Module 5
February 15-21

Verdi
By Janell Cannon

Cannon, Janell. Verdi. 1997. Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN: 0152010289

Synopsis:
Verdi is a little, yellow snake that wants to go fast and likes flying. His mother has told him to grow up and turn into a big, green snake, but big, green snakes seem lazy and rude to Verdi. Verdi decides to try to not turn green. Unfortunately, he hurts himself when he falls. The green snakes take Verdi and help him. Verdi learns that they used to like going fast and falling, but that they all had accidents like him. Verdi grows big and green, and he learns to appreciate how fun it is to stay still too. However, he also remembers how much fun it is to be young, and he is willing to still play with younger yellow snakes.

My View of the World:
This is a charming book for elementary students that teaches some important lessons. The first is that it is important to be yourself. The second is that it is everyone is different, and that is good. The pictures are beautiful, and Verdi is a character to which children will be able to relate. This book is definitely a winner.

Texas Bluebonnet Award, 1997.

Book Reviews:
Cannon (Trupp, 1995, etc.) strikes a fragile balance between fact and fiction in her presentation of Verdi, a very small, bright yellow python who does not want to grow up into the adult snakes he knows: green, boring, and rude. He tries to race off, wash off, and cover up all signs of his own encroaching green, until an accident forces him to slow down. He grows up big and green and slumbrously silent as he drapes on a branch in the tropical sun. When two very yellow, very small pythons chance upon him as he basks, they fidget and whisper and snicker; rather than be annoyed, Verdi recognizes that ``they're just like I used to be'' and offers to show them the fancy figure eight he perfected, with some mishap, as a youngster. He may be an adult, but he's still the same old Verdi, he thinks, rejoicing--a delightful, airy thought to leave with young readers. Once again, the author's acrylic and colored pencil full-page drawings are carefully observed, apt, and radiant. An afterword provides sufficient information on snakes to appease those in search of deeper knowledge. Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 1997.

Cannon (Stellaluna) is on a roll, her gift for creating memorable characters and scenes on glorious display in this tale of a feisty python hatchling. Vowing never to turn "lazy, boring, or green" like the older pythons, Verdi zips through the jungle, launching himself from tree branches in an attempt to outpace the inevitable and keep his bright yellow skin and sporty stripes. His elders fear Verdi's recklessness will be his undoing ("At this rate, he'll be lucky to make it to his first molt," bemoans one) and they watch his antics with alarm?nd with a drop of nostalgia for their own glory days. Adulthood eventually catches up with the young hothead, of course, but in a resolution that is both wise and funny, Verdi comes to terms with maturity while maintaining his zest for life ("I may be big and very green, but I'm still me!"). Cannon's finely tempered prose is as exquisite as her luminous artwork. Here, each jewellike vista is marked by careful attention to detail and brilliant use of color?erdi's jungle world is a symphony of green, from the delicate shade of a newly unfurled fern frond to richer tones of emerald and pine. Sharply focused foreground objects fade into slightly hazy backdrops, giving the acrylic-and-colored-pencil illustrations an almost three-dimensional depth. As a bonus, the book concludes with a graceful two-page note on snakes. Ages 4-10. Publishers Weekly, February 18, 1997.

In My World:
This book could easily be used to do more research on snakes in general. There is a reference section at the end of the book with factual information on snakes. This could also be used with a thematic unit on rainforests or conservation. This could also be used to address differences that students have with each other and possibly promote understanding. I would use this book as a read aloud to promote further research or conversation within the library.

Maniac Magee

Module 4
February 8-14

Maniac Magee
By Jerry Spinelli

Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. 1990. Scholastic Inc. ISBN: 0590452037

Synopsis:
Jeffrey Lionel Magee had a home with a mother and father until they died in a trolley crash. Jeffrey went to live with his aunt & uncle, who apparently should get a divorce but would not. He ran away from them and began to run all over. Jeffrey became known as Maniac Magee in the town of Two Mills. Two Mills has a West End and an East End. In the West End is where all the white people live, and in the East End is where all the black people live. There is an invisible line down the middle, and people did not cross it until Maniac Magee. Maniac finds a temporary home with an East End family named the Beales. However, Maniac encounters prejudice because he is a white boy living with a black family. He then chooses to run away so that no one will continue to both the Beales. Maniac ends up living with Grayson, an older man, in a band shell for a while until Grayson dies. Maniac then begins running again and lives with the McNab family. The McNabs are very prejudiced and proud of it. However, Maniac stays to try to help the two youngest boys there. After a while, Maniac begins living at the zoo until Amanda Beale comes to get him and tell him that he is going with her. In the end, Maniac finds his home with the Beale family.

