Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors

Bibliography
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Ill. by Pamela Sagarenski. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children ISBN 978-0-547-01494-4


Plot Summary
Red Sings from Treetops daintily describes each season, beginning with spring and ending with winter, through cheery verse, emphasizing colors and seasonal beauties.


Critical Analysis
Illustrations play an enormously important role in this book. The author personifies the colors (ie. "Red sings from the treetops") and the reader must look at the illustration to see that "red" is a red bird. The illustrations have beautiful details, such as the use of what appear to be old book pages incorporated through the designs, as well as layering of patterns and colors to give it a quilt-like look. This book is great to read one-on-one with a child because of the conversation and question the text and illustrations may lead to. However, it may be more difficult to read to a large group of children due to the intricacies of the illustrations and what an important role those intricacies play in the understanding of the story.


Review Excerpts
2010 Caldecott Honor Book


Connections
*Read this book outside and point out the colors in the nature around you
*Create a scavenger hunt to follow this book that includes seasonally appropriate, colorful items, such as a green blade of grass in the summer or a brown, fall leaf

Hallowilloween

Biography
Brown, Calef. 2010. Hallowilloween. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 978-0-547-21540-2


Plot Summary
Hallowilloween is a collection of Halloween-themed poems. Topics range from a vampire umpire to the Lone Star Witches of Texas.  


Critical Analysis
This collection of poetry is a great read-aloud book to get into the "spirit" of Halloween. Because of the advanced vocabulary used and perhaps scary subject matter, Hallowilloween is probably best left to older children that are mature enough to laugh at Duncan the shrunken head or the Oompahupa Loompacbra that eats goats versus being frightened.


The illustrations, also done by Calef Brown, are full of vibrancy and a Halloween-themed color scheme. There are even illustrations around the words of the poems. Another great aspect of this book is that, because the poems are not intertwined, it is possible to read just a few poems to group or to just use one that accompanies an activity.


Review Excerpts
"Silly it may be, but all the best kind, prompting the reader to see the world (slightly) askew and to delight in it."-Horn Book

The far-out 'plots' and silly pictures will interest younger children but older readers especially will revel in the fanciful possibilities."-School Library Journal

Connections

*For an older audience, read "The Portrait of Gory Rene" as an introduction to "The Portrait of Dorian Grey"

*Have children create there own silly poem where they can make up words and rhymes about a Halloween creature

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Bibliography
Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York, NY: The Penguin Group. ISBN 0-670-87855-3


Plot Summary
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a simply written story about a man named Joseph who turns his overcoat into a jacket, then a vest, then a scarf, then a tie, then a handkerchief, then a button, until he lost it. He then writes a book about his overcoat's transformation proving the moral that "you can always make something out of nothing."


Critical Analysis
The actual text of the story may be simple, but the illustrations, created from watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink and collage, add intricacy to the book. There are "holes" in the book creating Joseph's next project from the overcoat and each page is filled with meaningful adages and fun quirks in the background. (My favorite is the newspaper with the title "Fiddler On Roof Falls Off Roof.")  


The repetition of lines throughout the book makes this a great book to read-aloud and have children participate. They can repeat the "Joseph had a little..." line and then make guesses about what he will make next. 


Review Excerpts
2000 Caldecott Medal 


Connections
*Have the children re-tell the story using first and then to develop an understanding about order of events
*Have the children create a piece of artwork, and then have them turn it into something else, and then something else

Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came to Dinner

Bibliography
Santores, Charles. 2005. Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came to Dinner. New York, NY: Random House Children's Books ISBN 0-37582946-6


Plot Analysis
Bianca the pig and her two piglets are exceptionally good truffle hunters. One day while Bianca and her piglets are out hunting truffles for the farmer, Bianca eats one of the truffles instead of just hunting it, giving her a taste for them which she cannot resist. The farmer kicks Bianca and her truffle-eating family off the farm and out into the woods. Bianca doesn't mind the woods once she realizes they can eat as many truffles as they want, until a huge, intimidating wolf appears. To avoid being eaten, Bianca pops a truffle into the wolf's mouth and, in a twist of fate, he likes it so much they soon become fast friends. When the other wolves see the tasty looking pigs and go to attack, their new wolf friend protects them and they all live happily ever after together eating truffles.


Critical Analysis
At first glance, Three Hungry Pigs and the Wolf Who Came Dinner appears to be be along the same lines as the timeless tale of the The Three Pigs, but almost immediately the story takes a unique twist and the plot becomes that of an original story, taking bits and pieces from the classic. It uses the grouping of three pigs multiple times. The story starts out with three piglets purchased from a market to hunt truffles and then Bianca has two piglets that form another group of three pigs. Once in the woods the classic pig adversary, the big bad wolf appears, but Bianca is able to ward off his bad intentions with a truffle and they all become friends.


