways to adapt it into lessons in my third grade classroom. I think that students will fall in love with this book, and be able to make/create many connections within the text.

Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky

 

Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky

Bibliography:

Zelinsky, Paul O., Amy Beniker, and John Stevens. 1997. Rapunzel. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

ISBN: 0525456074

Plot Summary: A young woman dreams of having a child, but is unable to. She sits by her garden everyday and stares at a beautiful garden that belongs to a sorceress. No one ever dared to enter the garden; however, the woman wants the Rapunzel that grows in her garden. She develops cravings for the herb and tells her husband that she will die without it. So, he climbs into her garden and takes as much of the Rapunzel that he can, and his wife devours it. But, the next day, her cravings still persist and he goes to get more, but the sorceress stops him, and makes him promise to give her his first born child. The woman eventually gives birth to a daughter named Rapunzel and at the age of twelve, the sorceress takes her, and puts her in a tower. The only way in and out of the tower was by way of Rapunzel’s long silky hair. Rapunzel lives in the tower for years. Then one day, a prince hears her singing, and falls instantly in love. He finds a way into the tower and professes his love for her and they eventually marry. The sorceress finds out and cuts her hair, and she eventually gives birth to twins. The prince goes to find her but is met with opposition from the sorceress in a confrontation that left him blind. After sometime, the Prince and Rapunzel are reunited and the Prince’s vision is restored at the sight of his long lost love and children.

Critical Analysis: Paul O. Zelinsky retells the classic fairytale Rapunzel through exquisite oil paintings that give an accurate and realistic portrayal of the story through images that are reminiscent of the Renaissance. The characters are the archetypes of good and evil and have symbolic qualities. Rapunzel is the good natured songstress that lures in her Prince Charming with her voice. The sorceress on the other hand is the antagonist that takes Rapunzel away from her family, and locks her in a tower. The plot is simple and either takes place in the garden, castle, tower, or woods. The conflict in the story is centered around the plot of the storyline, and is dependent on the characters interactions. Within the setting of the story, time passes quickly. Rapunzel is born, then twelve years old, and, lastly, of child bearing age. The theme of good triumphing evil runs rampant throughout the text and is seen when Rapunzel and prince charming find one another in the end where they live happily ever after. The illustrations carry this classic fairytale and reflect the time period in which the tale was originally created.

Review Excerpts:

Caldecott Medal Winner 1998

1998 Carl Sandburg Award

 Texas Bluebonnet Award

·         From Publishers Weekly - In our Best Book citation, PW said, "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly-and effectively-mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting." Ages 5-up. (Oct.)  Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

·         From School Library Journal - Kindergarten-Grade 3. An elegant and sophisticated retelling that draws on early French and Italian versions of the tale. Masterful oil paintings capture the Renaissance setting and flesh out the tragic figures.

·         From Kirkus Reviews - Exquisite paintings in late Italian Renaissance style illumine this hybrid version of a classic tale. As Zelinsky (The Wheels on the Bus, 1990, etc.) explains in a long source note, the story's Italian oral progenitor went through a series of literary revisions and translations before the Brothers Grimm published their own take; he draws on many of these to create a formal, spare text that is more about the undercurrents between characters than crime and punishment. Feeling ``her dress growing tight around her waist'' a woman conceives the desire for an herb from the neighboring garden--rendered in fine detail with low clipped hedges, elaborate statuary and even a wandering pangolin--that causes her to lose her child to a witch. Ensconced for years in a tower, young Rapunzel meets the prince, ``marries'' him immediately, is cast into the wilderness when her own dress begins to tighten, gives birth to twins, and cures her husband's blindness with her tears at their long-awaited reunion. Suffused with golden light, Zelinsky's landscapes and indoor scenes are grandly evocative, composed and executed with superb technical and emotional command. (Picture book/folklore. 8-10)

·         The Horn Book said, "Simply put, this is a gorgeous book; it demonstrates respect for the traditions of painting and the fairy tale while at the same time adhering to a singular, wholly original, artistic vision."