My View of the World:
This is such an interesting book because it tackles to topic of prejudice from the view of a boy. Maniac seems to be so talented and lucky that he deals with jealousy because he is good at what he does, prejudice at his skin color, and anger because he does not understand why others are prejudiced. Maniac seems to be a magnet for a crowd and attention. He seems to run everywhere and what he is really looking for is a home. This is an excellent book. Children will relate to the main character and view the world through his eyes.

Book Reviews:
The story, which explores such complex concepts as home and race relations, is consistently fresh and surprising. Maniac's search for an address to call his own is poignant, while his feats such as untying Cobble's knot and hitting an "inside-the-park home-run but" with a "frogball" are pure tall tale.-Louise Sherman, formerly Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. School Library Journal. February 1, 2002.


In this modern-day tall tale, Spinelli ( Dump Days ; Jason and Marceline ) presents a humorous yet poignant look at the issue of race relations, a rare topic for a work aimed at middle readers. Orphaned as an infant, Jerry Magee is reared by his feuding aunt and uncle until he runs away at age eight. He finds his way to Two Mills, Pa., where the legend of ``Maniac'' Magee begins after he scores major upsets against Brian Denehy, the star high school football player, and Little League tough guy, John McNab. In racially divided Two Mills, the Beales, a black family, take Maniac in, but despite his local fame, community pressure forces him out and he returns to living at the zoo. Park groundskeeper Grayson next cares for the boy, but the old man dies and Maniac moves into the squalid home of the McNabs, who are convinced a race war is imminent. After a showdown with his nemesis, Mars Bar, Maniac bridges the gap between the two sides of town and finally finds a home. Full of snappy street-talk cadences, this off-the-wall yarn will give readers of all colors plenty of food for thought. Publishers Weekly, May 11, 1990.

In My World:
This book would be an excellent way to discuss prejudice and racism. The characters in this book all seem to have their own prejudices without being aware of them. It could be a starting point for asking students what prejudices that they see in the world around them.

The Tale of Despereaux

Module 4
February 8-14

The Tale of Despereaux
By Kate DiCamillo

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux, 2003. Candlewick Press.
ISBN: 0763625299

Synopsis:
Despereaux is a very small mouse who does not like things that other mice like. He is more interested in reading books and appreciating music than he is in eating food. Despereaux breaks one cardinal rule of all mice and falls in love with the princess in his castle. For this offsense, he is sent to his death. However, through luck and cleverness, Despereaux escapes. Roscuro is a rat who lives in the same castle, but through a series of unfortunate incidents caused the death of the queen. Roscuro is a rat who only wishes to live above the dungeons in the light. He is a rat who does not like rat-like things. He kidnaps the princess to keep her in the dungeons so that there will be some light there. Despereaux is able to return to rescue to princess, but in the end, Roscuro repents and changes his actions.

My View of the World:
The Tale of Despereaux is a book with very sweet sentiments. Despereaux is an undersized mouse who does not like mouse-like things. He refuses to conform and as a result, he falls in love with a princess in the castle in which he lives. Roscuro is a villain for which the reader feels empathy. Despereaux is an unlikely hero, but with a combination of his wit and luck, he succeeds in rescuing a princess. This is definitely a book that children will love because the hero is someone who shouldn’t probably be a hero and stands out.

Book Reviews:
Gr 4-8-With allegorical elements such as quests for love and light, and dangerous encounters that lead to forgiveness and redemption, Kate DiCamillo's novel (Candlewick, 2003) is a multi-layered fantasy. The hero is Despereaux Tilling, a young mouse who is improbably, but deeply, in love with a very human Princess Pea. On the dark side, there's a misguided rat named Roscuro and a serving girl, Miggery Sow, who wishes to be a princess. The traumatic events that shape the lives of these four characters, and bring them all to the brink of disaster, are resolved with some gentle lessons on the power of kindness. DiCamillo creates a special intimacy with listeners by using frequent asides that draw them into the story. Narrator Graeme Malcolm heightens the text's storytelling qualities with a mix of deft accents and appropriate vocal styles. This novel's castle and its denizens are a long way from the down home folks in Because of Winn-Dixie, the author's Newbery Honor book. What remains the same is how well both stories convey the importance of caring relationships. Middle school listeners may find some of the scenarios far fetched, but they'll be inspired by the simple, believable way that good triumphs over evil. This is a solid choice for both public and school libraries.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. School Library Journal, March 1, 2004.

