Children's Literature with Miss Cornell

illustrated by Ekua Holmes  Coretta Scott King Award  Poetry   This collection of poems is dedicated and intended to celebrate the works of well known poets that have impacted the poets in some way. It is broken up into parts with different themes based on the dedication style. Each poet has multiple poems in this collection and as you read, you begin to be able to identify who the poet is before knowing.  I think this collection would be better suited for older students who have been introduced to the poets that are written about. This will allow the students to full appreciate the poetry written here. I would definitely use this if I ever taught an upper elementary or middle school English class. It could be incorporated into poetry units as a study itself or to go along with poems by the particular poets that Out of Wonder is dedicated to. I also really enjoyed all the illustrations and thought they added a brightness to the overall collection. 

illustrated by Chris Raschka  Poetry  This collection was of concrete poems written by multiple authors. There was not a main theme to the poems, other than that they already were or could be made into concrete poetry. Some of the poems were longer than others and some were very short, only a word or two long. The actual content of the poems was very simple. The illustrations were very colorful and similar to surrealism. Due to the way the poems are displayed, I would say it would be best suited for around grades 2-4. I think it would be a fun collection to go through with students because it makes students have to think outside of the box and from a different perspective than most books or poems that they may be reading. I would use this collection to teach about different forms of poetry and how poetry doesn't have to operate in the normal constraints of writing. 

illustrated by Josée Masse  Poetry  This collection of reverso poems was based off commonly known Disney fairytales. The poems were generally a shortened version of the stories or told of key details that stand out to readers. The poems can be read both forward and backward and still make sense.  I think these poems would be suiting for kindergarten, first, or even second grade students due to the content. I’m not sure how well these poems would fit into a curriculum so it may be best to use these as a fun, quick read aloud in the day while students transition or just as a brain break. Personally, I would not use this book due to the age range, but I think it is a fun twist on the well known fairytales. 

illustrated by Bob Graham  Poetry  For this collection of poems, I didn’t find any common themes that encompassed the topics they covered. There was at least 100 short poems in this collection that were all for the purpose of entertaining the audience. The illustrations seem to be what brings the selected poems together because on each page, there were multiple poems that coordinate with only one or two larger illustrations. The poems are written by many different authors, some even being anonymous. As the title suggests, I think these poems would be suiting for preschool aged children. They would be fun to read at circle time or as students are having lunch or transitioning to something new. I personally don’t see myself using this book simply because I will not be teaching this young of students, but I think it would be perfect for a preschool classroom. 

drawings by James Stevenson  ALA Notable Children's Book  Poetry  This was a collection of poems all written by Jack Prelutsky. The poems are all short with plenty of rhymes. Some of the content is relatable for younger students, and other content is intended to just be humorous. Almost all of the poems seem to end with an unexpected twist that makes the reader laugh. Each poem also had some small illustration to coincide with the content of the poem.  This collection of poems would be great for elementary aged students who are able to read. The wording and print may be a bit too difficult for beginner readers, so second to fifth grade would be most appropriate. If I taught around these ages, I would definitely read these poems throughout the day as students are transitioning to something new. This collection could be kept on the bookshelf for students to read during silent reading or free time. 

Caldecott Honor Winner  Caldecott book This story is about a little family of mice who are preparing for the upcoming winter. One of the mice, Frederick, doesn’t seem to be doing any work like everyone else, but he tells them he is gathering sunshine, words, and color. When winter comes and most of the supplies are gone and morale is low, Frederick is able to cheer everyone up with the unique supplies he gathered.  Frederick would be great for preschool and kindergarten ages due to it’s simple storyline and fun pictures. I would use this book with young students for a teacher read aloud or as a book that students are able to look at on their own. This could be used to talk about being prepared and how everyone can bring different, yet still important resources to the table.  

Caldecott Award 2010  Traditional Literature  This story is mainly just pictures, with only a few sounds here and there, but the pictures are able to tell quite a tale. This wordless story is a rendition of Aesop’s Fable of the Lion and the Mouse. In short, a lion decides to spare the life of a mouse who later is able to repay his debt to the lion by freeing him from a poacher’s trap.  I think this story would be best for preschool and earlier elementary grade levels, but it could still be used in older elementary classrooms. I enjoyed that the story was wordless so it allowed some parts to be interpreted as the audience saw fit, but the overall moral and lesson of the story was still quite clear. This story could be used to teach a great moral lesson of how being kind and giving will come back to you. I would love to use this book in the classroom due to its moral and great illustrations. 

Traditional Literature This story was a fun and lively rendition of the familiar Gingerbread Man story. In this story, a young boy decides to use a gingerbread boy recipe he finds in the cupboard, but he doesn't follow the directions exactly. He peeks in the oven while his boy is baking and out pops a gingerbread baby who dashes off. After most of the town tries to chase and catch the gingerbread baby, the young boy is finally the one who succeeds.  I think this story would be entertaining for early elementary students because there are plenty of catchy phrases that the gingerbread baby says and the illustrations are detailed and colorful. It doesn't have a moral or teachable lesson, so I would probably use this book as a way to wind down the day as the holiday season approaches. Young students could also take this off a bookshelf and read it to themselves. 

