"My Abuelita" by Tony Johnston

APA Citation:
Johnston, T. (2009). My abuelita. Orlando, Fl.:
        Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Summary:

     A young Latino boy lives with his grandma.  He calls her abuelita. He spends his morning helping her prepare for her day of work.  They stretch, shower, yodel and load up her car with a lot of props.  The reader later learns that abuelita is a story teller. He decides that he wants the same career as his abuelita.

Illustrations:

     This is a beautifully well- illustrated book.  The characters are made of clay and digitally altered to make the characters appear more realistic and friendly.  The colors of the grandma's clothing and her outfits displays abuelita's energy and creativity.  Each page is loaded with vibrant colors and something unusual.  The bright colors of purple, pink, and yellow provide warmth and a feeling of friendship.  The mexican folk art patterns included in the illustrations helps readers to remember that the characters are Latinos. Plus, the detailed clothing that the grandma wears helps the reader guess that abuelita may be an entertainer.

My Rating:  Thumbs up!

"Gracias Thanks" by Pat Mora

APA Citation:

     Mora, P. (2009). Gracias thanks. N.Y., N.Y.:
             Lee & Low Books.

Summary:

     This is a story about a little boy who is greatful for so many things in his life.  It begins with the boy, narrator, waking up and being grateful for another day of life.  He goes on to say how he is thankful for a little lady bug that sits on his finger while he is outside enjoying the beauty of nature.  But most importantly he is grateful for his family and the time he shares with them playing, fishing and just visiting.  He helps the reader see that one should appreciate everything that makes life grand.  The story is written in English and Spanish.

Illustrations:

     This book is well-illustrated with vibrant acrylic paints.  The blends of rich colors are that of Mexican folk art which emphasizes the bilingual nature of the book.  The main character is illustrated with details of fine brown hair, rich dark eyes, and rosy pink cheeks.  This brings the boy to life for the reader. The pages are filled with various details to show how observant the child is and how grateful he is for even the smallest of things.

My Rating:  Thumbs up!
    

"Frog and Toad Together" by Arnold Lobel

APA Citation:
Lobel, A. (1971). Frog and toad together. China:
        Harper Collins.

Summary:

     This book contains four stories about Frog and Toad's friendship.  It begins with Toad waking up and making a "to do" list.  He follows the list until it is blown away and he becomes lost. He just doesn't know what to do next.  Fortunately, Toad suggests they go to sleep. Frog remembers that was on his list so he writes it in on the ground, crosses it out and falls asleep. The next story is about Frog giving Toad seeds to grow a garden of his own. It is a challenging task for Toad but his garden eventually grows.  Then, Toad bakes cookies and Frog helps him eat them. They also have an adventure being brave together when a snake comes after them, an avalanche almost crushes them, and a hawk tries to whisk them away. The book contains five stories about the two best friends.

Illustrations:

     This is a well-illustrated book because it establishes setting, defines and develops characters, and reinforces text.  The soft green and brown colors and clothes that Toad and Frog wear dates the story to the 70's and places them in the country side where friendships are made.  The clothing and expressions of the characters defines their friendship and concern for one another. The drawings alos show how the characters share just about everything together.

My Rating:  Thumbs up!

"Papa and Me" by Arthur Dorros

APA Citation:

Dorros, A. (2008). Papa and me. N.Y., N.Y.: Harper
        Collins.

Summary:

         This is a beautiful story about a father and son who speak two languages but are able to understand each other through the power of love.  The story begins with the son waking up his father so that they can begin to enjoy the day together.  They eat pancakes, go to the park and jump in puddles.  The son climbs a tree and draws pictures in the sand while the father shares in his son's happiness. Later, they both head to the grandparents home to visit.  It is the perfect end a perfect day.

Illustrations:

This is a well- illustrated book because its rich colors compliment the mood of the characters.  Red, yellow, blue and green give warmth to the story.  The reader not only reads of the love between father and son but sees it through the illustrators choice in colors.  The details of the illustrations also emphasize the latin background of the characters.

"Old Bear" by Kevin Henkes

APA Citation:

Henkes, K. (2008). Old bear. USA: Greenwillow Books.

Summary:

     An old bear falls asleep for the winter.  He begins to dream of spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Everything looks so beautiful and inviting to him. He wakes up from his dream and walks out into a beautiful spring day.  He thinks that he may be dreaming but realizes the beauty surrounding him is real.