Despereaux Tilling, a tiny mouse with very large ears, has always been a misfit among mice. But it is his quirks-which include the ability to read books and tell stories, as well as his undying love for a human princess-that lead Despereaux on a quest that culminates in a most fitting "happily ever after" ending. Malcolm's humorous interpretation of Antoinette Tilling's (Despereaux's French mother) histrionics is fine entertainment. And his Roscuro the rat character delivers slick lines with a Latin flair. With asides directed at listeners and elements of royal intrigue, innocent romance and revenge, this listening experience sometimes recalls the film The Princess Bride. Ages 7-12. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Publishers Weekly, November 10, 2003.

In My World:
This book would be an excellent way to address the differences that are found within the classroom and how everyone’s differences just make them unique. It would also be a good way to address the issue of bullying. I would use this book as a read aloud within the library.

Miracle's Boys

Module 3
February 1-7

Miracle’s Boys
By Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, Jacqueline. Miracle’s Boys. G.P. Putnam’s Sons: 2000. ISBN: 0142406023

Synopsis:
Lafayette is a thirteen year-old boy who lives in New York City with his two brothers. Tyree, the oldest, has given up going to college to stay home and take care of the younger two brothers since their mother died of diabetes two year previously. Charlie has spent the last two years in a correctional facility for robbing a convenience store. The story is told through the eyes of Lafayette who calls his brother Newcharlie since he has come home because he doesn’t seem at all like the brother that Lafayette remembers. The story is told over the course of a weekend, and the readers begin to realize that the brothers desperately need each other. The brothers also realize that the family ties to each other are what make them united.

My View of the World:
This book is a heartrending story of three brothers who live in New York City. Lafayette’s impressions of Charlie and Tyree let the reader experience how hard their mother’s death from diabetes was for the entire family. Tyree seems to be the rock that holds the family together, but he is still very young himself. Tyree seems have a constant internal struggle to both father and mother to both boys. Charlie’s feelings of guilt that he was not there for his mother when she died along with Lafayette’s feelings of guilt that he was not somehow able to save her are both keenly felt by the reader. In the end, their ties of family to each other are what bind boys together and help them all.

Book Reviews:
A compelling novel about three streetwise New York City brothers trying to help one another confront their personal demons. Thirteen-year-old Lafayette still grieves for his mother, who died of diabetes two years earlier. He blames himself for not being able to save her. Older brother Ty'ree is more mature and responsible but he, too, is tormented by the past. He witnessed his father rescue a drowning woman and later die of hypothermia before Lafayette was born, and he continues to feel guilty for not being able to help him. Lafayette and Ty'ree take comfort in school, work, and other routines of daily life to keep their lives focused and their minds off the past. All of this changes, however, when a middle brother named Charlie returns from a juvenile-detention facility where he served a three-year sentence for an armed robbery. Having this angry, sometimes hostile presence in their lives forces Lafayette and Ty'ree to depend upon one another even more to work through their grief and figure out how to help Charlie survive. As usual, Woodson's characterizations and dialogue are right on. The dynamics among the brothers are beautifully rendered. The narrative is told through dialogue and Lafayette's introspections so there is not a lot of action, but readers should find this story of tough, self-sufficient young men to be powerful and engaging.
-Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information. School Library Journal. May 1, 2000.

