Saturday, May 9, 2015

Herman and Rosie

Reader’s Annotation: Have you ever started at a new school, or moved to a new house and felt all alone? Herman and Rosie felt alone, until their paths cross. Suddenly, life is beautiful and they can share their interests with each other.

Author/Illustrator: Gus Gordon
Age: 7 - 10
genre/subject: Children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: A Crocodile named Herman and a deer named Rosie live in a busy city, but feel so alone? Both love jazz and when they find each other they share their love for jazz together!
Evaluation: This is a great book, for an older audience, that can understand companionship. Herman and Rosie have a common interest, and they live so close yet their paths do not cross for a long time. The idea of close proximity in a big city may be lost on younger readers.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Good concept, paths crossing.
Readalikes: Paul Meets Bernadette
Awards/Lists: n/a
Links to reviews in professional review sources
Hook: Paths cross for Herman and Rosie
Ideas, Uses: What does it mean to cross paths with someone? Is it possible to live quite close to someone, but not ever meet them because the environment is so busy?
ISBN: 978-1596438569
Page Count: 32
Format: Hardcover
Publisher:
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More

Reader’s Annotation: This black bird is a greedy bird! When he adds more and more to his nest, soon he realizes he has more than enough! Have you ever had more than enough?

Author: I. C. Springman
Illustrator: Brian Lies 
Age: 2-5
genre/subject: Children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: A bird gathers, more and more and more. Until, he realizes is it more than enough.
Evaluation: Need vs. want. This is a good discussion for young ones who always want more!
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Vocabulary builder. What does more mean? What is more than enough. How is the same word used differently?
Readalikes: Clever Crow by S.D. Schindler
Awards/Lists: An ALA Notable Children's Book for Younger Readers (2013)
Links to reviews in professional review sources:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-547-61083-2
Hook: When is more, more than enough?
Ideas, Uses: Talk about need vs. want. When is more not a good thing? Can more of one thing be bad for us?
ISBN: 978-0547610832
Page Count: 40
Format: Hardcover and paperback
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers 
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Sammy and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs

Reader’s Annotation: Have you ever found a treasure? Sammy found a box of old dinosaurs in his grammy's attic. They were beat up and used, but to Sammy they were a precious treasure!

Author: Ian Whybrow
Illustrator: Adrian Reynolds 
Age: 3 and up 
genre/subject: Children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: Sammy and Gram find a box of old dinosaurs up in the attic. Sam cleans and fixes them and they become his prized possessions, until...he loses them. Finally Sam is reunited when Gram and Sammy go to the train station's lost and found.
Evaluation: This is a book nearly every child can relate to. Finding an old treasure is so exciting. Also, losing a treasure is just as upsetting! The storyline is the strongest aspect to this book.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Audience can identify with the character.
Readalikes: Harry and the Dinosaurs At the Museum by Ian Whybrow
Awards/Lists: n/a
Links to reviews in professional review sources:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-82541-5
Hook: When was the last time you found a treasure?
Ideas, Uses: Talk about old things like new!
ISBN: 978-0531302071
Page Count: 32
Format: Orchard Books 

Publisher:
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Earth Day, Birthday

Reader’s Annotation: Is it possible to celebrate two things on one day? Ask silly monkey! His birthday is also Earth Day, which the animals finally learn.

Author: Maureen Wright
Illustrator: Violet Kim
Age: 4-8
genre/subject: Children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: Silly Monkey insists that today is his birthday, but all the other animals say, "Silly monkey, it is Earth Day!" after trying to convince everyone that it is also his birthday, Monkey is sad. His mother enters the scene with a great big birthday cake, and the animals know they made a mistake! They end up celebrating two things in one day. Everyone eats cake together!
Evaluation: This is a great opportunity to talk about Earth Day. So many great discussions can stem from the importance of Earth Day, and how to take care of the Earth.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Rhyming and repeating. Introducing the concept of Earth Day.
Readalikes: I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle 
by Alison Inches
Awards/Lists:
Links to reviews in professional review sources:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7614-6109-8
Hook: What on Earth is Earth Day?!
Ideas, Uses: Discussions about conservation and being kind to the Earth.
ISBN: 978-1416967897
Page Count: 32
Format: Hardcover, paperback
Publisher: Two Lions 
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Syvester and the Magic Pebble

Reader’s Annotation: Be careful what you wish for! After reading this book, you will be happy and content with what you have.


Author/Illustrator: William Steig
Age: 6 - 9 
genre/subject: children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: Syvester finds a magic pebble one day and realizes that if he wishes for something while holding the pebble, it will come true. As he walked home to show his family the new, magic pebble, he ran into a hungry lion. As he panicked, Sylvester wished he was a rock. And there he lay as a rock, through the winter. One day, in the springtime, his parents forced themselves to take a picnic to try to cheer up as they were mourned the strange disappearance of their son. They found a lovely rock in a meadow, and as they set their food on the rock, they also place a pebble they found next to the rock on top of it. Sylvester wished he was his old self, and they were reunited!
Evaluation: Good story to teach the important of happiness and contentment in one's own life. It is a wordy picture book, so better for older children.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness: Illustrations are detailed. The text is more advanced.
Readalikes:
Awards/Lists: Caldecott Medal, 1970
Links to reviews in professional review sources
Hook: Be careful what you wish for!
Ideas, Uses: Talk about wishes during story hour. What would you wish for? Why is it important to be thankful for what you have?
ISBN: 978-0671662691
Page Count: 32
Format: hardcover, paperback, audio
Publisher: Aladdin; Reissue edition
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Superhero School

Reader’s Annotation: This book is an automatic confidence booster for anyone who has ever felt average, or below average. All of us has the power within us to effect change, no matter how small!


Author: Thierry Robberecht
Illustrator: Philippe Goossens
Age: 3-5
genre/subject: children's fiction, picture book
Plot Summary: Henry goes to Superhero School, where he is popular with the student, but not with the teachers. He is actually the worst student, on account of his inability to fly, lack of superhero powers and his inclination to prank his teachers. When a hungry monster wanders onto school grounds, Henry realizes his prankster ways do have value!
Evaluation: Instills each person's unique value.
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness:
Readalikes:
Awards/Lists:
Links to reviews in professional review sources:

Hook: Not your average superhero! What is your superhero power?
Ideas, Uses:
ISBN: 978-1605371405
Page Count: 30
Format: hardcover
Publisher: Clavis 
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I Am a Whale: The Life of a Humpback Whale

Reader’s Annotation: This is one way to sneak nonfiction into a young readers queue without them noticing. The story that follows the life of a humpback whale is written from a first person point of view, and feels very much like fiction.


Author: Darlene R. Stille
Illustrator: Todd Ouren
Age: 4 - 8
genre/subject: Children's nonfiction, children's literature, picture book
Plot Summary: As a nonfiction, this story does not have a plot. The book covers the natural habitat of a humpback whale, how it meets mates, migration and feeding habits.
Evaluation:
Significance & Bibliographic Usefulness:
Readalikes: Part of a 6-book ocean life series covering the bottle-nose dolphin, clown fish, sea turtle, elephant seal, hammerhead shark, and humpback whale.
Awards/Lists: n/a
Links to reviews in professional review sources:
"There are six books in this series, each dealing with an interesting animal of the sea: the bottle-nose dolphin, clown fish, sea turtle, elephant seal, hammerhead shark, and humpback whale. Each book is 24 pages long, and each animal tells its own story," Science Books & Films
Hook: The Life of a Humpback Whale
Ideas, Uses: Ocean life
ISBN: 978-1404806009
Page Count: 24
Format: Library binding
Publisher: Picture Window Books
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