The illustrations in the book are filled with rich, warm colors and very specific details. The setting is a small, Italian village and Santores captures it perfectly through his color choices. The attention to detail, such as shadows, background detail, and the expressions of the animals make you want to pause on each page and appreciate the artwork.


Review Excerpts
"The detail of the full-page paintings and full-bleed spreads beautifully reinforces the emotions and actions of the tale. A good choice for one-on-one sharing or to juxtapose with a story of a big bad wolf." –Catherine Callegari, San Antonio Public Library, TX    


"No huffing and puffing occurs in this tale from the creator of The Camel's Lament (2004) and numerous folklore re-tellings, but one finds stray whiffs of both "The Three Little Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood" in its unusual story line." -Jennifer Matson, ALA

Connections

*Compare with more traditional versions of The Three Pigs
*Have children make a web map to compare similarities and differences between books

*Have children vote on which book they like better to help them develop opinions about literature 

The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story

Bibliography
Burchac, Joseph. 1994. The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story. Ill. by Susan L. Roth. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers ISBN 0-8037-1539-0


Plot Summary
The Great Ball Game is a story from the Muskogee Indian Nation that was told to Joseph Burchac by Louis Littlecoon Oliver who was an Oklahoma Muskogee elder. In Burchac's retelling of the story, the Birds and the Animals have an argument about who was better, those with wings or those with teeth. They decide to settle the debate by having a ball game, Animals vs. Birds. There is one creature left over that falls into both categories, Bat who has both wings and teeth. The Birds laugh at Bat so he joins the Animals team and helps them win because he is the only one of the Animals who could fly and see at night. Bat's victory results in him officially being an Animal and the Birds punishment is that they must leave for half of the year and that is why birds still fly South every winter. 


Critical Analysis
At the beginning of the book the author includes a page giving some history about ball games having been used for centuries to settle arguments, the Muskogee Indian Nation and where he first heard the story of the Birds and Animals. The inclusion of this is very helpful and informative for the storyteller or reader because it gives them insight into the culture and gives an elementary introduction into the idea of folktales and oral storytelling. 


The story is a beast tale in which the animals and birds speak, interact and play games with each other as humans would. There is a nod to the idea of "wise beast/foolish beast" in that the Birds laugh at the Bat who ends up being the VIP of the Animal team and winning the game. 


The illustrations by Susan L. Roth add a level of interest to the book and give it a traditional feel. They were done using paper from all over the world collaged together to create texture and color. 


Review Excerpts
"The moral aspect of this story as well as the excitement of the ball game will make children want to hear this story time and time again. The story will introduce young readers to the Muskogee Indian Nation’s use of ball games to settle arguments instead of going to war. The story may also be a useful introduction for children to similarities and differences – what do animals have in common with one another and what makes an animal special?"
-Hudson Area Library
Junior Library Guild selection, chosen as an outstanding book for boys and girls.

Connections

*Have children create their own collage illustrations out of construction paper.

*Introduce other versions of the story such as "Why the Birds Fly South in the Winter" by Basil Johnston and "The Animals' Ballgame" by Lloyd Arneach paired with science-based books on bird migration. 

Tomas and the Library Lady

Bibliography
Mora, Pat. 1997. Tomas and the Library Lady. Ill. by Raul Colon. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ISBN 0-679-80401-3


Plot Summary
Tomas is the son of farm workers who work in Texas during the winter and Iowa during the summer. One summer his grandfather, Papa Grande, encourages Tomas, who loves stories, to go to the library. When Tomas arrives at the library he is intimidated by its size until a friendly librarian offers him a glass of water and pile of books. The books provide an escape for Tomas and he begins visiting the library as often as he can and develops a friendship with the librarian. He shares the stories from the library books with his family and teaches the librarian words in Spanish. When the summer is over, Tomas wishes the librarian a farewell and brings her pan dulce that his mother makes. The librarian sends Tomas off with a "shiny new book" so he can continue to tell stories. 


Critical Analysis
Tomas and the Library Lady is a book full of richness of culture, both in text, plot, and illustration. Spanish words are integrated throughout the book making it a more comfortable read for English Language Learners while at the same time teaching English speaking children new words in another language. The plot of a migrant worker family is interesting and brings diversity into a library collection by exploring a family situation that many might not be aware of. There is a strong family bond throughout the book as well and a sense of tradition with the passing on of stories down through the family. 


