Phoebe the Spy

By: Judith Berry Griffin

(Original title: Phoebe and the General)

Summary: The story, Phoebe the spy, is all about a 13 year old girl. Her name is Phoebe Fraunces. Her father, Samuel Fraunces, asks Phoebe to be a spy. Samuel had heard rumors that someone had a plot to kill General George Washington. All that Samuel knew was about the plot and that the killer's name began with the letter T. So, Phoebe travels to General's home. She posed as a maid. 2 very important people in the story, Pompey and the cook, greet Phoebe at the door. After about two months serving as a maid, Phoebe hears big news from her father while she is at the lake or ocean. She meets her father everyday at the market, to inform him of any weird behaviors at General George Washington's home. Her father told Phoebe that there were three or less days until this killer would attack General George Washington. When Phoebe returns to the house, she talks to Mr. Hickey, a supposed "friend" of the family when he brings in some peas. Those peas were sort of out of season. Then Hickey asks for George's dinner plate that is filled with peas. So, Phoebe gives him the plate, only so he could sprinkle something that looked like salt on them. Then Phoebe hears somebody call Mr. Hickey by the name Thomas. And that is when it all started to click to Phoebe. The name that began with T, the salt, which was actually was poison, it all came together! That's actually a true thing that happened in real life, too. George already had his plate with the peas, or so Phoebe thought. But, right when George was about to eat, Phoebe started to throw the peas containing poison out the window to the chickens. One after another, the chickens slowly slumped to the ground until they were dead. Then everybody believed her that there was poison on the peas. So, Phoebe had saved General Washington's life.

Illustration and Art: The art drawn from the Revolutionary War; it has historical accuracy and suspense and illustrated with finesse. The illustrations are done in pencil with hues of brown to show the color of their faces.

Evaluation by Genre: Historical Fiction, The novel draws readers into a period of history that is both exciting and intriguing, while presenting a solid introduction to this time period of 1776 and the Revolutionary War.

Major Conflict:  Appearances can be deceiving. Phoebe has to find out who will try to kill President Washington before it’s too late. Will she find to would be killer in time?

Motivational Activities: As you read the story you could make a prediction chart. The children will write down all the names and try to find out who will make an attempt on the Presidents life. Another activity is to have the children to write down vocabulary words and definitions example: scoundrel, patriots, cot, spire, plotting, and steward. You can teach them how to use on-line dictionaries. After they have finished reading they can write a letter to Phoebe thanking her for saving the presidents life. They could also write about all the characters in the book; look on the computer or go to the library to find out about the life of the main characters in the story.

Reader Response Questions: (1) who is Phoebe Fraunces? (2) Where did Phoebe live? (3) What mission did her father send her to do? (4) How old was Phoebe? (5) Who was her father? (6) What was the Queens tavern and who went there? (7) What did Phoebe do in the president’s house? (8) Who was Thomas Hickey? (9) Who was Pompey? (10) Who is Mr. Green? (11) Who was Mary? (12) In what year was the Revolutionary War? (13) What was in the peas? (14) Who was George Washington and why was he important? (15) Who was Samuel Fraunces and why was he worried?

About the Author: ​Judith Berry Griffin’s combined experience as an education administrator and leader, consultant, author, and lecturer led her to establish The Ophelia J. Berry Fund in 2003.  She is founding president of the Fund’s first program, Pathways to College, which is a national after-school initiative.  The program helps high-potential students of color develop the critical thinking skills and habits of mind that make achieving a college education an attainable goal, thereby encouraging school-wide improvement and reform.  Since its founding in 1992, the program has served more than 2,100 students. Many of its graduates go on to selective four-year colleges such as Brown University, Smith College, Stanford University, Hampshire College and the University of Chicago. Prior to her current role, Griffin served as national president of A Better Chance from 1983 to 2003. In addition, she served in the U.S. Department of Education. Griffin is the author of several books for children, the most recent of which, Phoebe and the General, was a nominee for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award. She is a recipient of The 2008 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Griffin earned BA and MA degrees from the University of Chicago, which in 2001 awarded her its Professional Achievement Citation. She holds an additional graduate degree from Columbia University.

Personal Comments: I really love history; I found this book in a thrift store on a dusty shelf. As I read the book which is for junior readers-grade 3; the book is based on true facts about Samuel Fraunces and his daughter Phoebe who in their own secret way wanted to save the president from possible death. I before reading this book never heard of Phoebe or her father. I will use this book in my classroom in the near future.

If you like this book you can also read: “Tolivers Secret” by: Ester Wood Brady; “A Lion to Guard Us By” by: Clyde Robert Bulla.

Historical Fiction: The characters are dynamic and dimensional as well as fanciful. They must be believable, flat, and static. The story must be set in the real world of the past, the real world of the present times. The events of the story must be plausible and logical in the real world of the present, the real world of the past (Literature of the Child, pg. 56)

Cited

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Griffin, Judith Berry., and Margot Tomes. Phoebe the Spy. New York: Scholastic Book Services, 1977. Print.

