Hide-and-Seek Bunnies

Hide-and-Seek Bunnies

Written by: Fiona Watt

Designed by Zoe Waring and Catherine-Anne MacKinnon

Illustrated by Lesley Danson

Publisher:Usborne Publishing Ltd

Genre: Touch and Feel Flip Book

Readablity Lexile: ?

Summary:

This book is a touchy-feely flap book about bunnies in each season. There are eight pages in this board book and each two pages are dedicated to a season in the year. It talks about what these bunnies are doing during each season and then it asks a question for you to find something on that page. The last two pages of the book show what bunnies are from each month in the year. It is about what the bunnies go through each year showing pictures to get a visual of what it is like.

Evaluation:

This is a great example of high literature! It is a very interactive book that not only interests kids with the activeness  you can participate with in the book but also teaches children about the four season and all the months in a year. It also shows kids what bunnies like to do during each summer. It asks questions like “can you find baby bunny?” and “can you help find two bunnies munching on carrots?” Each question goes up by asking the children to find one more thing. On the first page it asks to find one bunny. On the second page it asks to find two, on the third four, and on the fifth five. It helps children with counting, months, and season, along with some knowledge about bunnies.

Literary Elements:

-          Theme- The theme of this book is about the seasons of the year and months are introduced also. It uses fun and interesting ways to show students. The book is about bunnies but the theme that they use to teach use through this bunny story is the seasons.

-          Style- The style of this book is touch, feel and flap book. It is a board book where there are flaps that the children can lift up and see more illustrations and texts underneath it, and there are also textures and materials in the illustrations for children to touch.   

-          Plot- The plot of the book is about what bunnies do in each season. There are texts and illustrations to show these things throughout the book. It is something easy to remember for the children.

Mini Lesson:

The mini lesson that I would do from this would be the theme. I would read this book to students and we would do the interactive activities. I would use this book to teach the students about the seasons. After we were done reading this I would have the students draw a picture of what they do during each season. This book and season lesson would be a gateway to teaching students about the months.

Illustrations:

The illustrations in this book are brilliant. They involve hide-and-seek finds, textures and wonderful colors. The illustrations show what the text is trying to say. It is really visual and interactive.

Target Audience:

Toddlers to early elementary

Monster

Monster

Written by: Walter Dean Myers

Publishers: Harper Collins in 2001, revision in 2004, and another revision in 2008.

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Young Adult

Readability Lexile: 670L

Summary:

Sixteen year old Steve is on trial as an accomplice to murder. He is falsely accused and tells his story of being in prison and court in film form. He tries to come to terms with what is going on in his life during the book but it is hard. We find out what people think happened and what actually happened in the murder through stories that are shared with us in the book.

Evaluation:

This is a good story of an innocent boy being profiled because he is an African American. This is something that happens in the United Stated often and is something that makes the story real and believable. The climax is natural as the intensity of the trial goes on. The characters seemed real and I could see his personality come out in the journals he wrote and the film script. The setting shows us the usual time it takes for trials like this to go on and Steve fits in with the setting since he is the one on trial. I felt like I was in the characters shoes, feeling his pain throughout the book. The theme was very worthwhile and when reading this book aloud I could hear the characters voices in each part. The language seemed natural.

Literary Elements:

-          Characterization- The main character is shown to us in every way in the story. We are able to see what his thoughts, emotions, and struggles throughout the story.

-          Plot- The plot of the story is shown in the trial and jail cell. The boy is trying to make it through and tell his side of the story as a profiled African American.

-            Style- The style of this book is written in film form. It is written as a film would be produced with lighting, script, and camera angles. IT helps the story to be really visual like a movie playing in your head from the text.

Mini Lesson:

For this lesson I would use style. I would have the students take a previous writing that they have already done and write what the camera angles would be, the lighting, and script as if they were writing a film of their previous paper. This would show students different ways of writing, and it would help them become more detailed with their paper.