Once again, Woodson (If You Come Softly; From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun) reveals a keen understanding of the adolescent psyche via the narration of a winning seventh-grader. Lafayette, whose mother has recently died, is worried that some day he will be separated from his two older brothers: high-school-graduate Ty'ree, who gave up a scholarship to MIT to take care of his younger siblings; and Charlie, the rebellious middle boy, who, after spending more than two years in a correctional facility, has returned home cold and tough. (Lafayette calls him "Newcharlie," because his brother, with whom he was once so close, now seems unrecognizable to him.) Viewing household tensions and hardships through Lafayette's eyes, readers will come to realize each character's internal conflicts and recognize their desperate need to cling together as a family. The boys' loyalties to one another are tested during a cathartic climax, though it is resolved a bit too easily, and Lafayette's visions of his mother aren't fully developed or integrated into the plot. Gang violence and urban poverty play an integral part in this novel, but what readers will remember most is the brothers' deep-rooted affection for one another. An intelligently wrought, thought-provoking story. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information. Publisher’s Weekly. April 17, 2000.


In My World:
I would use this book to talk about different types of families with students. This would also be an excellent book to address the issue of death with students. The complexity of each boy’s feelings and how they all handle their mother’s death differently would be something to discuss with a class.

Before We Were Free

Module 3
February 1-7

Before We were Free
by Julia Alvarez

Alvarez, Julia. Before we were free. Random House, 2002. ISBN: 044023784X

Synopsis:
Twelve year-old Anita is taken out of school with her cousin Carla to learn that her aunt and uncle are going to America. This is the last of Anita’s extended family that has left for America. Anita has never questioned her loyalty to El Jeffe, the leader of the Dominican Republic. However, when the secret police search their home, twelve-year-old Anita begins to question the loyalty that she has always had for the leader. Anita also begins to realize that her parents do not have unquestioning loyalty towards El Jeffe. Anita realizes that her parents are plotting against El Jeffe, and they get caught after carrying out his demise. Anita is forced into hiding with her Mamita while her Papi and Tio Toni are captured by the secret police. Anita and her Mamita are in hiding for some time before they are smuggled out of the country to America. Once they have been there for a few months, Anita learns that the dictatorship has fallen in the Dominican Republic, but when it fell as a last act of vengeance, all the remaining prisoners were killed. Anita and her family decide to stay in America with her uncles and aunts until their wounds heal.

My View of the World:
This book is an excellent story of the life of people underneath a dictator. It gives the reader a story from a child of her perception of their life. Her parents rebel against the current dictator while trying to protect their children. She is aware of the bigger events without totally realizing what the implication of them. This is a great book for middle school and high school to help students understand how life is for people who do not live in a democracy. It is a very powerful story, and it was able to be told without being too graphic.

Book Reviews:
Before We Were Free (Knopf, 2002) provides a realistic story about what it might have been like for a young cousin of the Garcia girls who did not flee the Dominican Republic to live through the turbulent dictatorship El Jeffe. The account is related from the viewpoint of Anita, an observant but naive 12-year-old upper middle class girl. For the de la Torre family, the weeks following the Garcias' departure from their island home are filled with peculiar strangers, mysterious adult activities, strained social affairs and, ultimately, a horrible sojourn in hiding. Alvarez's protagonist is credible for her age, and the events that she witnesses-including El Jeffe's sexual advances on a slightly older girl, her own father's involvement with the revolution, and the terrors of living in hiding-are presented realistically. Alvarez reads her own work here, giving Anita a clear and determined voice. This is an essential addition to audiobook collections in schools and public libraries, both for curriculum support and as an engaging book enjoyment. Both the story and the performance are deeply satisfying and will spark interest in a variety of social sciences, as well as in Alvarez's related books.-
Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. School Library Journal, November 1, 2004

By the morning of her 12th birthday, in December, 1960, Anita de la Torre's comfortable childhood in her home in the Dominican Republic is a thing of the past. The political situation for opponents of the dictator Rafael Trujillo has become so dangerous that nearly all of her relatives have emigrated to the U.S., leaving only her uncle, T'o Toni, somewhere in hiding, and her parents, still determined to carry on the resistance. Over the next year, the girl becomes increasingly aware of the nature of the political situation and her family's activities. Once her father's cotorrita, or talkative parrot, she grows increasingly silent. When the dictator is assassinated, her father and uncle are arrested, her older brother is sheltered in the Italian Embassy, and Anita and her mother must go into hiding as well. Diary entries written by the child while in hiding will remind readers of Anne Frank's story. They will find Anita's interest in boys and her concerns about her appearance, even when she and her mother can see no one, entirely believable. Readers will be convinced by the voice of this Spanish-speaking teenager who tells her story entirely in the present tense. Like Anita's brother Mund'n, readers will bite their nails as the story moves to its inexorable conclusion.
-Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. School Library Journal, August 1, 2002.