Homework and Peanut butter Sandwiches

By: Lisa Broadie Cook

Illustrated By: Lack E. Davis

Summary: Martin Macgregor is having a terrible time in school when his teacher gets hurt in a mountain climbing accident. Martin is assigned a substitute teacher named Mrs. Payne. One thing that he finds out right away is that Mrs. Payne loves giving out homework. Unfortunately for Martin is that he has bad luck with homework. Monday, his week starts out with a surprise “a substitute” Tuesday, the dog eats it; Wednesday, his washing machine fades it; Thursday, he grabs the wrong knapsack; and Friday, the wind blows it away. One thing that Martin learns this week about Mrs. Payne is that she does not like excuses. A frustrated Martin has to make up his homework at recess everyday but he finally finds a way to make homework fun.

Evaluation by Genre: It is a realistic fiction picture book that centers on a young boys problem in turning in his homework during the course of one week while his teacher is away.

Illustration and Art: The book has vivid colors, cartoon-like exaggerated drawings of their heads and eyes; Mrs. Payne’s has patterned dresses, green specs, and a beehive hairdo that is so large it almost comes off the page. Mrs. Payne’s physical stature is intimidating, stern and uncompromising. Jack E. Davis artwork is funny and whimsical. These bright colors and humorous situation keep readers’ attention as they try to guess the next thing that happen to Martin Macgregor.  

Major Conflict: Martin discovers that Mrs. Payne likes to assign a great deal of homework and accepts absolutely no excuses for not turning it on time.  Second Conflict: Martin does not like the homework that Mrs. Payne assigns to him like spelling and definitions. Martins father suggest he go on the computer and make up his own homework.

Motivational Activities:  I have made up a packet filled with activities during the reading of the book. The packet includes: Coloring, mazes, identifying parts of the tarantula, word search puzzle, crossword puzzle, information and resources on the internet about tarantulas, a page describing where tarantulas come from and how they got their name. Vocabulary words about spiders: abdomen, arachnid, arthropod, burrow, chelicerae, fangs, hairs, insect, legs, pedipalps, silk, spider lings, spinnerets, tarantula, and venom. You as a teacher can have the students look at the front of the book and guess what the story is about. After the book is read then you can have the student write down what they would have done in Martins predicament.

Reader Response Questions: (1) It was Monday; did Martin love to go to school? (2) Who was Harriett? (3) Who had orange hair? (4) What happened to Mr. Elliot? (5) What did Mrs. Payne love to do? (6) What did he say to Sadie the dog? (7) What happened to Martins homework? (8) What did Sadie the dog do? (9) Did Mrs. Payne believe Martin about his homework? (10) What did Martin Learn? (11) What did Martins mother do? (12) Who had the same backpack? (13) What was in the backpack? (14) Who was Samuel Hall and what did he say to Martin? (15) What happened to Martin and Samuel Hall? (16) What did Samuel Hall do at lunch time? (17) What made the definitions fly away? (18) How many pages did Martin have to re-do? (19) What did Martins father suggest? (20) What happened when Mr. Elliot came back?

About the author: Lisa Broadie Cook is a second-grade teacher who has heard every excuse in the book about homework over the years.   Reading and books have always been an important part of her life. Growing up, her mom was the librarian at her elementary school and she credits her mom for showing her the joy of books. Always a reader, writing came later for Lisa. Lisa is an animal lover and always puts her real life pets in the books. Lisa lives in Iowa with her husband and two children.

About the Illustrator: It could be said that Jack became an artist when his boss’s car blew up. He was working as a manager for a small printing company in his native Nebraska; he drew a cartoon of the disaster. His talent was noticed and he became a designer and senior art director for a local agency, but eventually left to pursue his career as a freelance illustrator. He is self-trained; he works with acrylics and pencil. Most of his illustrations are in color and black and white. Much of his work conveys humor. His style is mostly cartooning, with graphic sophistication in form, line, light, and shadows. Jack currently lives in Port Townsend, Washington.  

Personal Comments: I saw this book in Barns and Noble and I knew I had to have it. I noticed while being a teacher’s aid, that the children kept coming in the morning with loads of excuses about their homework. I wanted to reach the children in a funny way. As I let them look at the front of the book with the title covered they thought the book was about a dog, a boy, and a woman that was mad. I unveiled the title and asked them has anyone ever had problems with their homework? All raised their hands and started to look at each other. As I read the book they laughed and laughed. At the end I has them do some fun activities and by the next week the teacher told me the book helped; the children were bring in their homework and as they handed it to the teacher sometimes they would giggle. If you are a teacher and want to become a teacher I suggest that you buy a copy and keep it on your library shelf. When a child had an excuse on why they did not have their home, you can tell them to read the book.  

Note to Reader: Whether in board book form or typical picture book format, stories for young children should have a simple plot line, it should be about familiar childhood experiences, and contain clear illustration (Literature and the Child, pg. 111).

Core Value of Respect: With children they learn by example. Martin had many obstacles he had to overcome. Even though he did not lie about what happened to his homework; he respected the decision of Mrs. Payne. He showed great respect for his teacher and his self. In an activity to show respect you can ask them to write a respectful letter to Mrs. Payne explaining what happened to your homework. You can put the children into groups where they can exchange their letters and see if the letter was respectful to Mrs. Payne.  By learning respect and incorporating it into their daily lives it will show them when they get older to work harmoniously with others.  

Cited

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

 Cook, Lisa Broadie. Peanut Butter and Homework Sandwiches. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2011. Print.