Target Audience:

Middle School

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Written and Illustrated by: Brian Senick

Publishers: Scholastic Press in March 2007

Genre: Graphic Novel

Readability Lexile: 820L

Summary:

Twelve year old Hugo lives in the walls of a train station keeping the clocks running. His father died in a fire and left his son to his uncle. When his uncle never comes back Hugo takes charge of the clocks so the train people think that his uncle still works there. When his father dies the only thing left behind is the auto man. When Hugo steals from the toy store he gains a relationship with the toy store owner and his granddaughter. Hugo wants to fix the auto man because it is the only thing he has left of his father. He ends up solving the mystery of the auto man, fixing it, and helping the toy owner get over his past. He gains two new friends along the way and ends up being a part of the toy store owner’s family.

Evaluation:

This is a good story that shows the struggles of a homeless and family-less boy. It is believable with the story dying and the son being put with his uncle and then losing them both, but it is hard to believe that he could keep all the clocks running on his own as a young boy. However, he does have nothing and the clocks are the only things that keep him in the somewhat home that he has in the train station so I can see how a boy like this would have the motivation and drive to do this on his own. Hugo grows throughout the story. He learns that stealing is not good (even though it is the only way that he can survive) and he ends up paying the toy store owner back by helping him operate the toy store and fixing the toys. The character has both weaknesses and strength in the story. They both seem to revolve around the fact that he does not have a family and he is homeless. He gains strength from losing his father and surviving on his own, but he also has struggles in doing so like stealing. He also is able to fix the auto man by the end of the story which takes courage and determination. The author shows us a connection that Hugo and the toy store owner have together. The toy store owner is actually the guy who invented the auto man and the picture that shows up from the auto man. It was cool seeing both stories coming together as one. The book also used illustrations to tell the story creating a fun way to read a book. There would be consecutive pages with illustrations and the consecutive pages with text, they both flowed together pulling the story together. When reading the story out loud I could picture the characters saying it and the language was natural.

Literary Elements:

-          Style- The style of this book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The pictures do not show what the text is saying, but is another form of telling the story other than text.

-          Plot- There is a conflict with Hugo and the auto man as well as him being found out by the police that he is an orphan. There is also conflict with the toy owner and his past. It is suspenseful and it all comes together with a happy ending. He moves in with the toy owner and his granddaughter creating the happy ending.

-          Characterization- Hugo seems lifelike and the main character (Hugo) is homeless. This is something that you do not always see in books. By having the character as homeless, other orphans or homeless people are able to relate their life to the story.

Mini Lesson

I would have the mini lesson on style. Since we have already talked about style I would have this lesson be on students using this books style to create their own story. They would have to draw pictures and have text to tell their story. It will not matter if they are good at drawing or not, as long as they can get their point across of what’s happening.

Illustrations:

The illustrations are part of the story filling consecutive pages with pictures that leads the reader farther into the story plot. It is cool to see the text in picture form to tell the story as well as it flowing into regular text. It makes the story very visual.

Target Audience:

Upper Elementary

Home of the Brave

Home of the Brave

Written by: Katherine Applegate

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends in Jan 2009

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading Lexile: 770L

Summary:

Kek is an African refugee. He came from Africa to Minnesota to escape the feuds going on from his home. When he comes to Minneapolis he experiences new things that he has never before done. His brother and father died but he is still waiting for his mom (hoping she is still alive). He finds home in his aunt and cousins apartment where he meets his new best friend. He is a 5^th grader who is terrified, but finds comfort in a cow and it owner.

Evaluation:

This is a very good story about the struggles a young person faces as an African refugee coming to a new country (United States). It is written in poetry form where there are a bunch of short poems put together to form a larger poem which is a story. It flows very well and the way it is written makes it easy to visualize what the author wants to say in the story. This story is based off of events that have happened in the past, but it is fictional characters that are affected by these events. This story is very realistic and it gives other African Refugees something to relate to their experiences. The climax seems natural and something like that of what could happen in real life. The characters most definitely seemed real especially because I have seen people that are described in the story and I am from Minneapolis. The setting showed times of trouble for people coming over from Africa as Refugees. Kek has struggles and weakness in this story. They both seem to revolve around him coming to a new land and from being an African Refugee. The theme was worthwhile and when reading it aloud I could hear the characters talking. The language was natural.

Literary elements:

-          Setting- Takes place in Minneapolis Minnesota during the time that African Refugees were coming over from Africa because of terrors going on in their country. It shows the hard times people had and had to face. You could hear, see, and touch what the author was writing.