Connections/Activities:

·         This book can be used in a compare/contrast lesson over the different variations of Rapunzel.

·         Students can create a Venn Diagram

·         Students can use this book to discover the different story elements within a text.

·         Students can examine cause and effect relationships.

·         Students can write their own version of Rapunzel.

·         Students can perform a Reader's Theater that they create based off of the book.

·         Students can create a new version of Rapunzel set in a different part of the world.

·         Select other books by Paul O. Zelinsky

o   Rumplestiltskin – 0140558640

o   Hansel and Gretel by Rika Lesser and Paul O. Zelinsky - 0698114078

o   Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs and Paul O. Zelinsky - 978-0140559088

·         Related Texts

o   Little Red Riding Hood  by Trina Schart Hyman – 0823406539

o   Rapunzel: Based on the Original Story by the Brothers Grimm by Sarah Gibb- 978-0807568040

o   Rapunzel by Rachel Isadora - 978-0399247729

Personal Connections: I have loved reading this book since I was in elementary school and it is one of my favorite books to read aloud to my students. The illustrations are beautiful and they really draw the reader’s attention. I have used this book every year in my third grade classroom to teach story elements because students have some prior knowledge of the plot. In all, I think that it is a great book with beautiful illustrations.

 

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

 The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

 

Bibliography:

Scieszka, Jon, and Lane Smith. 1989. The true story of the 3 little pigs. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Viking Kestrel.

ISBN: 0670827592

Plot Summary: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is told from the point of view of the wolf, and begins with the wolf claiming his innocence for his involvement with The Three Little Pigs. He says that he “was making a birthday cake for his dear old granny” and that he had a “terrible sneezing cold [and] ran out of sugar”. Then, he goes to his neighbor which happens to be a pig who built his house out of straw. In the process, he has a sneezing attack and the house falls down, he “accidentally” eats the pig and then goes to his next neighbor, which is the pig’s brother. This pig made his house out of sticks and the wolf has another sneezing attack causing the house to fall down. He thinks the pig has died, and eats him. After this, he goes to the next pig’s house that is made of bricks. The pig upsets the wolf by talking about his grandmother, and he tries to get in the house but is unable to, and the cops arrest the wolf and put him in jail for eating the other two pigs. The wolf insists that he is innocent and just needed a cup of sugar.

Critical Analysis: This story is told from the point of view of the wolf and is a surprising variation of the classic tale, The Three Little Pigs. Throughout the text, the wolf is seen as the antagonist, however, he tries to be seen as the protagonist when he states that he was trying to “make a cake for his dear old granny” and “ran out of sugar”.  The plot remains simple and direct and is full of action when the wolf sneezes and blows down the pig’s houses. The initial setting is vague, but becomes quickly established when the wolf goes to the houses of the pigs. The illustrations in the text are vivid and imaginative with a touch of realism. The lines within the illustrations add depth to the overall look and feel of the book. The total composition of the book is arranged in a way that sets the mood in favor of the wolf’s story of blowing down, and eating the pigs on accident in search of a cup of sugar to make his grandmother a cake.

Review Excerpts:

·         From Publishers Weekly - "Designed with uncommon flair," said PW, this "gaily newfangled version of the classic tale" takes sides with the villain. "Imaginative watercolors eschew realism, further updating the tale." Ages 3-8.

