Book Trailers (Assignment A)

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Cinderella Skeleton

Module 3: Smoky Night and The House in the Night

Smoky Night

Book Summary

This book is a Caldecott winner and is the story of a riot in the streets as told by a young boy. It starts with the boy in his house watching what is happening in the streets through a window. He is watching people breaking into various buildings and businesses and stealing the items. He asks his mother what is happening and she tries to explain it to him. The young boy is woken by his mom in the middle of the night because their apartment building has been set on fire. He escapes with his mom and several other people in the building. His main concern is for his cat, who is nowhere to be found. His neighbor, who is Asian (the boy and his mother are African American) also is missing her cat. Both cats, who never got along before, were found together under the stairs holding hands. They have become friends. The boy and his mother use this as a way to become friends with the neighbor as well, overlooking the fact that they are different.

Citation 

Bunting, E. (1998). Smoky night. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc. 

My Impressions

I loved this book. I loved how it took something tragic that has happened at various points in history and turned it into a positive life lesson. I also loved the illustrations in this book, and being a Caldecott winner, the illustrations are extremely important. I was reading this book and looking at these illustrations and was amazed that what I was reading was used as the background on the page. For example, when the grocery store was being raided, the story discusses how there is cereal and rice everywhere. The photo background to that page was a picture of real cereal. The illustrator used both painting and photography in a way to make the story come alive and remain a story at the same time.

Review Excerpts

Bock, L. (2003). Smoky Night (Book). School Library Journal, 49(2), 95.

“Mama has never shopped there because the Kims are not “our kind”. Nevertheless, missing cats pull the two families together, sowing the seeds of acceptance and friendship. Complex collage backgrounds magnify the drama of the story.”

Driscoll, S. (1999, 09). Smoky night. Book Links, 9, 17-18.

“After fire forces the family from its apartment into a shelter, the opportunity arises for Daniel and his mother to befriend their Korean neighborhood grocer. This 1995 Caldecott Medal winner is an excellent choice for sparking lively discussion.”

Suggestions for Use in a Library

I would suggest using this as a springboard to a living history day, perhaps. This is based on the LA Riots. While I am not in LA, there are people living everywhere who have experienced rioting, violence, racism, etc. This would be a great book to use to discuss these things that happen to people and we could bring in people of various ages from the community to discuss what they have been through. It is a way to connect the students to history and the books they are reading. We could even have students talk about their experience. It will allow discussions that may lead into bullying, trying to stop bullying and discrimination, and accepting people for who they are. 



The House in the Night

Book Summary

This book is also a Caldecott winner. It is a very simple story perfect for young or beginning readers. The brilliance of this book lies in the illustrations. The illustrations are created using lines, cross hatches, hash marks, etc. It uses these lines to create the illusion of texture and shading. It is also primarily black and white with small pops of color. The story is simple, but the illustrations complex.

Citation 

Swanson, S. M. (2008). The house in the night. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

My Impressions

This book amazed me. I read the story and didn’t care too much for it, due to its simplicity. The illustrations, however, drew me in and brought that simple story to life. What isn’t said in detailed sentences and words is shown in the detailed pictures. I find something new hiding in each picture every time I look at it. The illustrator used a complicated and difficult technique to bring  this story to life and I was impressed. Many people will view this as simple and boring, but it is brilliant and amazing. I will definitely be revisiting this book and its wonderful illustrations.

Review Excerpts

Beierle, M. (2010). The house in the night. Language Arts, 87(5), 401-401,404.

“The black-and-white double-page scratchboard illustrations, sprinkled with gold accents to draw the readers’ attention, convey a sense of tranquility and safety. The book has elements reminiscent of many lullabies, nursery rhymes, and bedtime stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.”

Damron, J. (2008). The House in the Night. School Library Journal, 54(4), 123.

“This picture book will make a strong impression on listeners making their first acquaintance with literature. It is a masterpiece that has all the hallmarks of a classic that will be loved for generations to come.”

Cooper, I. (2008). The house in the night. The Booklist, 104(16), 46.

“The art is spectacular.” … “The use of gold is especially effective, coloring the stars and a knowing moon, all surrounded with black-and-white halos. A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children.”

Suggestions for the Library

I would use this as a way for very young children to use their imagination and creativity. I would host a storytelling time for the children. Each child would take a picture from the book and use it to create a story based on what they see. I would then have the children tell their story from start to finish with each child picking up where the last left off. This book, with its very simple story and detailed pictures is perfect for students to tell their own version of what is happening.

Module 2: James and the Giant Peach; Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

James and the Giant Peach 

Book Summary 

This book is about a young boy, James, whose parents died in a freak accident. James goes to live with his two aunts, who abuse him and treat him poorly. James meets a stranger who gives him a bag of magic beads. The stranger tells James to boil them and then drink the juice and he will be happy for the rest of his life. James accidentally drops them near a peach tree. The beads make several critters as well as a peach grow larger than life. James goes into the peach and meets the creatures. This begins a great adventure that changes James life forever. 

Citation 

Dahl, R. (1961). James and the giant peach. London, England: Penguin Book, Ltd. 