Rumpelstiltskin

Retold and Illustrated

By: Paul O. Zelinsky

Summary: A miller wanted to be more important than he was so he boasted that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The king hearing this summoned the daughter of the miller. She was led into a room filled with straw, after crying her eyes out a dwarf appeared. He told her what you would give me to make the straw into gold she gave him her necklace, next day the ling saw the gold spools and wanted more! The next time she gave the dwarf her ring, again the next day the room was filled with gold spools. The king told her if she could do it again he would marry her. The dwarf told her if he did she must give up her first born! Time passed and she had a child, he re-appeared and demanded her child. She offered him all the wealth in the castle but he refused. He told her if you guess my name on the third day you can keep your child. She sent out her spies who found out his name and on the third day she told him. He yelled and left never to be seen again.

Illustration and Art: Paul Zelinkey’s artwork is from 19^th century era. He uses oil paintings to infuse the light of the straw and the spools of gold. He uses full color paintings of various artists to show the style and techniques of European portraits and landscapes. He also uses the medieval settings to reinforce his theme throughout the book. Here Zelinsky keeps true to Renaissance style using oil glazes over black and white tempera paintings. He uses illustrations of the dwarf like: bulbous eyes, flat black hat, skinny arms and legs, and long pointed black shoes. There are only a few lines of text on each page to keep it simple for a child to read. In the interior scenescape shows a powerful and frightening background with rooms full of heaps of straw, and baskets of empty spindles. The illustration of the dwarf is mysterious, at times comforting, devious, furious, and powerfully mystical. There is a strong sense of give and take throughout the story.

Evaluation by Genre: Folk tale, fable, myth, short story. Rumpelstiltskin is a children’s book that first appeared in the book “Brothers Grimm” in 1812. Over the years it has been revised many times. This tale is well-known throughout Europe. The theme is:  an impossible task, a hard bargain, a secret name, greed and deceit. It has been adapted to opera, stage, film, and ballet. Major Conflict: The girl is trapped in false spinning abilities and she has to spin gold or die; Rumpelstiltskin gives her what she wants but wants her first born in return.

Motivational Activities: Display the book and ask the children to tell you everything they know about the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Write who are the characters of the story on the board. Have the children reach in a hat and pick out a character to write about. Then have the children get into groups and re-write the ending.

Reader Response Questions: Introduction questions (1) Does anyone know the story of Rumpelstiltskin? (2) Is it alright for people to tell a lie? (3) Can people really spin straw into gold? (5) Is magic real or fake? Discussion questions (1) was the father right to tell the king that his daughter could spin straw into gold? (2)Is Rumpelstiltskin a good or bad dwarf or both? (3) Why did Rumpelstiltskin want the baby? (4) Why did the king want more gold? (5) Did the queen ever tell the truth to the king? (6) If you were the queen what would you have done? (7) If you were Rumpelstiltskin would you have sung your answer out loud for someone to hear it?

About the Author: Paul O. Zelinsky grew up in the town of Wilmette, Illinois; he is the son of a mathematics professor and a medical illustrator mother. He drew compulsively from an early age, but did not know until college that this would be his career. As a sophomore in Yale College, he enrolled in a course on the history and practice of the picture book, co-taught by an English professor and Maurice Sendak (creator of: Where the Wild Thing Are). This experience inspired Paul to point himself in the direction of children's books. His first book appeared in 1978, since which time he has become recognized as one of the most inventive and critically successful artists in the field. He now lives with his wife in Brooklyn, New York. They have two daughters.
Awards and prizes he received: The 1998 Caldecott Medal for his illustrated retelling of Rapunzel, as well as Caldecott Honors for three of his books: Hansel and Gretel (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), and Swamp Angel (1995).

Personal Comments: I have to say I have loved this children’s tale since I was a little kid growing up. I was always scared of Rumpelstiltskin coming into my room and taking one of my dolls. Over the years the story had changed quite a bit. I have seen the 1996 version which scared the crap out of me. In this story he is trapped in a rock of Jade for 500 years until a woman purchases him in an antique shop. The woman makes a wish and he is released! He then tries to steal her baby. In Shrek the third, which is my grandson’s favorite, Rumpelstiltskin makes an appearance as a member of the fairy tale villains. I bought the original version because it is much nicer than the newer versions. All-in-all I love the story.

Folk tale Characteristics: They represent traits such as cleverness, bravery, or supreme silliness. Characters are delineated economically. Plot lines are direct and uncluttered by side issues. Stories contain very little ambiguity. Conflict is identified early and resolution is decisive. Themes express the values of the people who create them. Language is a direct, vivid vernacular. Setting and time are vague, other than as depicted in illustrations (Galda, figure 5.2, and pg184).

Cited

Zelinsky, Paul O., Jacob Grimm, and Wilhelm Grimm. Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Puffin, 1996. Print.

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton

“If you’re ANGRY and you know it!”

By: Cecily Kaiser

Illustrated by: Cary Pillo

If you’re angry and you know it,

STOMP YOUR FEET.

If you’re angry and you know,

STOMP YOUR FEET.

If you’re angry and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re angry and you know it,

STOMP YOUR FEET

If you’re angry and you know it,

BANG A DRUM

If you’re angry and you know it,

BANG A DRUM.