·         From School Library Journal - Grade 1 Up--Victim for centuries of a bad press, Alexander ("You can call me Al") T. Wolf steps forward at last to give his side of the story. Trying to borrow a cup of sugar to make a cake for his dear old Granny, Al calls on his neighbors--and can he help it if two of them built such shoddy houses? A couple of sneezes, a couple of dead pigs amidst the wreckage and, well, it would be shame to let those ham dinners spoil, wouldn't it? And when the pig in the brick house makes a nasty comment about Granny, isn't it only natural to get a little steamed? It's those reporters from the Daily Pig that made Al out to be Big and Bad, that caused him to be arrested and sent to the (wait for it) Pig Pen. "I was framed," he concludes mournfully. Smith's dark tones and sometimes shadowy, indistinct shapes recall the distinctive illustrations he did for Merriam's Halloween ABC (Macmillan, 1987); the bespectacled wolf moves with a rather sinister bonelessness, and his juicy sneezes tear like thunderbolts through a dim, grainy world. It's the type of book that older kids (and adults) will find very funny.
-John Peters, New York Public Library

·         From Booklist - Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (1989) turned the favorite porkers' story upside-down by allowing the grossly misjudged wolf to tell his side of the story. Wiesner's latest is a post-modern fantasy for young readers that takes Scieszka's fragmentation a step further: it not only breaks apart and deliciously reinvents the pigs' tale, it invites readers to step beyond the boundaries of story and picture book altogether.

Connections/Activities:

·         Students can read multiple versions of the Three Little Pigs and create a Venn Diagram.

·         Students can perform a reader’s theater.

·         Students can explore point of view.

·         Students can write their own version of the three little pigs.

·         Students can change the ending of the story.

·         Students can examine the traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs before reading the story, and then create a foldable of the differences between the texts.

·         Have the students write a letter to the wolf.

·         Students can do an author study of Jon Scieszka.

·         Select other books by Jon Scieszka:

o   The Book That Jack Wrote – 978-0140553857

o   The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales – 978-0670844876

o   The Frog Prince, Continued - 978-0140542851

o   Squids Will Be Squids- 978-0142500408

·         Related Texts

o   The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall - 978-0448422886

o   The Three Little Aliens and The Big Bad Robot by Margaret McNamara -

    978-0375866890

o   The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg - 978-0064437790

o   The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas- 978-0689815287

Personal Connections: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs has been a staple in my classroom library even before I became a teacher. I remember reading this story in Elementary school, and it is one of my favorite adaptations of The Three Little Pigs. I use this story when teaching point of view and when comparing fictional stories. My students love this book, and we have used it as a Reader’s Theater to practice reading fluency. I think this is a great book with many teaching points, and should be a staple in any language arts classroom.



Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan

 

Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan

Bibliography:

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. Beautiful blackbird. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 9780689847318

Plot Summary: This is an African folktale about the birds of Africa. In the beginning, the birds are colorful and consist of all the colors of the rainbow. One day, the birds go to a festival in the forest. Here they see the blackbird, and think that it is the most beautiful bird because it “stands out best of all”. The birds dance and sing. However, they want to look just like the blackbird. The blackbird then brings his blackening medicine gourd and paints the birds with black.  

Critical Analysis: The African folktale Beautiful Blackbird is a colorful story about individuality and being yourself. The author draws the reader’s attention by using a bright and vibrant paper collage effect to tell the story of the beautiful blackbird. The overarching theme of the story is that all living creatures are unique and beautiful and that all living things should be proud of who they are, and where they come from. The blackbird shares his “blackness” with the other colorful birds with the premise that the “color on the outside is not what’s on the inside”. The blackbird “gives until it all gives out” and is able to color all of the birds with the black medicine gourd. The folktale is centered around the character of the blackbird, who like many folktale characters is unchanging throughout the story and represents the goodness that all people share. The tale takes place in a forest in Africa and relies on the theme of acceptance which runs rampant throughout the story. The tale also reflects the culture and identity of the African people. This folktale consumes the reader and exemplifies the aspect that true beauty comes from within.