Illustrations:
     The illustrations are wonderful because it brings to life the vivid dreams that the old bear is having.  Everything is so rich in color and detail that old bear's dream seems so real.  The colors used emphasize the changes of the season.  It's almost as if the reader is walking into the bear's dream.

My Rating:  Thumbs up!

"A Visitor for Bear" by Bonny Becker

APA Citation: 
Becker, B. (2008). A visitor for bear. Somerville, MA:
         Candlewick Press.

Summary:

Exposition: A bear is getting ready to make breakfast at his home when he hears a knock at his   door and he doesn't want to answer it because he doesn't like visitors.

Conflict:  A mouse wants to visit with bear and have some cheese and tea but the bear does not accept visitors.

Rising Action:  The mouse finds different methods of sneaking into the bear's home but is quickly escorted out.

Climax:  The bear breaks down and cries because the mouse continues to come in and he decides to let the mouse stay for a very quick visit.

Falling Action:  Bear has tea and entertains the mouse, enjoying his company and asks mouse to stay longer.

Resolution:  The bear takes off his no visitors sign and accepts mouse as his friend.

Illustrations:

The book is well- illustrated because the water colors reinforces the cheery disposition of the mouse. It is a perfect contrast to the bear's unfriendly character.  The illustrations also intensifies the frustration that the bear is feeling each time he encounters the unwanted guest.

My Rating:  Thumbs up!

"Blubber" by Judy Blume

APA Citation:

       Blume, J. (1974). Blubber. N.Y., N.Y.: Random House .

Plot Summary:

• Exposition:  Jill is in class listening to reports by other students when a note from Wendy, a bully, is put on her desk about an over weight student named Linda. 
• Conflict:  Wendy, a school bully, constantly ridicules and abuses Linda.
• Rising Action:  Linda gets bullied by several students, including Jill.
• Climax:  Tables turn and Jill becomes a victim of school bullies.
• Falling Action:  Jill refuses to cry and she stands up for herself against Wendy.
•  Resolution:  Wendy stops bullying Linda and Jill.  Jill remains friends with Tracy. 

Literary Qualities:

• Figurative language:  Blume uses figurative language (metaphor)  to emphasize the hateful character of the antagonist as she compares a student to the blubber of a whale.
• Dialogue:  Wendy's hateful dialogue with Linda emphasizes her evil characterization.

My Rating:
Thumbs up!

"Be Careful What You Wish For" by R.L. Stein

APA Citation:

         Stein, R.L. (1993). Be careful what you wish for. N.Y.,
                N.Y.: Scholastic Inc.

Plot Summary:
      

• Exposition:  Samantha Byrd gets tripped by Judith and kids make fun of her at school.
• Conflict:  Samantha and Judith do not get along because Judith is a bully.
• Rising Action:  Judith continues to bully Samantha which causes Samantha to accept a witch's three wishes that can help change her situation.
• Climax:  Samantha wishes come true and she fears Judith will grow to weak and die.
• Falling Action: Samantha uses her final wish to wish that Judith had met the witch instead.
• Resolution:  Samantha turns to a bird and flies away because Judith wishes it.

Literary Qualities:

• Situational Irony:  Stein takes his reader's breath away with the shocking ending of the story when Samantha ends up flying away as a bird.  It is definitely not what the reader expects to happen.

• Dialogue:  Stein's characters come to life and act as real children do when they are teasing or bullying another child (their language is that of school-age children).

"Black and White" by David Macaulay

APA Citation:

Macaulay, D. (1990). Black and white. N.Y., N.Y.:
             Houghton Mifflin Company.

Summary:

             This book is really neat because it makes the reader think critically.  It begins with what seems to be  four separate stories.  But by the end of the book the reader will discover that the separate stories are all connected.  First, a young boy is a passenger on a train.  He is on his way to meet his parents. On the way he meets a robber and witnesses events that occur in the other stories.  Then, there is a story of children who have problem parents.  They don't make time to play with their children or communicate with each other because they are self-absorbed.  Yet, the parents change due to a long wait at the train station where they learn to play and have fun.  They carry this over to their home and invite their children to play with them. In the end, the reader learns that the narrator is the son in the story.  He has imagined all four stories as he plays with his toy train. 

Illustrations:

             The illustrations in this book clarifies the plot of the story.  It is through the pictures that the reader learns how the different stories are all connected.  The pictures also provide a differing viewpoint. The boy on the train thinks boulders are blocking their passage.  Yet, readers can see that cows are in the way.

My Rating:

Thumbs Up!