If you’re angry and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re angry and you know it,

BANG A DRUM.

If you’re angry and you know it,

WALK AWAY.

If you’re angry and you know it,

WALK AWAY.

If you’re angry and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re angry and you know it,

WALK AWAY.

If you’re angry and you know it,

TAKE DEEP BREATHS.

If you’re angry and you know it,

TAKE DEEP BREATHS.

If you’re angry and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re angry and you know it,

TAKE DEEP BREATHS.

If you’re angry and you know it,

TELL A FRIEND.

If you’re angry and you know it,

TELL A FRIEND.

If you’re angry and you know it,

And you really want to show it,

If you’re angry and you know it,

TELL A FRIEND.

Then…

You’re happy and you know it,

Once again!

Then you’re happy and you know it,

Once again!

Then you’re happy and you know it,

You’re not angry and you show it,

Then you’re happy and you know it,

Once again!

THE END

Evaluation by Genre:  Poetry and Verse with condense language with rhyme, sound, imagery, and figurative language. This book of Children’s literature deals with feelings. The subjects it covers are social issues, emotions, feelings, psychology, situations, and real-world. This poem is read in many schools around the world.

Illustration and Art: The illustrations are colorful with children showing all kinds of emotions at school. This book is a charming version of the classic children's song "If you're happy and you know it." It uses darling situations and illustrations to pose various different behaviors children can use to express their anger and frustration. It is a great aid in helping kids get out of a behavior rut.

About the Author: Cecily Kaiser currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, Editorial Director, Appleseed Books, and Abrams. Ms. Kaiser targets children five years old and younger. She is responsible for “conceptualizing, launching, and managing all aspects” of Abram’s new emphasis. Ms. Kaiser is also a published author. Some of her published credits include On The First Night Of Chanukah, Over In The Meadow (Scholastic Hands-on Learning Stacking Ca), Tonka Trucks (Scholastic Hands-on Learning Stacking Ca), and School Reader Level 2: If You're Angry And You Know It: If You're Angry And You Know It (School Reader Level).

Summary: This poem is about a little boy/girl who is angry and he/she shows it. He/she stamped his/her feet, banged a drum, walked away, took deep breaths and told a friend which, made him/her happy again. The poem deals with a child’s anger, and how he tries many ways to deal with his anger issues. First, we look at the front cover and you see the boy with an angry face, eyes are pointed down, lips are turned upside down, and eyebrows are pointed inward. The boy also has his arms crossed as to say he will not budge on his feelings of anger. Second, you see all the other children happily going in the classroom while the angry boy has hit the cat because he was angry that his backpack came open and all his books, crayons, pencils and lunch came out and fell on the ground. Third, the other children and teacher looked in shock as the angry little boy stomped his feet. Third, now a little boy has pulled a little girls hair while in music class, so she takes her angry out on a drum. Fourth, while on the playground a little boy is teasing another little boy by sticking out his tongue. The little boy could not do anything about it so he walked away. While walking away he kicked the ball by accident and splashed mud on a little girls dress. She in turn had to take deep breaths so that she did not get angry. Fifth, a little boy is angry and he starts to throw the building blocks, his friend comes over to ask why he is angry. The little boy finally told his friend why he was angry. Finally, he was happy again. The last pages show how the children have resolved all of the anger issues.

Assessing the quality in Poetry: Is the content interesting to and understandable by intended readers? Is the language innovative, with careful word choices and use of poetic devices to enhance meaning? Does the form or structure help the reader understand more about the poetic devices to enhance meaning? Is the arrangement logical? Is the range of poetry inclusive? In Chapter 4, it reads, “Poetry is the window to the soul, it stirs the soul of the reader, it echoes the soul of the poet” (Literature and the Child, Figure 4.1. pgs.138 and 144).

Personal Comments: We know as adults that anger is a normal human expression. None of us as adults are born knowing how to deal with negative emotions such as aggression. Our aggressive emotions are not acceptable socially therefore; we are left to work through our own feelings. This poetry book helps children to work through their anger and to finally tell a friend. Handling children’s anger can at times be draining and distressing for adults. One of the major problems in dealing with anger in children is the angry feelings that are often stirred up in us. As parents, and teachers we need to remind ourselves that we were not always taught how to deal with anger as a fact of life during our own childhood. We were led to believe that to be angry was to be bad, and we were often made to feel guilty for expressing anger. It will be easier to deal with children’s anger if we get rid of this notion. My goal is not to repress or destroy angry feeling in children—or in ourselves—but rather to accept the feelings and to help channel and direct them to constructive ends. As parents and teachers must allow children to feel all of their feelings. We can show children acceptable ways of expressing their feelings. Angry outbursts should not always be viewed as a sign of serious problems; they should be recognized and treated with respect. We as parents and teachers need to find out what triggered the outburst. Next, we will want to gain their trust by taking them aside and quietly listen to why they had the outburst in the first place. Our response should have a list on ways they could have avoided the outburst. Finally, we would want to resolve the issues so that the child feels we understood his/her feelings.  

Motivational Activities: In my classroom I would have the children sit on the floor close to me as a read the poem. When I am finished reading the poem I will ask some very important questions.

