Module 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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Book Summary:

This is the story of a young boy, orphaned as a baby, who is destined to be a great wizard. Despite his extended family's urging against it, Harry is found and invited to Hogwart's, a school for wizardry. This is incredibly life-changing for Harry as it begins to explain many strange things he has encountered throughout the years. Harry finds himself in the center of a battle between good and evil and ends up as the key to conquering the darkness. This does not come without his share of mistakes, enemies, and quirky experiences.

APA Reference of Book:

Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that it is an excellent beginning to the Harry Potter series. It provides much character development, a complex and easily extended plot, and a variety of twists and turns unexpected by the reader. I loved that the Rowling was able to provide so much context to a world that is so unknown to the reader. The imagery held within the text is impossibly good in that it provides a constant picture in the reader's mind as to what this magical tale looks like.
I also appreciated that there were so many characters developed within the text. The author did not simply focus on one or two and leave you guessing on the rest, but truly dove deep into the characters mentioned in the book and really set the stage for the parts they would play in the future.
This book is one of the best beginnings I have seen in the way of series books. Although at times the story feels slower than typical good vs. evil stories, the extended storyline is set up in a way that is truly lasting and convincing. This is ever-so important and explains it wide popularity among young and old alike.

Professional Review:

Gr. 4-8. Given the furor this book has already caused in the U.S., it seems almost redundant to review it; however. . . . Harry Potter's exploits during his second year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry completely live up to the bewitching measure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a Booklist Editors' Choice, 1998. Harry's summer with the spiteful Dursleys is as dismal as his life with them before Hogwarts, and not only that, a neurotic house-elf suddenly appears to warn him against returning to school. Harry, of course, goes back to school. Once there, he finds himself in danger, as predicted by the house-elf. Strange things are happening. Why can only Harry hear an eerie voice talking about escaping and killing? Who or what has put several students into a petrified state? Harry and his sidekicks, Ron and Hermione, work furiously to get to the bottom of it all. It doesn't help that the rumor spreads that Harry is the long-dreaded heir of Slytherin, one of the school's founders, who purportedly created a Chamber of Secrets that houses a grotesque monster that can only be released by the heir. The mystery, zany humor, sense of a traditional British school (albeit with its share of ghosts, including Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom), student rivalry, and eccentric faculty, all surrounded by the magical foundation so necessary in good fantasy, are as expertly crafted here as in the first book. Fans who have been thirsting for this sequel will definitely not feel any disappointment. In fact, once they have read it, they will be lusting for the next.

Reference: 

Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J. K. Rowling. (1999). Booklist, 95(18). Retrieved from www.titlewave.com 

Library Uses:

This text could be used in a book to movie reading competition for students. With as many books as they have made into movies for teens these days, the students could engage in a reading competition to see who could read the most books made into a movie and answer questions. Almost like a Battle of the Books competition.

Module 3: Jumaji

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Book Summary:

 Jumanji is the story of a brother and sister who find themselves bored one night when their parents are out. As they begin to play a board game they brought home from the park, they find themselves in a game they have not planned for. Each move of the game brings with it a new and exciting jungle experience. The trouble is... they can not stop playing until one player reaches the end of the board. This creates chaos and fear in the children, however, they are able to finish the game in time for their parents to come home to a normal setting. No one even knows of the experience except the children, who left the game for someone else to find in the park.

APA Reference of Book:

Van Allsburg, C. (2011). Jumanji. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Impressions:

My first impression of this book was that the illustrations are incredibly realistic. They almost look like photographs they are so detailed. They enhance the story tremendously as they allow the reader to truly envision what is taking place in the story. The black and white is striking and allows the reader to see every shadow and shade.
The story itself is simple but draws on the imagination in ways most kids are looking for. It is the kind of story which surpasses generations as any kid desires to imagine the unlikely come to life in front of their eyes. The fact that their is a game attached to the storyline only helps to create a sense of urgency and competition. The ending seems a bit unexplained, but perhaps that was the intention. The boys with the game under their arms racing home leaves the reader to wonder which home are they running to. Could they perhaps be headed back to where the protagonists are, forcing this experience on them twice?
All in all, this story, with its detailed illustrations, is one every children's library should include. It is one which is easy to love for a child and that is huge for a library collection.

