Final Reflection

Reading and Responding to Children’s Literature was a class that I enjoyed! It has broadened my knowledge of children’s literature, and given me the opportunity to read many wonderful books. I loved reading five picture books and one novel each week. I was able to read books that I read as a child, as well as new books. I enjoyed becoming more familiar with, and reading books from a variety of genres. The five assigned novels we read in class were wonderful! They were great books, and we had some good discussion about each one. I really enjoyed reading The Giver and The Misfits. I also enjoyed blogging about the books I read. Although it took quite a bit of time each week, it was fun to write about the books and what I thought of them. I think my blog will become a useful resource when I am a teacher. Another aspect of the class that I liked was making a glog for our Author/Illustrator/Poet study. I think it was a unique and creative way to present the information we gathered about our author, illustrator, or poet. I will use my Eric Carle glog when I am a teacher to introduce the author/illustrator to my class. I will also be able to access all the glogs from this semester, and use them to introduce different authors, illustrators, or poets. I believe that the text set project will be fun, and a great resource to have as a teacher. Overall, I found this class fun and beneficial. I now have a better understanding of how to select books, and how to read with a critical eye. I feel that I will be able to increase my students’ interest in reading, and help them select books. I have learned a lot about different genres, teaching methods, and activities that I will be able to use in my own classroom someday.

Love That Dog by: Sharon Creech

Ages: 9-12

When Jack begins the school year, he is not excited to take on Miss Stretchberry’s poetry writing assignments. Throughout the year, Miss Stretchberry reads the works of great poets and encourages Jack’s writing efforts. He really enjoys a poem called “Love That Boy” by Walter Dean Myers. He even writes the poet to invite him to his classroom. Over the course of the year, Jack’s attitude about poetry changes. He realizes that he enjoys poetry and has a true talent for creative expression. Miss Stretchberry even displays some of his work in the classroom. Will Walter Dean Myers make Jack’s dream come true and visit his classroom? Find out in Love That Dog.

Love That Dog is a wonderful children’s poetry novel! I loved the book, and could not put it down. It was a quick read that made me laugh. The text in the book is very simple. It is written in free verse and journal format. The text is also written in blue, which is unique and unlike any other book I have read. The writing explores word choice and rhythm. The book shows the many different ways peoety can be written, expressed, and explored. I enjoy how a story still evolves from the series of short poems written by Jake. Although the reader never sees the teacher’s responses to Jake’s entries, it is easy to infer the teacher’s comments. Many kids will be able to relate to Jack, whether they like dogs or don’t enjoy writing. This book is likely to make the reader want to write a poem after reading the book. An added bonus is a collection of poems from Miss Stretchberry’s classroom. The development of Jack’s confidence as a writer throughout the story is very captivating and motivating for readers. The book contains a message of facing your fears of being made fun of. It also shows that anyone can write poetry, and there is no right or wrong way to write poetry. This book is written for any child who enjoys dogs, who enjoys poems, or who resists reading and/or writing poems. Children and adults alike will enjoy this book. Love That Dog is a wonderful book that I highly recommend!

You Read to Me, I’ll Red to You by: Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by: Michael Emberley

Ages: Preschool – Grade 3

Thirteen rhyming “stories” feature familiar childhood subjects. Some subjects include: animals, play, likes and dislikes, friends, and family. To find out what specific childhood topics are covered, read You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You.

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You is a great children’s poetry book! The theme of the book is getting together to read. The short poems are designed to be read aloud by two voices. The poems alternate readers, occasionally with a line or two to read together. The text is color-coded, so it is easy to distinguish the two reader’s voices, along with the text that is to be read together. Also, the verses appear in two columns to signal whose turn it is to read. The text that is to be read together is placed in the center of the two columns. This will help keep children engaged in the book. The text is simple, yet full of energy. The text contains repetition, which is great for beginning readers. Each story contains characters who face a problem or experience an adventure, and all the stories contain a positive lesson. The illustrations are great, and complement and enrich the text. They are full of color and detail, and are often times humorous. Each story contains several small illustrations, each one illustrating a different part of the story. The illustrations are different on each page of the book. Children will enjoy looking at the pictures! This book has several positive aspects. First of all, reading aloud helps children build fluency and comprehension. It also encourages children to read, and makes reading fun. This would be a great book to introduce to children who do not enjoy reading. Children also learn the concept of turn taking/following directions. Children often times enjoy being read to, and this book allows that along with the opportunity to practice reading aloud as well. You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You is a fun and interactive book that children will want to read over and over again!