Reader Response Questions:  (1) have you ever been angry? (2) Have you ever been bullied? (3)Have you ever been angry and took it out on someone? (4) Has someone ever taken their anger out on you? (5) Do you know how to deal with your anger and have you gone to a friend to talk about it?  Next, I had the children go back to their seats and take out a piece of paper and pencil. I had them write down what happened to them and how they felt. I re-assured them that nobody will read what they have written but the teacher.

     Final Comment:  I as a teacher will always address any anger or aggressive behavior that I see in a child. We cannot ignore when we see a usually happy child become angry or aggressive. It is up to the parents and well as the teacher to reach out to that child to help his/her to deal with their issues. This book and many others should always be kept on a bookshelf in your classroom with a post-it saying; tell a friend or teacher. As a teacher we can respond to an angry child in many ways first, we cannot ignore inappropriate behavior by ignoring it, we must deal with this behavior right away. One way we can deal with angry and aggressive behavior is by providing attention or affection through a hug. Sometimes you could ease the tension by humor to take the child out of the tantrum or outburst. As a teacher we must remain calm in all situations and realizes as a role model they are looking to us for guidance.
The Core Value of Respect: Children should learn early to respect themselves and others. They should strive to foster commitment to excellence of learning , living, and working harmoniously with each other. Children should know that everyone in his unique and special. This book strives to let children release their anger in a positive way. It also shows how a child when angry can respectfully talk about their issues. As an activity you could have children get into groups and write the pros and cons about getting angry. Then once the students are done write pro and con on the board and write the children s answer's then discuss all the cons of being angry. 

Cited

Kaiser, C (2004), If You’re Angry and You Know It! New York: Scholastic Inc. Children’s Books.

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton

“Who Was Sacagawea?”

By: Dennis B. Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin

Illustrated by: Val Paul Taylor

Summary:  First, Sacagawea was the daughter of a Shoshone chief; she was born around 1788 in Lemhi County, Idaho. Around age 11, she was captured by the enemy’s tribe called Minitaree tribe. This Minitaree tribe attacked with guns, violently attacked and destroyed her village, killing and taking captive of most of her family. She was then sold to the Mandan Indians who kept her enslaved until they gambled her off. A French-Canadian trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau made her one of his wives. He was an abusive middle aged white man who was a fur trader. He forced her to become his wife; back in the 1800s most women at that time had no freedom or voice.

Next, at age 15, she was pregnant with her first child when the Corps of Discovery arrived near the Hidatsa village. Captain Meriwether and William Clark, they interviewed several trappers who might be able to interpret or guide the expedition up the Missouri River. They hired Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife Sacagawea as an interpreter and a guide. Sacagawea spoke Shoshone, they knew they would need her help of the Shoshone tribes at the head waters of the Missouri. Clark nicknamed Sacagawea, “Janey”, others called her “Bird Woman.”On February 11^th, 1805, she gave birth to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau; Clark called him “Pompy.” In April the expedition started Lewis and Clark gave her the job of interpreter. Sacagawea was also skilled in native plants, berries, and edible roots. She saved then many times, once their boat capsized and she saved all the documents, she knew that if the Indian tribes saw white men with an Indian woman and a baby they would find them to be safe. She also spoke Shoshone, Lewis and Clark needed her to speak to the Shoshone tribe who were famous for breeding horses. On this journey they were met with a lot of obstacles, they nearly got attacked by rattlesnakes, mosquitoes, and brown bears. They suffered from flues, fevers, and diarrhea. They were also hit but extreme weather, snow storms, hail, rain, and floods. But though it all, she got them to their destination, her long lost village that she was raised in. She danced with joy at the sight of her long lost brother now chieftain Cameahwait.  In late august she said good-bye to her brother and continued on the pacific. Again they faced many trials, met many native Indians, and traded many goods but Sacagawea kept them from starving.

Finally, they reached their destination around New Years Day of1806. Clark heard a whale washed up on the pacific shores. No one included Sacagawea; she was so hurt that she helped them on this journey. She traveled a great distance through terrible conditions with a baby. She saved their documents and maps, helped them get horses, found them food. She finally got up the nerve to tell Clark that she wanted to see this whale! Clark took her to the whale and she was amazed at the site of this gigantic fish. Lewis and Clark, finally headed back home to Saint Louis. Lewis and Clark paid Charbonneau $500.33 dollar which was a fortune back in those days. Sacagawea did not receive a dime! Clark missed them so much that he asked them to come to Saint Louis. They arrive in the autumn month of 1810. Sacagawea fell ill and died on December 20, 1812. Before she died she gave birth to a daughter named Lisette. Clark and his wife adopted Sacagawea’s children and raised them as their own.  On the 100^th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sacagawea had more landmarks named for her bravery. Memorials were built in her honor more than any other American woman. Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming have mountain named after her. Washington and North Dakota have lakes named for her. In the year 2000 the United Stated issued a new dollar coin with Sacagawea’s picture on it.

Evaluation by Genre: Historical fiction, and Biography of her early life, the Lewis and Clark expedition, her later years and her death. It is a fiction book that is in many of the schools around the world.

Key facts about Sacajawea: She is brave, she was on a trip with Lewis and Clark, she helped them explore the Louisiana Purchase, she had a baby boy during the expedition, she was kidnapped as a child, on the expedition she found her brother, she saved important papers and got supplies in the river, she died in her early 20’s.

