Wong, Janet S. Minn and Jake. Illus. Genevieve Cote. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books, 2003.
I couldn't help to notice the vocabulary that Wong is not scared to use in this book. She uses creative and imaginative words. On the first page of chapter 14, she uses words to describe Minn's anger. She could have just said, "Minn is really mad." Instead she uses "mighty", "maniacially", and "monstrously." And with those three words, the reader can picture in their mind just how mad Minn is. No picture needed.
The vocabulary is also fun. For example, the last sentence on pag 42 is a bit of a tongue-twister. This playful wording is a great way to develop students' reading comprehension. I am ready to find out what Jake is up to with that money-making deal he's about to make!

Week Two: Children's Lit, Briefly

Tunnell, Michael O. and James S. Jacobs. Children's Literature, Briefly. 4e. Upper Sadle River NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

When it comes to poetry, I'm on the fence. I don't hate it but, at the same time, I don't get excited about it. I attribute this to two things. One, I can't recall one instance during elementary school in which poetry was discussed or even read. I'm sure we did, but I don't remember it. Two, The poetry that I do remember studying in high school was so serious. After reading all this insightful and meaningful poetry, I was then told that I had to create a book of poetry. My thinking was, "You expect me to write poems like this?!" I stressed myself out trying to write poems with some deep meaning. As a kid, I was never really exposed to the fact that poetry can be fun.
I loved the idea of one teacher in the textbook that said she would write a different poem on the board everyday. They wouldn't necessarily discuss it, she just displayed it for the students to read and enjoy. I think this is a great way to expose poetry to children without forcing it on them.
I wonder if having a poetry read-aloud would be beneficial. Maybe for ten minutes a day, the students could sit together on the floor and take turns reading poems that they enjoy or even poems that they have written. No analyzing, just reading and listening. A couple of days ago, my sister said that she does not like reading poetry to herself. When she does, she ends up skimming. She prefers to hear poems read aloud. Whether a student is a visual or an auditory learner, teachers need to take this take into account and give every student the opportunity to benefit from the material he/she is presenting.

Apple Pie Fourth of July

Wong, Janet S. Apple Pie 4th of July. Illus. Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Orlando FL: Voyager Books/Harcourt, Inc., 2002.

I though it was great that the lesson in this book is so subtle. The parents don't get upset with their daughter, and lecture her about appreciating her heritage and it's culture. That would have been too easy. Instead, Wong simply tells a story of a little girl who is upset that her family's store is open on this very festive American holiday, the fourth of July. By the end of the book, however, the character is happy and and enjoying being apart of both worlds she lives in.  Just like that, without being preachy, the reader knows that the character has learned something. 

BUZZ

Wong, Janet S. Buzz. Illus. Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Orlando FL: Voyager Books/Harcourt, Inc., 2000.
This illustrations in this book are really cute (that is in fact a literary term!) and endearing. I love when the little boy uses his toy car as a razor as he watches his dad shave. Small children will easily be able to relate to the main character. Many students will remember saying goodbye to their parents as they left for work.
The grandma coming over and taking care of the little boy was the part that stood out to me. My husband and I both work full-time and my mom takes care of my son, which I think is very common in the Hispanic culture. Students with this background, in particular, might find that this aspect of the book mirrors a part of their own upbringing.

Week One: Children's Lit, Briefly

Tunnell, Michael O. and James S. Jacobs. Children's Literature, Briefly. 4e. Upper Sadle River NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

It was great to read that one of the definitions of a good book is personal taste. I think more teachers need to understand and respect that just because a book is acknowledged as quality material does not mean that their students will enjoy reading it. I understand that there are classic pieces of work that all students will have to read during their education. Ironically, it's these books that most students dismiss as old and boring.  I think the problem lays mostly in a lack of effort to involve the students in the story. A 2 page report on something that was written 75 years ago is not the way to get a student to appreciate a book.

On another subject, the pages in color that were used to supplement the reading in Chapter 4 were extremely helpful. Being able to see examples of the functions and styles of illustrations made the chapter a lot easier to read. It's kinda funny, I'm 25 years old and I still like pictures in my books. There's a line in the textbook that says if all children see in the way of art is Sunday newspaper cartoons, then that will be their standard. With all of the wonderful art in children's books today, how sad that would be.