America Is… by: Louise Borden and illustrated by: Stacey Schuett

Ages: Kindergarten – Grade 3

“America is our country. It is the place we call home.” Our country is defined in many ways. It is the fifty states, the traditional symbols, geography, variety of occupations, and more! Read about America in America Is…

America Is… is a wonderful children’s poetry picture book. The text is fairly simple, and creative. The language is broken down to a level that children can understand. It is placed in unique spots throughout the pages. The text is fun, yet contains many facts about America. I enjoyed the fact that the Pledge of Allegiance and The Star Spangled Banner are included in the text. The pictures go along with the text great! They are colorful and detailed. The illustrator has done an amazing job capturing the essence of the cities, the countryside, landmarks, and geographical features. The illustrations show our country as a whole, and each state is a unique addition. The poetic text and wonderful illustrations will keep children engaged in the book. There are several facts about America throughout the book, and it shows the diversity of our country. Children will enjoy the book and learn about America at the same time. America Is… is a wonderful book about our country that readers of all ages will enjoy!

What a Day it was at School! By: Jack Prelutsky

Ages: 5+

What a day it was at school! A cat sits down at the table to tell his mother about his day. Everything is written in his journal. He talks about the ups and downs of his day, including a field trip, a spelling test, gym partners, food fights, show and tell, and more. Read about the cat’s day at school in What a Day it was at School.

What a Day it was at School is a cute children’s poetry picture book. The text is fairly simple written in poem format. It contains a lot of rhythm and rhyme, and unique word choices. The poems are lively and fun. They are sure to make the reader laugh! The illustrations go along with the poems great. They are bright and colorful, and contain a variety of different animals as the characters in the book. Some of the poems are fantasy, with silly and fun topics. Other poems are realistic that capture the excitement and worries of school. There are several topics depicted in the poems that children will be able to relate to. Many children have probably experienced some of the topics at school already, or will experience them at some point. Some of these topics include having a heavy backpack, spelling test, going to the school library, learning math and history, and show and tell. I especially like the poem about the spelling test. The cat wished he had studied harder for his spelling test. There are words throughout the poem that are spelled wrong. I thought this was a unique way to depict the topic of the poem in the actual poem. Children will not get bored reading this book. The poems are catchy and the illustrations are great. The book teaches children about poems and presents some possible school scenarios. What a Day it was at School is a fun book that children are sure to enjoy!

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars by: Douglas Florian

Ages: 5-10

Two children are sky watching. Through their telescopes they see: the universe, a galaxy, the solar system, the sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the moon, Mars, the minor planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, the comet, the constellations, the black hole, and the great beyond. Learn about each one when you read Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars.

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars is a great children’s poetry book. The text is very creative. Each double page spread features a short poem about objects in outer space. Each poem rhymes, and is made up of creative words and facts. The one poem that stuck out to me was the galaxy poem. The words are written in a spiral, and grab the reader’s attention. I also enjoyed the poem about Pluto, because it talked about how Pluto used to be a planet, but is not anymore. The illustrations are wonderful, and depict the poems well. They are creative and very colorful, and are done in an interesting collage style. They are full of details, and at times can be a lot to take in. Die cut “planet” holes located on every other page, and take the reader further through space. Children are sure to enjoy the wacky poems, as well as learn many new facts from this book. The literacy and scientific education found on each page is presented in such a way that children and adults are sure to learn something new. This book teaches the reader not only about poems, but also about space. A great aspect of this book is the galactic glossary located in the back of the book. This gives the reader more information and details about the topic of each poem. There is also a list of books and websites recommended for further reading about the topics covered in the book. This is a fun book to read! I would highly recommend Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars!

Me I Am! by: Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by: Christine Davenier

Ages: 3-6

Three different children celebrate the things that make them unique emotionally, physically, and universally. The first child, a girl, would rather be outside doing activities such as skating and riding her bike than wearing a dress. The second child, a boy, enjoys nature and animals. The third child, a girl, enjoys being a ballerina and performing on stage. Each child is unique, and there is no one else like them. Read Me I Am! to find out more about each of these three children!

Me I Am! is a children’s poetry picture book. The text is very short. The same poem is repeated three times, each time featuring a different child. The words are simple and rhyme. The poem itself does not differentiate each character, however the illustrations do. The illustrations are wonderful! They are colorful, detailed, and full of energy. The illustrations capture the emotions of each child. They also show the children participating in different activities by portraying them in animated movement. This book encourages children to find the things that make them unique or special. It touches on the topics of individualism and self-esteem. This would be a great book for teaching young children about poetry. It is a simple poetry book that is fun to read. I like the fact that the author has included the whole poem on one page in the back of the book. This book would be wonderful for children who are feeling lost in the crowd. It encourages them to find those interests/activities that make them the person they are. Me I Am! is a cute book that young children will enjoy!