 Illustration and Art:   The illustrations and artwork is about Sacagawea and her adventure to the Pacific Coast with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The book has one hundred black and white drawings for young readers.

Personal Comments: This book about Sacagawea was very informative; it gives you not only Sacagawea’s life but the Lewis and Clark expedition.  I liked this book because it keeps you in suspense on her near death experiences. I used to look at Indian woman as just squaws who had lives of drudgery. Like African cultures, women had no education or importance in the world other than to bear children and to work in the fields. Indian women were called squaws which meant “prostitutes “this was used by both Indians and Whites when referring to Indian women. Indian women had intense workloads and very rugged hardships that they had to shoulder. Lewis even thought that they were carrying venereal diseases through a letter to his wife back home. Abuse and beaten many times buy her white husband Charbonneau; she still showed remarkable courage on her journey. Without her they would have died many, many times in the wilderness. Another part that I loved about this book, it showed remarkable courage. Can you just imagine the ingenuity you had to have to find your way through uncharted land? Being the only woman with a baby she had great strengths she probably did not realize herself. Her knowledge of roots and plants was one of the many factors that made her a valuable asset to the Lewis and Clark expedition. I loved the ending that even though she died at the young age of 24, she was honored by way of monuments, memorials, landmarks, and rivers.

Motivational Activities: I would use this book in reading centers, encore, and read alones. I would incorporate this book in classroom discussion where we could read together and discus Sacagawea’s life and how she was a very important factor to the Lewis and Clark expedition. I, the teacher would bridge over to history with the American Indians and the explorers. I could show them a map of the United States and have them draw a line from Sacagawea’s home where she was raised to the famous journey she took to the Pacific Ocean. First, I would use Technology (computer) to look up all the information on Sacagawea and her journey. There are many, many ways to incorporate this book. I would engage them in vocabulary words and use sentence structure.  I would engage the children in dramatic play; they could read passages and answer questions. They also can do puzzles, word finds, and drawings. Next, I would integrate Art by way of drawings, face masks, and costumes. They would draw a timeline of her life. Finally, I would incorporate music, thru Indian dance. I would also use visual Art pretending to be the characters in the book. I feel this book is very appropriate for K-6 classroom.

Reader Response Questions: (1) who was Sacajawea? (2) What was tribe called?

(3) What kinds of foods did they eat? (4) Who was the president at the time? (5) Who was Bird woman? (6) Who was the father of her baby boy and what did he do for a living? (7) Why was Salt important? (8)Explain the Louisiana Purchase? (9) Why did she die young? (10) What would you have done differently if you were Sacajawea?

This Non-Fiction book shows Informational sources that explain the subject. This book is designed to inform the reader. It covers diverse topics ranging from: poverty, race, culture, ethics, work, home, and play. It also provides knowledge about Indian culture and how one woman helped Lewis and Clark. It enables students at different reading levels to engage in this book. It presents detailed information about its subjects through a brief straight forward text and carefully composted illustrations (photographs). (Literature and the Child, 117).

If you like this book you can read: Who was Thomas Jefferson? Who was Ben Franklin?  And many others from the Fradin collection.

Cited

Fradin, J (2002), who was Sacagawea? New York, Grosset & Dunlap, Children’s Books.

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton

Diary

Of

Anne Frank

By: Otto Frank

Summary: The Diary of Anne Frank was written over a two-year period. She names her diary “Kitty.” In her diary she talks about her innermost feelings. She talks about her life while she is hiding with her family in a secret attic of a building where her father Otto used to work. Most of the diary is of her daily routine, her mother, father, sister, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel. She talks about the deep love for her father and the distance she feels between her and mother. As her grow for Peter Van Daan she starts to discover her sexuality. Suddenly she falls in love with Peter she embraces her growing love and desire for peter. She starts to have conflicts of emotions of: Depression, despair, cheerfulness, pleasure, misery, and hope for the future, desire, love, survival, and deprivation. Before she can finish her ‘Kitty’ they are caught by the Gestapo and sent to different concentration camps.

Illustration and Art: On the front cover you see a picture of Anne Frank at the desk at school. The next page is dedicated to her father who got her story out, Otto Frank; under the photo she said, “Daddy’s nicest photograph.” The book is loaded with pages of Anne Frank diary. The one I liked the most is Anne writing in shorthand and secret codes. There are many photos/illustrations of the annex (floor plans) where they stayed to show you how they lived for two years in hiding at 263 Prinsengracht. There is a timeline of loose sheets of her diary. There are many photos of Anne family, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel.

Evaluation by Genre: Diary, Historical nonfiction. It talks about the real life a adolescent girl. Anne speaks in first person as she addresses her diary as her friend Kitty. She writes her personal feelings down not knowing years later they entire world will dive into her personal life.

Major conflict of the story: Is the perils of hiding to escape the Nazi persecution of the Jewish people; the struggle in Anne’s life and her understanding of World War II.