Professional Review:

Jumanji appears to be a perfectly ordinary game, except that it has been abandoned in the park with the cryptic message “fun for some but not for all.” Peter and Judy unfold the playing board and with the first throw of the dice discover that each moved immediately introduces a corresponding jungle phenomenon into their surroundings — a ravenous lion, marauding monkeys, a bewildered guide, an erupting volcano. Tension mounts with each addition, for the play rules state that once Jumanji is begun, it will not be over until one player reaches the Golden City. At the climactic moment Judy completes the last move. The surreal background disappears; the game is hastily returned to its original site; and two exhausted but undaunted children sleepily welcome the homecoming adults, who naturally dismiss the afternoon’s adventure as simply a dream. Meanwhile, Jumanji has been resurrected once more by a pair of curious, though less tenacious, youngsters. Substance or shadow, real or imagined, the bizarre and mythical world of Jumanji exists because of its own logic and the luminous precision of the full-page, black-and-white illustrations. Through the masterly use of light and shadow, the interplay of design elements, and audacious changes in perspective and composition, the artist conveys an impression of color without losing the dramatic contrast of black and white. As in The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (Houghton), he successfully explores the semimagical country of the the mind in which reality and illusion exist as conjoined yet distinct entities.

Reference: 

Review of Jumanji, by C. Van Allsburg. (1981). Horn Book. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com/2013/10/news/awards/horn-book-reviews-caldecott-medal-winners-1980-1989/

Library Uses:

This text could be used to inspire students to use their imaginations as they read. The librarian could read the story without showing the students the illustrations and ask the students to draw what they see in their minds as the story is read. Once the students have done this, the librarian could offer the original illustrations and discuss with the students if it was what they imagined.

Module 4: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village

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Book Summary:

 The book contains monologues written for middle level students. They are written during the medieval time period and are intended to connect to each other in content and plot. While they are intended to be acted out and read by seperate students, the monologues are intertwined and allow the students to see how life was for a variety of people during this time period, attempting to bridge the scope of status of the time. The monologues are short and written in the dialect of medieval English.

APA Reference of Book:

Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good masters! sweet ladies!: Voices from a medieval village. New York: NY: Candlewick Press

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that it is one of a kind. I haven't seen any titles of this nature which serve the purpose of providing monologues for students. This title is incredibly specific in what it aims to do and that in itself sets it apart from the rest. The author did an excellent job of researching what life was like for various rankings of people at that time. She even includes a map of the village which gives further perspective on the citizens within the monologues. The fact that she provides links within her monologues between the characters allows for the students to see how different life could be like at that time as well as how these characters are similar to them in age and maturity. The author did an excellent job of providing text that would stretch the student reader (both in their acting skills and comprehension skills), while maintaining interesting storylines. The text is challenging in that the dialect is so different. This is a text that would take some effort on the part of the reader, therefore making it even more specific in the audience who will be willing to use it; however, those who take the chance will not be disappointed as it is an exemplary text with an important purpose.

Professional Review:

Grades 5-8. The author of A Drowned Maiden’s Hair: A Melodrama (2006), Schlitz turns to a completely different kind of storytelling here. Using a series of interconnected monologues and dialogues featuring young people living in and around an English manor in 1255, she offers first-person character sketches that build upon each other to create a finer understanding of medieval life. The book was inspired by the necessity of creating a play suitable for a classroom where “no one wanted a small part.” Each of the 23 characters (between 10 and 15 years old) has a distinct personality and a societal role revealed not by recitation of facts but by revelation of memories, intentions, and attitudes. Sometimes in prose and more often in one of several verse forms, the writing varies nicely from one entry to the next. Historical notes appear in the vertical margins, and some double-page spreads carry short essays on topics related to individual narratives, such as falconry, the Crusades, and Jews in medieval society. Although often the characters’ specific concerns are very much of their time, their outlooks and emotional states will be familiar to young people today. Reminiscent of medieval art, Byrd’s lively ink drawings, tinted with watercolors, are a handsome addition to this well-designed book. This unusually fine collection of related monologues and dialogues promises to be a rewarding choice for performance or for reading aloud in the classroom.

Reference: 

Review of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village. (2007). Booklist, 103(22). Retrieved from www.titlewave.com 

Library Uses:

This text could be used in a library activity including the theater students. They could use this text to identify how important it is to research what times were like and how people acted before performing a monologue. The students could do research in order to enhance their own monologues assigned by the teacher and then perform them in the library.

Module 4: Joyful Noise

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Book Summary:

 This books tells the stories of various insects and their daily experiences. It is written in verse and is intended for two readers to read in unison. The paired reading is intended to offer a new and refreshing experience to the audience. They can hear the rhythm of the poetry and liken that to the rhythm of the insects in their daily life. The story is in the voice of the insects and allows the readers to see insects from a new perspective. It is both entertaining and educational in nature.