Review Excerpts:

·         From Publishers Weekly - Storyteller Bryan's (What a Wonderful World) singular voice provides rhythm and sound effects throughout this musical adaptation of a Zambian tale. When gray Ringdove calls the other monotone birds together and asks, "Who of all is the most beautiful?" they all reply, "Blackbird." They then encircle Blackbird, dancing and singing, "Beak to beak, peck, peck, peck,/ Spread your wings, stretch your neck./ Black is beautiful, uh-huh!/ Black is beautiful, uh-huh!" At the birds' request, Blackbird agrees to paint black markings on them (with the blackening brew in his medicine gourd), but he warns Ringdove that it's not the color black that will make them beautiful. "Color on the outside is not what's on the inside..... Whatever I do/ I'll be me and you'll be you." The message about inner beauty and identity becomes somewhat diluted by the closing song, in which the birds triumphantly sing, "Our colors sport a brand-new look,/ A touch of black was all it took./ Oh beautiful black, uh-huh, uh-huh/ Black is beautiful, UH-HUH!" But if the ending creates a bit of confusion, Bryan's collages make up for it with their exhibition of colorful splendor and composition. Scenes of the rainbow of wings are outdone only by a lakeside view of their colors intricately "mirrored in the waters." And Bryan's lilting and magical language is infectious. Ages 3-7.

·         From School Library Journal - Kindergarten-Grade 2-Because they haven't got a spot of black on their bodies, the colorful birds of Africa envy Blackbird. They extol his feathers that "gleam all colors in the sun" in their songs and dances. And although he assures them that "Color on the outside is not what's on the inside," he generously shares the blackening brew in his gourd. First he adds a necklace of midnight to Ringdove, then markings of black to every feathered creature large and small, causing them to finally sing, "Oh beautiful black, uh-huh, uh-huh/Black is beautiful, UH-HUH!" Adapted from an Ila tale from Zambia, this story delivers a somewhat contradictory message. Blackbird frequently affirms that it's what's inside that counts but his avian friends are certainly fixated on adding some black to their feathered finery. The story line is simple and the rhythmic chants of the flock frequently interspersed throughout the text add drama and a rapper's cadence. The cut-paper silhouettes are colorful but static, effectuating a stylized formality. The endpapers include an image of the scissors used to create the collages and reinforce the physical process behind the art. This unusual and little-known pourquoi tale may supplement larger collections and serves as a thoughtful and entertaining addition to units on self-esteem. Carol Ann Wilson, Westfield Memorial Library, NJ

 

·     From Booklist - K-Gr. 2. In this simple adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia, the message is clear: "Black is beautiful." Once upon a time, Blackbird was the only bird of Africa who wasn't brightly colored. When Ringdove asks who is the most beautiful bird, the other birds name Blackbird. At Ringdove's request, Blackbird brings blackening from his medicine gourd to decorate Ringdove's colored neck; the other birds also want trimming, so Blackbird paints dots and brushes lines and arcs until his gourd is empty. Using a more vivid palette than usual, Bryan employs boldly colored, cut-paper artwork to dramatize the action. The overlapping collage images fill the pages with energy as the songlike responses of the birds tap out a rhythm punctuated with "uh-huhs." In an author's note, Bryan explains that the scissors pictured on the endpapers, which Bryan used to create the collages, were once also used by his mother. Ready-made for participative storytelling. Julie Cummins

Connections/Activities:

Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration - 2004

·         Students can read other African folktales and compare and contrast storylines.

·         Students can create a Reader’s Theater and act out the folktale.

·         Students can create their own blackbirds and decorate them.

·         Students can write their own folktale based off the book.

·         Students can discuss true beauty coming from within.

·         Select other texts by Ashley Bryan

o   Let it Shine - 978-0689847325

o   Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life’s Song - 978-1416905417

o   All Things Bright and Beautiful - 978-1416989394

o   The Night Has Ears: African Proverbs - 978-0689824272

o   Ashley Bryan’s African Tales, Uh-Huh - 978-0689820762

·         Related Texts

o   Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale by Verma Aadema and Leo Dillon -  978-0140549058

o   Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti by Harcourt School Publishers - 978-0805003116

o   Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa by Gerald McDermott - 978-0152010102

Personal Connections: This is a great story to read when discussing folktales with students of all ages. It would be great to use in a unit over African folktales and comparing/contrasting different texts.