Week 4: The History of Children's Literature

Charlotte's Web

by: E.B. White

Second Grade

• APA Citation: White, E.B. (1952). Charlotte's Web. New York, NY: HarperCollins. 

• Description: "This beloved book by E.B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This paper-over-board edition includes a foreword by two-time Newbery winning author Kate DiCamillo. Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high   up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. E.B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E.B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books." Retrieved from Amazon.com on September 27, 2017: https://www.amazon.com/Charlottes-Web-White/dp/0061124958/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZJ6M9J229WZNYG81V4QR.

• Age/Grade Level: 8-12 years old, 3rd - 7th Grade

• Justification: I would read parts of Charlotte's Web to the class at a time as a story time, broken up into manageable sections over several days. It is a little advanced for the typical second grade reader, but if I read to the class, and only read a couple short chapters at a time, I think that the class would have no trouble following along with the plot line. It's a memorable, heartwarming book that I had to include after being reminded of the influence of E.B. White's works on my childhood reading (through reading Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White). Students would demonstrate both CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.a and CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.1.b in class discussions following the chapters read as a class each story time. They would be able to reflect, share thoughts and feelings about the book, and relate personal experiences and emotions to the content shared, demonstrating CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.4. (English Language Arts Standards >> Speaking & Listening >> Grade 2, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on September 27, 2017: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/2/).

• Keywords: friendship, nature, life cycle, compassion

• Review: "A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider, and a little girl. Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of a runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman. Daily, Fern visits the Zuckermans to sit and muse with Wilbur and with the clever pen spider Charlotte, who befriends him when he is lonely and downcast. At the news of Wilbur's forthcoming slaughter, campaigning Charlotte, to the astonishment of people for miles around, spins words in her web. "Some Pig" comes first. Then "Terrific"- then "Radiant". The last word, when Wilbur is about to win a show prize and Charlotte is about to die from building her egg sac, is "Humble". And as the wonderful Charlotte does die, the sadness is tempered by the promise of more spiders next spring. The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans- are often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too." reviewed in the October 1952 issue of Kirkus Reviews.

• Citation: Retrieved from Kirkus Reviews on September 27, 2017: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/eb-white/charlottes-web-white/.

• Awards:  Newbery Honor Book in 1953, ALA Notable Children's Book, Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, Horn Book Fanfare, Massachusetts Children's Book Award. Retrieved from HarperCollins on September 27, 2017: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Charlottes-Web/.

Week 3: Great Books to Read Aloud

The Book with No Pictures

by: B.J. Novak

Second Grade

• APA Citation: Novak, B.J. (2014). The Book with No Pictures. New York: Dial Books.

• Description: "A #1 New York Times bestseller, this innovative and wildly funny read-aloud by award-winning humorist/actor B.J. Novak will turn any reader into a comedian.
  You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . .
   
  BLORK. Or BLUURF.
   
  Even if the words are a preposterous song about eating ants for breakfast, or just a list of astonishingly goofy sounds like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and GLIBBITY GLOBBITY.
   
  Cleverly irreverent and irresistibly silly, The Book with No Pictures is one that kids will beg to hear again and again. (And parents will be happy to oblige.)" Retried from Amazon.com on September 22, 2017: https://www.amazon.com/Book-No-Pictures-B-Novak/dp/0803741715.

• Age/Grade Level: 5-8 years old; Kindergarten-3rd grade.

• Justification: I would read this book to students at least twice, using different inflections and voices, and emphasizing different parts. I would then have students draw their own version of accompanying illustrations, and then discuss their different interpretations, and how illustrations and the way a story is read can affect interpretation. They will compare and contrast their illustrations with their classmates to demonstrate CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6. (English Language Art Standards >> Reading: Literature >> Grade 2, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on September 22, 2017: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/2/)

• Keywords: humor, interactive, imagination, onomatopoeia

• Review: "K-Gr 2—The actor (and writer, producer, and director) has penned his first picture book, but can it be called a picture book when there are no pictures? Entering the field of unique interactive books begging to be opened, including Hervé Tullet's Press Here (Chronicle, 2011) and Adam Lehrhaupt's Warning: Do Not Open This Book! (S. & S., 2013), this title will instantly intrigue children. Upon opening the book, readers are drawn in ("Here is how books work: everything the words say, the person reading the book has to say. No matter what."). What follows is an uproariously raucous time, with readers being forced to utter nonsense words ("blork," "bluurf") and phrases that will have young listeners in stitches ("And my head is made of blueberry pizza."). Admittedly, there are no illustrations, but Novak has employed the use of various sizes of black typeface with expansive white space and color to highlight some of the text. This book is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, and it's perfect for one-on-one sharing with a parent or caregiver. Expect requests for repeated readings.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA" Retrieved from Amazon.com on September 22, 2017.

"The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak – It’s not the first time someone did this idea (the Elephant and Piggie title We Are In a Book does something very similar to what Novak does here) but I’ll admit that I haven’t ever seen anything exactly, precisely like this. With that in mind I bought a reasonable number of copies for my library system.  Then it took off like gangbusters.  Folks who’ve never even heard of Novak were pulling it from the shelves.  I’m not going to say it’s the most successful celebrity picture book of all time, but it sure comes close.  Wowzah." Retrieved on September 22, 2017 from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2015/05/26/what-makes-a-picture-book-mega-hit/#_. 