APA Reference of Book:

Fleischman, P. (1988). Joyful noise: Poems for two voices. New York: NY: HarperCollins .

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that the format is extraordinary. I have never seen another book like this one in format. The idea behind two people reading in unison only serves to enhance the meaning of the poems included. The author does an excellent job of making insects lives and purpose come to life. He presents the factual alongside the whimsical making for an incredibly interesting ride for both reader and listener.
The devices used in Fleischman's poetry provides excellent examples of writing for young readers. They are able to see how to take a very simplistic idea, telling the story of an insect, and use both form and sound to capture the readers's attention and enhance their understanding of creatures outside their general realm. Both the writing and the experience provided by this text are wonderous. What an excellent resource this could be to support English standards for poetry.

Professional Review:

Fleischman and Beddows (I Am Phoenix) are paired again for another remarkable collection of poems written to be read, by two people, out loud. Mayflies, moths, crickets and other insects join voices in clever musical duets. Fireflies are ``insect calligraphers'' who use their light as ink on the parchment of the night, cicadas ``chant from the treetops'' their ``booming joyful noise,'' and two honeybeesa queen and a droneexplain contrapuntally why they have the best and worst of lives. In one of the wittiest poems in the volume, two book lice discuss how they met on some dusty shelves, ``honeymooned in an old guide book on Greece'' and adore each other in spite of opposite tasteshe prefers Shakespeare and she Spillane. Beddows's black-and-white drawings blend biology-text accuracy with charming cartoon fancies and keep pace with the imaginative verse. All ages. (March)

Reference: 

Review of Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, by P. Fleischman. (1988). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from www.titlewave.com 

Library Uses:

This text could be used during poetry month for a poetry reading competition put on by the library. Students would be able to compete against other students in reading the text with a partner using great emotion.

Module 3: Locomotive

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Book Summary:

 The story of the railroad is told in this story. The author provides historical evidence combined with scientific diagrams and vocabulary to invite students into the story of the railroad. From the beginning motivation of building transportation across the country to the effects it has on an actual family traveling to meet up with their loved ones, this book enables readers to see how the rails were built, how the trains function, and how it affects the country both economically as well as the opportunity it provided for citizens.

APA Reference of Book:

Floca, B. (2013). Locomotive. New York: NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that the writing is extraordinary. The amount of information provided in this text is one thing, but the combination of that with the poetic form it is written in provides a story unlike any other. The onomatopoeia and variance in form draw the reader's eye and attention. The illustrations provide a realistic perspective of what each piece of information looks like. The addition of graphs and further historical information is such a great addition and allows for further research for those students who want more. All in all, this book is a must for libraries in that it is the epitome of a cross-curricular resource. It could easily be used in multiple contents and could allow students a broader perspective of how things connect.

Professional Review:

Grades K-3. Floca follows up the acclaimed Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 (2009) with this ebullient, breathtaking look at a family’s 1869 journey from Omaha to Sacramento via the newly completed Transcontinental Railroad. The unnamed family is a launching point for Floca’s irrepressible exploration into, well, everything about early rail travel, from crew responsibilities and machinery specifics to the sensory thrills of a bridge rumbling beneath and the wind blasting into your face. The substantial text is delivered in nonrhyming stanzas as enlightening as they are poetic: the “smoke and cinders, / ash and sweat” of the coal engine and the Great Plains stretching out “empty as an ocean.” Blasting through these artful compositions are the bellows of the conductor (“FULL STEAM AHEAD”) and the scream of the train whistle, so loud that it bleeds off the page: “WHOOOOOOO!” Font styles swap restlessly to best embody each noise (see the blunt, bold “SPIT” versus the ornate, ballooning “HUFF HUFF HUFF”). Just as heart pounding are Floca’s bold, detailed watercolors, which swap massive close-ups of barreling locomotives with sweeping bird’s-eye views that show how even these metal giants were dwarfed by nature. It’s impossible to turn a page without learning something, but it’s these multiple wow moments that will knock readers from their chairs. Fantastic opening and closing notes make this the book for young train enthusiasts.