-          Style- The author decides to write this in poetic form. She writes a whole bunch of short poems and puts them together to create a beautifully enriched flowing story. It makes the story very visual.

-          Point of View- The different characters in the story all tell feelings that they have with situations dealing with events that have happened in their lives. Kek’s point of view: New American citizen and African Refugee. Kek’s cousin’s point of view: somewhat new to America, some experience in Minnesota, African Refugee. Kek’s best friend: Foster child that is not treated the best.

Mini Lesson:

I would do this lesson on style because it is written in poem form and it uses small poems to make up a larger story.  I would have the students be guided by the teacher to learn what style of a book is. The teacher will tell them what style of a book is and then as a class they would try and figure out what the style of the book is. Since the style is poem form, it would be an introduction to a poetry unit. We would look at they kind of poetry the book uses.

Target Audience:

Upper Elementary.

The London Eye Mystery

The London Eye Mystery

Written by: Siobhan Dowd

Publisher: David Flicking Books in 2007

Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Lexile Readability: 640L

 

Summary:

A young boy with Autism named Ted is about to have his aunt and cousin stay with them in their London home. Ted has an older sister and a mom and dad. When they come to stay with him and his family his cousin wants to go to the London Eye so he can see London’s Architecture. When they get there a stranger gives his cousin a ticket and he goes up by himself but he never comes down. They wait and wait but they never see him. Ted and his sister try to figure what happened. The police get involved, but because of Ted’s ability to notice things that others do not he is able to solve the case which ends up bringing his family closer together.

Evaluation:

This is high literature that has a young boy who has autism as a main character. You do not usually come across a book where the main character has a disability that many people have in real life. It shows people that autistic people can do things too and sometimes even better than we can. It also gives autistic people a chance to read something where someone like them is the hero of the story. At the beginning of this book Ted is very dependent on his parents and as the book goes on he begins to become more independent.  As the story goes on his family also starts to listen to him more. At the beginning he does not really have a voice. You can see his strengths and weaknesses throughout the story; most of which dealing with his autism. The setting was very realistic and as a reader I was able to experience things with the characters and I felt like I was there with them. When I read it aloud I could also hear the characters speaking through the text. This book had a very good theme. The family gets closer towards the end of the story, and the main character who has autism is able to be the hero of the story. This book had natural flowing language.

Literary Elements:

-          Theme- There was a good underlying idea in this story where an autistic boy solves the mystery. It was memorable, and I could tell what the author was trying to tell me throughout the story.

-          Characterization- The characters seemed lifelike and realistic in a contemporary tale.  Ted has something that many children have to deal with in their lives. It makes connections to real life situations and people.

-          Plot- The book has action, excitement, suspense, and conflict that develop interest for its readers. It also has a good ending and has enjoyment to all ages. It was an intriguing mystery with a good message for everybody.

Mini Lesson:

I would use the theme to teach a mini lesson to my students. I would ask the students what they think the author was trying to tell us through the story. When we came up with the theme I would tell them what a theme was, and let them know that what we just came up with was the theme of this book. I would then have the student’s research what autism is on the computer. I will then have them write a one page informational paper on what autism is, and about it.

Target Audience:

Upper Elementary

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That type

Click, Clack, Moo Cows that type

Written by: Doreen Cronin

Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin

Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in 2000

Genre: Children's Fiction

Lexile Readability: 160L

Summary:

Farmer Brown owns a farm where one day he hears Click Clack Moo, Click Clack Moo. He realizes that the cows have a typewriter and they are typing him a note. It says that they want electric blankets because it gets cold at night in the barn. He would not give them the blankets so the cows went on strike. They would not give him milk until he gave them the blankets. He said no so they got the chickens to stop giving him eggs. The cows and farmer brown finally make a deal. They will give up the typewriter if they get the blankets. He agrees and the cows are happy. Now the ducks have the typewriter.

Evaluation:

This is a very intriguing and interesting book that really draws the attention of the readers. There are cows that type and likewise with ducks at the end of the story. This is something that does not happen in real life so it makes the book that much more interesting. There are also fun illustrations in the book that help describe what the text says. It has repetition which is really good for younger children trying to read along to the book. The plot of the story is for the cows to get their electric blankets so they can be warm at night. They do not get it so they keep trying things till they get the blankets and make a trade with the farmer. When you read the letters that the cows write you can picture them typing it. It is fun at the end of te book you get to see the cows with electric blankets and then the ducks want a diving board for their pond. It is something every unbelievable in real life because animals cannot really do this, but it is still a fun book for children to read. You are really able to see how stubborn the cows and the farmer are when they will not do what the other wants. It shows personality of the characters.