  Major characters in the story: Anne Frank, who wants to become a writer, starts by writing in her first and only diary named “Kitty.” Anne grows from an innocent little girl to a tempestuous, precocious, petty teen-age girl. At fifteen she feels she becomes a woman by falling in love. She eventually gets caught and dies of typhus. Margot Frank, Anne’s older sister who gets very little attention in Anne’s diary. Anne thinks she is the pretty one. She too dies of typhus. Otto Frank, her father who is adored and loved by Anne. He is the head of the family and all the decisions all by him. He is the only family member to survive the Holocaust. Edith Frank, Anne’s mother who Anne feels she has nothing in common with, she struggles to understand her mother. Edith dies in a concentration camp due to starvation and exhaustion. Mr. Van Daan, Friend of Otto Frank, he causes friction in the attic because of his selfishness, and anger towards his wife. He dies in a gas chamber. Mrs. Van Daan is described by Anne as petty, stingy, flirtatious and disagreeable woman. Her death is unknown. Peter Van Daan is the teenage son of the Van Daans he is quiet, lazy, timid, honest, and sweet to Anne. Peter has strong feeling for Anne, he give her, her first kiss.  They are caught and he is sent to a concentration camp where he dies. Mr. Dussel, acquaintance of the Franks, he is a dentist, and a hypochondriac; who shares the room with Anne. He is also sent to a concentration camp where he dies. Mr. Kugler and Miep, they both are associated with Otto Frank. They help with foods, news, and supplies for the two years. Miep died recently at the age of 100, in the year 2010.

Motivational Activities: (a) Ask the children to analyze the front cover as well as all the photos in the book and list three things they know about the book without reading it yet. (2) Ask the children to list the similarities and differences of all the characters in the book. (3) Ask the children to write a letter to Anne Frank.

Reader Response Questions: (1) The story is written in what point of view? (2) What was the first item Anne packed in her backpack? (3) Why did the family have to put on so many clothes? (4) Who is Kitty? (5) Where did the Franks hide and who came with them? (6) Who helped the Franks for the two years they were hiding in the Annex? (7) What did Anne talk about in her diary? (8) If you were Anne what would you have done in her situation?

Personal Comments: I love this book because grown-up never see that through their actions how it affects a child. We get to see a child’s view of the war, the racism of Jews and the destruction of the family unit. It is a must read for age appropriate children.

This Non-Fiction book shows Informational sources that explain the subject. This book is designed to inform the reader. It covers diverse topics ranging from: poverty, race, culture, ethics, school, work, home, and play. It also provides knowledge about  a child in hiding because she is a Jew. It enables students at different reading levels to engage in this book. It presents detailed information about its subjects through a brief straight forward text and carefully composted illustrations (photographs). (Literature and the Child, 117).

Cited

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

 Frank, Anne, Otto Frank, Mirjam Pressler, and Susan Massotty. The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition. New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print.
Posted by: Terry M. Wheaton

“The Giver”

By: Lois Lowery

Summary: The giver is written from the point of view of Jonas, we are looking through the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy mentally is living in a futuristic society where has eliminated all pain, fear, war, and hatred; his own utopia. In his world there is no prejudice, everyone looks the same. At age twelve every member of the community is assigned a job based on his or her abilities and interests. Citizens can apply for and be assigned compatible spouses, and each couple is assigned exactly two children each. The children are born to Birthmothers, who never see them, and spend their first year in a Nurturing Center with other babies, or “new children,” born that year. When their children are grown, family units dissolve and adults live together with Childless Adults until they are too old to function in the society. Citizens who break rules or fail to adapt properly to the society’s codes of behavior are also released. Jonas lives with his father, a Nurturer of new children, his mother, who works at the Department of Justice, and his seven-year-old sister Lily.

Evaluation by Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia and Environment. The Author uses language so that a young teen could understand. The story is told in the third person. The Setting is set in a community in a utopia atmosphere, where you are free to be yourself. In this community you can express your emotions, but something goes wrong in Jonas utopia. He sets on a journey on his bike to the unknown. The main theme of the story is that we have to face pain in order to grow-up. The main Motifs in this story are the perception through Jonas eyes which sometimes plays jokes on him; as he suffers from disillusionment of how the world should be. In his world no one is naked except for children and naked people, who are in fact children again. Jonas then escapes his community mentally and physically, he is finally released.  

Reader Response Questions: (1) Which of the following is an important value in Jonas' community? (2) What does the term release means in Jonas' community? (3) How does Jonas' community define family? (4) What does Jonas' gain from his training with the Giver? (5) What was the Giver's favorite memory? (6) Why does the community isolate Jonas' after he begins training with the Giver? (7) Who is Rosemary? (8) Why does Jonas flee the community? (9) What does the capacity for seeing beyond mean in Jonas' Community? (10) What happens to Jonas and Gabriel in the end?

Motivational Activities Include :( 1) Pass out copies of “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, while students write in their journals. (2) Brief overview of journal responses using students to share their answers. (3) Have students think aloud to help them maintain focus during reading, which increases comprehension. (4) Ask students questions, have them think, and make predictions as they read, and comprehend what they are reading. (5) Have students jot down notes as they read the chapters from “The Giver.” (6) Have students get in groups to discuss what they have written so they can get a classmate point-of-view. (7) After they finish the story, they can write what they liked/disliked about, “The Giver.” (8) For fun they can start their own Literary Blog.