Reference: 

Review of Locomotive, by B. Floca. (2013). Booklist, 109(21). Retrieved from www.titlewave.com 

Library Uses:

This text could be used to teach students how non-fiction and poetry can combine to create something beautiful and helpful. This text could be broken into pieces to connect history, science, and language arts and could spill into a research or writing project where students take informational material on a given subject and write it in poetic form. (Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman could also be used in this activity)

Module 2: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

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Book Summary:

 A grandfather tells his grandchildren a fantastical story about a town where weather comes in the form of food. This town never needs to cook or prepare food as each day food is provided through the rain, snow, wind, etc. As the grandfather continues his story, however, he adds conflict in the manner of the food growing in size and causing devastation to the town. This devastation causes the citizens to flee the town for a new home of lesser danger. This imaginative bedtime story causes the children to see weather in a new way.

APA Reference of Book:

Barrett, J. & Barrett, R. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that the illustrations are key in carrying the story of this book. The writing would not be nearly as intriguing without the illustrations to push them forward. While the word choice, sentence structure, and plot of the story is well written and excellent in its depth, the illustrations are so detailed and vivid in their depiction of emotion, action, and effects of what is going on that they truly are the most engaging part of the book. I love that they shift from black and white with the family in the beginning to color once the bedtime story begins. This is such an interesting way of setting the two stories apart. All in all, the story met with the illustrations make for an incredibly unique and imaginative story which almost any youngster would enjoy.

Professional Review:

Gr 1-3-- In the town of Chewandswallow, the citizens enjoy the bounties of the skies, and open-roofed restaurants allow diners to catch their dinner. Unfortunately, the weather takes a turn for the worse, and there is no choice but to flee from the falling food. The detailed pen-and-ink illustrations begin in black and white, but as the tale progresses, colors join the black line details. A savory story to share over and over again.

Reference: 

Gallagher, G. (2006). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. School Library Journal, 52(7), 45. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=21447275&scope=site

Library Uses:

This text could be used as a part of an illustration program to demonstrate how the unique form of the art within the book along with the choice of color can assist the reader in deciphering between two different story lines, concepts, or ideas. This could be used an one example within the lesson. The librarian could be bring in many different types of illustrated books and discuss with the students how they think the illustrations play a part in the story as a whole.

Module 1: Souper Chicken

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Book Summary:

 Henrietta is a chicken who loves to read. She is the only literate farm animal around. Because of this, she is constantly berated for not focusing on the work that is typical of chickens, laying eggs. When a vacation is offered to the rest of the chickens for their hard work, Henrietta begins to suspect something to be a bit fishy. Because of her literacy, she is able to collect enough clues to find her family (along with many other farm animals along the journey) and save them from their "vacation" to the soup factory.

APA Reference of Book:

Jane, M. & Auch, H. (2003). Souperchicken. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Impressions:

After reading this book, I could easily pinpoint the theme of the text: how important it is to read. This of course is an important lesson for young audiences to realize. I loved how this particular text, though obviously intended for young children, included much sentence variety and everyday language. This text did not seem dumbed down simply because of its audience. The illustrations furthered this effort by providing interesting titles to books, wording on feed bags and trucks, graphs offering clues as to what is really going on, etc. While the storyline is playful and interesting to the audience, it also would easily challenge them to further their understanding of farm life, vocabulary, and a variety of other critical thinking skills imperative to reading. I really enjoyed this story and found it to be an excellent example of what children's books can be.

Professional Review:

K-Gr. 2. This latest entry in Auch's popular "poultry parodies"will have educators as well as children applauding its heroine, Henrietta the hen, whose ability to read saves her aunts from becoming the next soup of the day. Henrietta's aunties are going on a wonderful all-expenses-paid vacation--or so they think. But as the truck pulls away, Henrietta notices the sign, "Souper Soup Co."Horrified, she flies into action. She reads the soup company's address from a soup can label at the grocery store, then finds the exact location by reading a map. On her way to free her aunts, she comes across a load of pigs aboard a Saucy Sausage Company truck and some cows headed for the Happy Hamburger Company. After warning the animals about their fate, she implores them to "please learn to read! Reading can save your lives!"The grateful critters get the message, and so will kids. What better messengers than Henrietta and this clever tale, hilariously illustrated in wonderfully expressive, super-silly cartoon pictures. A good choice to celebrate reading during Children's Book Week--or anytime.

Reference: 

Review of SouperChicken, by M. Jane & H. Auch. (2003)Booklist, 99(14). Retrieved from http://www.titlewave.com/

Library Uses:

This text would be such a wonderful intro to the year. The librarian could use this text during orientation or for a read-along to introduce the importance of reading even beyond the classroom.