The illustrations further enhance the depth of the story with their rich deep colors. The apparent texture of the pictures makes you want to touch the pictures and gives them a specific interest and sense of layers. The illustrator does an impressive job of integrating the fictional characters of Tomas' stories in the background of what is going on in the forefront of Tomas' personal story. The combination of a layered story and layered illustrations give the reader a lot to think and look at. And perhaps the best part of this story is that it is true!


Review Excerpts

1997 Américas Award for Children’s and  Young Adult Literature Commended Title

Notable Books for Children,1997,  Smithsonian

1998 Tomás Rivera Mexican American  Children’s Book Award

1998 Teachers' Choices Award from the  International Reading Association

1998 Skipping Stones Multicultural Book  Award

1999-2000, Texas Bluebonnet Master List  Title

1999-2000, Nebraska Golden Sower  Nominee

Connections

*Read about other migrant farm workers and see what life is like for those families

* Following read the book, discuss "A Note About the Story" located in the back of the book. Find out more information about Tomas Rivera and the things the did later in life.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Bibliography
Stead, Phillip C. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Ill. By Erin E. Stead. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 978-1-59643-402-8


Plot Summary
A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a heartwarming story about a zoo keeper and his friendships with several animals at the zoo. Amos McGee follows a specific routine every day. He wakes up early, gets dressed, has breakfast, and waits for the bus that drops him off at the zoo. Once at the zoo he visits each of his animal friends and spends time with them doing something he knows they like. One day, Amos McGee does not show up at the zoo. All of his animal friends sit, wait and wonder where Amos is. They finally decide to take the bus and go visit him. They find him at home in bed, sick. Each of the animals then takes a turn doing something that they know Amos enjoys in order to help make him feel better until finally they all say goodnight and go to sleep.


Critical Analysis
The relationship between Amos McGee and each of the individual animals is a great example to readers of how to be a good friend. Amos spends time with each animal, doing something that they like, like playing chess with the elephant and sitting in silence with the shy penguin. The relationship is reciprocated when all of the animals come to visit and spend time with Amos when he does not come to work one day because he is sick. The story teaches the reader the importance of being a good friend and that, despite difference, people can still be friends.


The delicate illustrations of the book also play a large role in the story because they add little touches that are not mentioned in the text. For instance, as the animals trek to Amos McGee's house, the penguin holds a red balloon-a get well present for his friend Amos-that appears several times throughout the book. The rhinoceros with a cold wears a scarf, the penguin wears socks, and the owl wears glasses. All of these fun touches add another layer to the book that would not be present without the illustrations. 


Review Excerpt(s)
Winner of the Caldecott Medal 


Connections
*Lead a discussion on friendship, why it is important, and how to be a good friend. 
*Pair with other books about friendship. 

Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman

Bibliography
Eastman, P.D. 1961. Go, Dog. Go! New York, NY: Random House Inc. ISBN 0-394-90020.0


Plot Summary
P.D. Eastman uses colorful dogs of all shapes and sizes to introduce young readers to important concepts, such as colors and opposites. There is also a basic running plot line of a red dog asking a yellow if he likes her hat. The yellow dog tells the red dog no repeatedly, until at the end she appears with a crazy party hat which the yellow dog wholeheartedly approves of. The use of repetitive words, simple sentences, and personified dogs doing human things, like talking, wearing hats, driving and attending parties, make this book a fun read for beginning readers.


Critical Analysis
Go, Dog. Go! is a great read-aloud book, as it presents many opportunities to discuss important, basic concepts like the "d" sound, opposites, and colors. Each page layout juxtaposes illustrations of different  kinds of dogs, such as a big dog on the left page, and a little dog on the right page with a simple sentence under each illustration (ie. Big dog. Little dog.) The use of mostly primary colors in the illustrations provide an intro into conversation about what color each dog is. Eastman also provides a line that children could easily repeat based off of the "Go, Dog. Go!" title. When the dogs are shown working, the children can repeat the line "Work, dogs, work!" and when the dogs play they can repeat "Play, dogs, play!" and so on. With older children, this could be a great introduction of verbs. With so many different facets, Go, Dog. Go! proves to be a good choice for a read-aloud book for young children, and a book that beginning readers would be able to successfully read due to the vocabulary choices, plot and themes. 


Review Excerpt(s)
"The canine cartoons make an elementary text funny and coherent and still one of the best around."--School Library Journal.


Connections
*Have children create their own pictures of dogs doing an activity and have them fill in the blanks of the following sentence based on their picture: "___, dog, ____!"
*Provide supplies to make their own hats, like the red and yellow dog in the book. 
*Other books about opposites:
Rey, H.R. Curious George's Opposites. 0618097716