Literary Elements:

-          Plot- The plot of the story is that the cows want electric blankets and they are using a typewriter to send the message to their Farmer Brown. It is a plot that children who are reading this book will remember easily. It is interesting and easy to pick out.

-          Characterization- When reading this story the characters are really easy to get acquainted with. The animals all work together even though they are not able to talk to each other because they do not all speak “Moo”. Everyone in this book seems to be stubborn with getting what they want. The farmer does not want to give the cows electric blankets, but the cows keep insisting for them. You get to know the personality of the characters.

-          Point of view- You are really able to see the point of view from both parties in the book. The farmer does not want to give the cows blankets because cow are cows and do not need them. The cows want blankets because it gets cold at night in the barn and everyone can understand that  being cold is not comfortable.

Mini Lesson:

I would use point of view to teach a mini lesson to my students. Here I would have a situation and then have the students think of different ways people could take that situation, things that different people would want out of that situation, and reasons why. Then I would teach the students how to write a persuasive sentence for each person that they came up with in the situation. This would be an intro for younger kids to persuasive writings.

Illustrations:

The illustrations in this text are very well done. You are able to visually see what the text is trying to tell the readers. The pictures draw you in and show the expressions and personality of the characters.

Target Audience:

Young readers. Early elementary.

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

By: Lois Ehlert

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers

Copyright © 1991 by Lois Ehlert

Genre: General fiction

Readability Lexile: 680L

Interest level: pre- k-3

Reading level: 3.3

Summary:

It starts out with a little girl showing off her maple leaf from her tree. The tree was there even before she was born. It goes through the seasons with her tree. Once spring comes nursery workers come and take roots from the tree. They transplanted the roots and took care of them year after year until they uprooted again. It was delivered to a garden center where the little girl picked out a new maple tree to plant at home. She took care of it through all the seasons. Her favorite season for the tree was in fall.

An evaluation of the text based on Donna Norton’s characteristics of high quality literature:

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf is a great story about how a girl loves and takes care of a maple tree. The plot is believable. When kids are younger they are usually really interested in things. And it so happened in this book that the girl was interested in trees. There is not much we know about the character other than she has a father, lives in a place where there are all four season, has a home, and loves trees. Showing of the setting was great. It went through all the seasons, and showed how the tree gets affected by it, and also the animals that live in or around the tree. It also shows how the tree grows over time. When reading it the characters sounded real. It felt like we got to know the tree almost like the little girl did. The theme about taking care of, nurturing, and growing was worthwhile in this story.

Three literary elements:

The three literary elements are plot, theme, and setting.  The plot of the story is a maple tree growing and being nurtured by a little girl. She watches it at night, and plants it. The theme of the story is about taking care of and helping nature. The little girl has a tree and from that tree they create many more trees. On the trees the seeds help the squirrels, and the bird food that she puts on it helps the birds. There is a distinct setting of the story as it goes through the seasons. It shows the tree grow, and get affected by the seasons.

Illustrations and their relationship to the text:

The illustrations are all related to the text and correspond with what the text is trying to say. Each pages background is a different color, but it is related to what the text is trying to say, and to what season it is. Whenever there is a new animal, or something that the reader might not know what it is, there is small print next to that illustration saying what it is.

Mini lesson:

 Theme

I picked to do a mini lesson on theme, because I thought that this book really pointed out taking care of, and helping nature as it grows. In the mini lesson I would read the book and have them decide with my help what the theme of the story is. Then we would plant a flower, or some kind of plant, and each day take care of it and water it. I would tell them how important it is to take care of nature. I would also tell my students to try not to use that much paper towels when they go to the bathroom, because when you use too much of them, more trees have to get cut down.  They might have connection with this thought because they just read about a maple tree that they have acquired a relationship with.

Target Audience:

The target audience is children in pre-k to 3^rd grade. It is also to kids who like trees, or the environment. At the end of the book there is an extra part where it talks about how to take care and plant a tree.