My Impressions 

I absolutely loved this book. I liked the creativeness of the book and the story as well as the illustrations that were placed throughout the book. I really liked that the book starts out with a young boy who has a not so great life, but ends with him in a much better situation. I like that the author presents several garden “pests” such as spiders, grasshoppers, worms, centipedes, etc in a way that makes them likeable and makes you feel a little bad for how you might treat them. I was glad that I picked this book to read and that I gave it a chance. It made me laugh out loud several times and that is a rare thing these days. 

Review Excerpts 

Bateman, T., & Mandell, P. (2003). James and the Giant Peach (Book). School Library Journal, 49(11), 72. 
(This review is for the audio book version): “Magic crystals change his humdrum existence, and soon he is off on a great adventure on a giant peach with new friends…. There are sharks, seagulls, and irate cloud people to add interest along the way and, of course, Dahl’s irreverent poetry…. Fans of Dahl will not be disappointed in this briskly paced tale that is a delight from beginning to end.” 

James and the giant peach. (1997). The Reading Teacher, 51(2), 138. 
(This review is for the picture book based on the movie):” “Never have centipedes, spiders, evil aunts, and, of course, James and his giant peach seemed so delicious.” 

Suggestions for Use in a Library 

This book could be the basis for an activity where students create adventures. They could create posters and advertisements for places and things that they could do. We could use it to talk about how the most ordinary things could be adventurous and exciting if you give it a chance.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom 

Book Summary

This book is about the lower case letters of the alphabet climbing a tree. They then fall down and injure themselves in various ways. They run to their parents, the capital letters, and get comforted. The book ends with a climbing back up the tree. 

Citation

Martin, Jr, B., & Archambault, J. (2000). Chicka chicka boom boom. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books. 

My Impressions

I really didn’t like this book too much. It is very repetitious and I found that slightly annoying. However, I can see how it would be a good book for young children who are learning their alphabet and/or learning to read. It also would be a very good book for young children to use to match up the lower case and capital versions of the letters. Children love books with repetition, so, while it may be annoying to me, I think many children would love it. 

Review Excerpts

Crum, S. (2007, 03). Chicka chicka boom boom. Book Links, 16, 59. 
“In this rollicking ABC classic, the letters of the alphabet are personified as they climb up the tree and get into trouble. After their cuts and scrapes are bandaged, will they be able to resist doing it again?” 

Philbrook, J., Jones, T. E., Toth, L., & Suhr, V. J. (1989). Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Book). School Library Journal, 35(15), 89. 
“Martin and Archambault have produced an engaging rhyme with restless, exciting rhythms to convey the humorous adventures of the letters of the alphabet and a coconut tree…. Ehlert’s bright, primary color illustrations add to the fun … This goes further in making arid print more friendly and comfortable than other books of this genre.” 

Suggestions for Use in a Library

I would use this book in an elementary school library, maybe in a corner dedicated to kindergarteners. Pre-K and K level children are learning their alphabet. My idea would be to create a large coconut tree out of paper and attach it to the wall. I would have the Pre-K and K level children create letters based on the book and color and illustrate them as they desire to add to the tree on the wall.

 

Module 1: Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley

Book Summary
This book is about a brother and a sister who are asked to write a fairy tale for a school library project. The two cannot decide on what to write about, so they each tell part of the story using their ideas. The two combine into one story 

Citation 
O'Malley, K. (2005). Once upon a cool motorcycle dude. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing, Inc. 

My Impressions
I really enjoyed this book. Dare I say that I loved it?? I enjoyed that the book shows the disagreement between siblings, specifically a boy and a girl. I also like that is showed them each coming at the story from their own perspective and incorporating their own likes and beliefs. In the end, the two stories merge to create one story that actually does make sense, at least for a fairy tale. It is exciting to find that a boy and a girl with very different ideas can work together to create a story that would appeal to both young boys and girls. This book is a keeper that I will enjoy reading to my children one day. 

Review Excerpts
Coats, K. (2005). Once upon a cool motorcycle dude. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 58(9), 398-399
"This battle of the sexes, which recalls the similar urban legend about writing collaboration gone awry, is cleverly rendered by three illustrators with three different styles-the princess is a purple and pink fantasy-art creation, the muscle dude roars onto the scene amidst garish orange flames and lurid greens, and the kids themselves are rendered in a classic comics style, complete with stipple for stylized shading. The story does what fairy tales are supposed to do-the arguing kids project themselves into the arguing princess and muscle dude and work together to banish the evil assignment-er-giant. The result is canny as well as funny, and it offers inspiration for a clever, outside-the-box way to attack a pesky group project where the members of the group don't see eye to eye."

Morning, T. (2005). Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude (Book). Booklist, 101(14), 1294-1295.
"The fun in this picture book comes in the contrasting styles of the illustrations, which include contributions from Carol Heyer and Scott Goto. The girl's story features bright colors, flowers, and long golden locks, while the boy's story is done in the dark, taut-muscled style of comic books. Throughout, O'Malley depicts the girl and the boy reacting to the twists of the plot. A funny take on the age-old battle of the sexes, with an ending suited for the new millennium." 

Suggestion for Use in a Library
My suggestion for this in the library would be to have a fairy tale writing/telling contest. I would want students to work together in groups of 2-3 students to come up with a clear, cohesive fairy tale, one that makes sense and is entertaining. I would encourage them to try working with someone they may not normally choose. I would read this book and use it as an example of how two very different viewpoints can come together to make an entertaining story.