• Citation: Bird, E. (2015, May). Novak, B.J. The Book with No Pictures. School Library Journal. Retrieved from: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2015/05/26/what-makes-a-picture-book-mega-hit/#_. 
• Awards:

Week 2: Inspiring a Love for Books

Our Library

by: Eve Bunting

Second Grade

• APA Citation: Bunting, E. (2008). Our library. New York: Clarion Books.

• Description: "When Miss Goose announces that the library is going to close forever, Raccoon and his friends spring into action. Where will they get the help they need to save their beloved library? In books, of course! This cheery tale from ever-popular author Eve Bunting shows how important libraries are to every community. Bright, playful illustrations enhance the light treatment of this serious subject, in a story that celebrates the value of books in everyone’s lives." Retrieved from Amazon.com on September 22,2017 : https://www.amazon.com/Our-Library-Eve-Bunting/dp/0544808991.

• The Age/Grade Level for which the book is appropriate: 4-7 years; Preschool - 3rd grade. 

• Justification:  This book advocates for what we do, and prompts students to think about what the library can do for them and the community at large. I would have the students read this book, and have a class discussion of what the animals did to overcome what challenges, in order to demonstrate CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3. Students would then respond to written prompts encouraging them to think about and respond to different points of view included in the story, demonstrating CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6. Students will write short reflections about why Raccoon wants to save the library, how the young animals respond to the "grumpy badger", and the importance of teamwork and problem solving.  

• Keywords: teamwork, reading, community, problem solving

• Review: "Kindergarten-Grade 2—When Miss Goose informs the children that the library will have to close because it is in need of repair, Raccoon and his friends spring into action. The first thing they do is check out books (How to Lay a Perfect Roof and Library Painting for Beginners), read them, and accomplish the necessary tasks. However, their problems are far from over. Now the library needs operating money and it has to be moved. Each time, the children turn first to books to guide them toward a solution, until at last the spruced-up library sits cozily in a meadow. The reasons this library is so important to everyone, from toddlers to senior citizens, are woven nicely into the plot. Bunting's style has a graceful simplicity, descriptive enough to be evocative without overwhelming. "On rainy days, we stay cozily inside. On sunny days, we lie in the shade of a big whispering oak tree and read." Smith's watercolor and acrylic illustrations are charming and should have most children longing to enter the buttercup-yellow library with the grass-green door. An excellent vehicle for discussing the importance of libraries, books, reading, and teamwork, this one is a winner.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ 
  Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved." 

• Citation: Oliff, G. School Library Journal. Retrieved on September 22, 2017 from: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Library-Eve-Bunting-ebook/dp/B00ALJGY78.
• Awards:

Week 1: Award-Winning Literature

My collection was developed for a school library, with a second grade audience in mind. That means that I picked book selections and planned related activities for students that would be about seven years old. The activities and book selections then, are all age appropriate and would appeal to that age range and be effective, informative learning tools in the classroom.

Swimmy

by: Leo Lionni

Second Grade

• APA Citation: Lionni, L. (1963). Swimmy. New York: Pantheon.

• Description: "The gorgeous, Caldecott Honor-winning tale of a very clever fish by beloved picture book creator Leo Lionni.
  
  Deep in the sea lives a happy school of fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger.
  
  Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Honor, this beloved tale of a brave little fish has been a favorite to generations of readers. To celebrate Swimmy's fiftieth anniversary, we are issuing a handsome special edition hardcover that includes a bonus poster." Retrieved from Amazon.com on September 12, 2017: https://www.amazon.com/Swimmy-Leo-Lionni/dp/0394826205.

• The Age/Grade Level for which this book is appropriate: Pre-school-2nd grade.

• Justification: I love all of the Leo Lionni books that I've read, and feel like they have a timeless quality that will continue to inspire future generations. They are all pretty simple, with minimal, easy to understand word choice and unique illustrations. They all cover important content in a relatable, fable-like manner. I would read this book aloud to my class as part of story time. Afterwards, to demonstrate comprehension and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3, I would ask students to think about what they just heard and respond to who the book was about, what challenges were faced, and how obstacles were dealt with. This conversation would be interactive as I would pose questions encouraging students to think about how they would feel and respond in similar situations. I would use this story as part of a larger lesson plan with several other fable-like books throughout the week. To demonstrate CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2, at the end of the week, students would be asked to draw and re-tell their favorite fable that we explored as a class, and write out its central message, tell why they liked it, and what they learned from the week overall. (English Language Arts Standards >> Reading: Literature >> Grade 2, Retrieved from Common Core State Standard Initiatives on September 12, 2017: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/2/.)  

• Keywords: teamwork, exploration, aquatic, bullying

• Review: "This classic Caldecott Honor book follows a little fish named Swimmy who bands together with the other fish in his school to fight against the dangers of the open sea and the large fish that is bullying them. The story is wonderful for young children who are fascinated by fish and the artwork brings Swimmy’s world to life beautifully. Great for children from preschool through second grade." Retrieved from Horn Book on September 12, 2017: http://www.hbook.com/2015/06/blogs/lollys-classroom/picture-books-under-the-sea/.

• Citation: Spina, C. “Picture Books under the Sea.” The Horn Book, 9 June 2015, http://www.hbook.com/2015/06/blogs/lollys-classroom/picture-books-under-the-sea/. 

"Swimmy, 1964 Caldecott Honor Book", American Library Association, July 8, 2013.http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/1964honorswimmy (Accessed September 12, 2017)

• Awards: This book was a 1964 Caldecott Honor Book. Retrieved from the ALSC list of Caldecott Medal & Honor Books at: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/caldecottmedal#60s.