If you like this book you could read: “Gossamer” “Gathering Blue” and “Messenger” all By Lois Lowry.

Personal Comments: The book “The Giver,” Is a must read for all young teens. I wonder is it possible to create a perfect society, a perfect utopia where everyone is healthy and happy. The story is set in this perfect world, this utopia, where all is well and there are no problems. It is weird that Children live in family units but not with their own natural parents. If they follow all the rules and conform then they will never go hungry or experience any pain.  Jonas, who is twelve, will soon engage in adulthood he will become the new Receiver of Memory; of death disease, love and loss. Jonas must keep these memories on behalf of his community, but he may not share them with anyone because no-one wants to experience the whole range of human emotion. It is too painful. And only Jonas can handle these emotions in his community. The ending confused me. What was the significance of the sled on the hill? It is a trilogy; I will read “Gathering Blue” next. Hope you like the book.

 I have learned in my studies that Science Fiction deals with the future. It deals with imaginative worlds which in turn enhances characterization and plot. It is stories that mentally could happen in the future, a place where everything is the way we want it to be. It is a world that can be plausible and could exist someday and yet it may never. Our writer takes us on that journey of the unknown, where mentally we are in that utopia of blissfulness and purity. (Literature and the Child, 17).

Cited

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Lowry, Lois The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton

“Immigrant Kids”

By: Russell Freedman

Summary: The book takes place during the late 1800s and early 1900s; this is when European immigrants came to American by way of Ellis Island. It tells about the horrible living conditions they had to endure on the ships, and the long process of admittance in the new country. With a piece of chalk you where labeled: L=Lameness, H=Heart, C=Contagious, I=Infection and worst of all X= mental defects. If you did not pass the examination you where sent back to your country. The book tells how some children living in very low income families had to go to work at a very young age. These poor children could not go to school because they had to help with the families expenses. Immigrant families had to share a one room tenement. Sweatshops were rampant in the 1900s; were children worked seven days a week with starving wages. This book tells you of a Child's plight in the new country.  

Illustration and Art: Photographs are used in this book from various photographers. The author: Mr. Freedman obtained the photos from the following: American Museum of Immigration; Children’s Aid Society; International Museum of photography at George Eastman House; Library of Congress; Louis N. Freedman; Museum of New York; and Staten Island Historical Society. All Pictures are photographed in Black and White; photographs provide visualizations showing the daily lives of immigrant children.

Evaluation by Genre: The genre is Non-Fiction; it dives into the real life of immigrant children. It is also Historical-Fiction, Telling the stories of coming to America by ship and getting thru inspection at Ellis Island. It is children’s, Inspirational, Family, History, Culture, Art, and Environment. It gives Authenticity in its photographs that show Diversity with English, Dutch, Irish, and American children in school and play.

Motivational Activities Include: (a) Ask Children to analyze the front cover as well and the photos and list three things you learned about the children. (b)Ask Children to list the similarities and differences of children in the 1900s and 2000s. (c) Ask Children to list all the jobs children had to do in the book. (d) Ask Children if they ever moved to a new State or City, and how did they feel? (e)Ask Children to write a letter to an immigrant child.

Reader Response Questions: 1.What was their lives like? And were the hardships they faced just? 2. What was the procedure when entering Ellis Island? 3. What was the role of the child in the family? 4. How did they live in the tenements? 5. Did the child labor laws help the children? 6. How are the child labor laws today? 7. What was education like in the 1990s? 8. What is education like today? 9. What kinds of games did they play in the 1900s as compared to today? 10. What did you learn about this book?

If you like this book you can also read: “If Your Named Was Changed At Ellis Island” By: Ellen Levine; “Coming To America: The Story Of Immigration” By: Betsy Maestro; “I Was Dreaming to Come to America: Memories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project” By: Veronica Lawlor Also Kids At Work and Children of the Great Depression both by Russell Freeman.

About the Author: Russell Freedman is an award-winning author of 47 books; most are diverse in a number of languages. Russell grew up in San Francisco and attended the University of California and Berkley. He originally worked as a reporter doing research for the public. He then branched out to become an author, he mostly writes nonfiction books and describe the lives and behaviors of people. He has earns many award, he now lives in New York City.

Personal Comments: I personally was drawn to this book because of my love of History. The photographs in this book tell a story without the words being read. But as you read through the book you heartstrings are tugged by the harshness of life in the 1900s. The harsh reality of a child’s life as an immigrant; it takes you on a journey from the ship to the stench of the tenements. The one thing I could relate to the opening of the fire-hydrants in the summer. I loved spending time in Harlem New York at my uncle’s house during the summer months. We would play in the hydrants to cool off from the heat of the large buildings with no shade from any trees. I love this book and would recommend every school aged child to read it. I plan to use it in my classroom.

This Non-Fiction book shows Informational sources that explain the subject. This book is designed to inform the reader. It covers diverse topics ranging from: poverty, race, culture, ethics, school, work, home, and play. It also provides knowledge about immigration life of a child. It enables students at different reading levels to engage in this book. It presents detailed information about its subjects through a brief straight forward text and carefully composted illustrations (photographs). (Literature and the Child, 117).

Cited

Freedman, Russell. Immigrant Kids. New York: Dutton, 1980. Print.

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Post by: Terry M. Wheaton