In My World:
This book would be an excellent use for a read aloud over time. It gives a good description of life under a dictatorship that is failing. I would use it to discuss what life is like in other countries under different types of governments. I would also use it to teach about different types of governments. It would also be a good tool to talk about people’s differences. When Anita comes to America, she clearly does not fit in or feel like she should fit in.

SLIS 5420
Module 2
January 25-31

Corduroy

By Don Freeman

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. Viking Press, 1968. ISBN: 00670241334

Synopsis:
Corduroy is a bear for sale in a department store. Corduroy is sad because he is missing a button from his overalls. Corduroy crawls down from the display that night and goes about the department store trying to find his button. The night guard finds him and puts him back in his rightful place. Then a little girl named Lisa comes the very first thing that day and takes him home. She sews a button on his overalls, and they become friends.

My View of the World
Corduroy is very endearing as he searches for his button so that someone will want to take him home. The pictures are eye-catching and will capture students’ attention. Corduroy’s story will be something to which students can relate because everyone wants a friend growing up. Almost all children growing up have a teddy bear, and that is just one more reason that students are able to relate to Corduroy.

Book Reviews
Poor Corduroy, he has been sitting on the store shelf for a long time. A young girl named Lisa falls in love with Corduroy despite his missing button and shopworn look. It is a heartwarming story of the small stuffed bear's desire for a home and friends and his obtaining perfect fulfillment in the devotion of Lisa. Caldecott award winning illustrator Freeman created a book that has lasted for generations.
Children's Literature from BarnesandNoble.com

“Have you ever dreamed of being locked in a department store at night? The endearing story of Corduroy paints a picture of the adventures that might unfold (for a teddy bear at least) in such a situation. When all the shoppers have gone home for the night, Corduroy climbs down from the shelf to look for his missing button. It's a brave new world! He accidentally gets on an elevator that he thinks must be a mountain and sees the furniture section that he thinks must be a palace. He tries to pull a button off the mattress, but he ends up falling off the bed and knocking over a lamp. The night watchman hears the crash, finds Corduroy, and puts him back on the shelf downstairs. The next morning, he finds that it's his lucky day! A little girl buys him with money she saved in her piggy bank and takes him home to her room. Corduroy decides that this must be home and that Lisa must be his friend. “ Amazon.com Review


In My World
I would use Corduroy to help students develop a sense of story. You could have a stuffed teddy bear be Corduroy and have students write adventures of Corduroy. This could be used in helping students to write and inspire them to derive their own stories.

Caps for Sale

SLIS 5420
Module 2
January 25-31

Caps for Sale

By Esphyr Slobodkina

Slobodkina, Esphyr. Caps for Sale. Harper Collins Publishers,1968.
ISBN: 0060257784

Synopsis:
There is a peddler who sells caps in town. However, he does not sell caps like anyone else does because he wears them all on his head. One day, he could not sell any caps, and he didn’t have any money for lunch. The peddler went for a walk outside of town and decided to take a nap with all the caps on his head. When he awoke, all the caps, except for his own, had been stolen by mischievous monkeys. The peddler realized that the monkeys were imitating him, and he threw his cap on the ground. Then he was able to retrieve his cap from the monkeys in the trees and go back to town selling his wares.

My View of the World
This book has many nostalgic memories for me from my own childhood. This is a great book for early readers because it has suspense and comedy, but it also has a very simple plot. Children will take great delight in those mischievous monkeys and their imitation of the peddler. The drawings of the peddler with all the caps on his head will be fascinating for young readers.

Book Reviews

“From an old folk tale [the author] has fashioned this bright picture book, infusing it with a humor which seems to have sprung from her own hearty enjoyment of the troubles of a peddler with a band of monkeys. “ The New York Times

“This revised edition of the classic tale about a hat peddler and some mischievous monkeys has been slightly redesigned and enlarged.” Horn Book (Spring 2009)

In My World
In the library, I would use this with early readers in kindergarten or first grade. I would use this in a display with other books in a reading week for children’s literature and as a read aloud to be available for the teacher. It can help to teach younger children colors, counting, and animal behavior, in respect to the monkeys. It can also help younger children develop vital readings skills such as prediction.