Traditional Literature  This story is ver y short and simple, but I really enjoyed reading it. It tells about a crocodile named Cornelius who only walked upright. His other crocodile friends didn’t seem very impressed by this, so Cornelius left and found a new friend, a monkey. Cornelius’s monkey friend teaches him to stand on his head and hang from his tail, so Cornelius goes back to show his crocodile friends. Again, his friends don’t seem impressed, but as soon as Cornelius walks away, his friends are trying to stand on their head and hang from their tails.   I think this story would be suiting for preschool and kindergarten aged children as a fun read aloud in class. I would use this book with younger students to teach a lesson on pride and our actions due to our own pride. I feel like it is also a fun book for students to just be able to look at or read on their own due to the great illustrations. 

illustrated by Eric Kincaid  Traditional literature This version of Hansel and Gretel is greatly simplified because it was intended as a entry level reading book. It maintains the general idea of the story, but omits details that older versions of this story include. In the end of this story, Hansel and Gretel trick the old witch and put her in the oven then find their way back to their father who tells them their mean step mother has also died.  This book is intended for students who are beginning to read so around first and second grade. If I taught a class at that age, I would have this book on the bookshelf because it’s a story most children are familiar with so it allows them to concentrate on actually reading the words rather than needing to read and understand the plot. It will also help boost students’ confidence as they begin to read on their own without assistance.   

illustrated by Niamh Sharkey  Traditional Literature  This retelling of a traditional story puts a bit of a twist on the ending, but the plot line is similar to most other Jack and the Beanstalk books. It tells the story of a poor boy who receives magical seeds that grow into a large beanstalk up to the clouds overnight. In the clouds, Jack discovers a huge castle with plenty of food and riches, along with a terrible giant. In the end, Jack narrowly escapes from the giant’s reach and sends the giant flying into space, never to be heard from again. This softer ending is a lot like other modern versions of traditional literature which are toned down from their original, more graphic endings.  I think this book and other versions of it are great for young elementary and preschool aged children. It is a fun and entertaining book for students that could be used as a read aloud. If I had a younger class or worked in preschool, I would definitely read this book and allow students to interact

illustrated by Leslie Staub  Multicultural Book    This short story teaches a message of love and acceptance for anyone and everyone in the world. The illustrations use diverse children and show different situations other than what may be seen as typical. It uses a lot of repetition in order to impress upon the reader the importance of the words and their meaning. I think this book would be great for Pre-K and Kindergarten aged children. I would use this book at the beginning of the school year when students are first meeting new peers and learning to respect one another. I think it could also be used toward the end of the year as a send off book as students are moving onto different classrooms or even schools. I would use this book because the illustrations are inclusive for every student that I may have in my classroom and I love how simple the book is, yet it has plenty of depth. 

 Fantasy and Science Fiction  This book tells the story of the Lorax who speaks for the trees. A young boy is interested in hearing about the Lorax so he visits the Once-ler to find out about him. In the end, the Once-ler gives the young boy the last remaining Truffula seed to plant and take care of.  Like almost all Dr. Seuss books, this one is a tongue twister with a great message behind it and imaginative illustrations. I think this book would be most appropriate for elementary classrooms, but it could be used in classrooms all the way through high school due to its message and who the author is. I would use this in my classroom even as a math teacher because it has such a great message and I always enjoy the way in which Dr. Seuss is able to entertain with his stories. This book would be useful as a teacher read aloud and for units on the Earth and recycling. It teaches students how important it is to take care of the world we live in and has an added message of speaking up for th

illustrated by Peter Parnall  Nonfiction Informational  This story gives the reader ten rules for choosing the perfect rock for yourself. The message behind the story is that even ordinary things can have extraordinary value to us, even if isn’t special to anyone else. I think this message would be great for first to third grade students because these students often have objects or toys that are extremely valuable to them, but not necessarily anyone else. I also think the illustrations would be better for a bit older of students, rather than kindergarten and younger, because they lack color and require the readers to find the image themselves. I would use this book as mainly a teacher read aloud at the beginning or end of the day because it doesn’t really coincide with a typical unit, but I really enjoyed the simple message behind the book. 

  I really enjoyed reading The Dot because I think it is something a lot of children, and even adults, can relate to. There are a few messages behind this simple story that I think allow the story to leave an impression on everyone. One of which is just simply trying and believing in yourself. As I made my own version of a dot, I was unsure of what I wanted to create and how it would turn out. Rather than sitting and looking at a blank canvas, I chose to go with the first idea that popped in my head-rainbow dots. I thought this was a small, fun project to do and could be a great way to bring art into any classroom without students feeling overwhelmed. 

Golden Kite Award for illustration  Nonfiction biography  This story was a biography about Tony Sarg and his involvement in the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades. It describes his innovative ways as a child and then as an adult how he was able to come up with solutions for not having real animals in the parade. The book ends with his balloon creations floating over the streets and the reader knowing how and why this happens every year.  I would definitely use this in the classroom because it is informational on a topic/person that is fun and interesting to children. Based on the storytelling and subject matter, I personally would use this in younger elementary classrooms, such as K-2. I think this would be a great book to use around Thanksgiving time as students are working on themed projects, such as what they are thankful for or their Thanksgiving plans. This story could be used as an introduction to discussions over Thanksgiving as a holiday and why the Thanksgiving parade is im

2014 Bluebonnet winner among many other awards Bluebonnet novel  Wonder tells the story of a young boy with a facial difference that goes to school for the first time. The story makes the reader feel all sorts of emotions as Auggie goes through different situations as a fifth grader that doesn’t look like everyone else. The story ends on a positive note as Auggie is finally accepted and respected by his peers.  I think this realistic fiction novel would be great to have on a bookshelf in any middle school to high school classroom, or used as an in-class reading for English classes. The overwhelming message of being kind is a great lesson for students in both middle school and high school because they are going through physical, mental, social, and emotional changes that require patience and kindness from adults and their peers. Putting this in the curriculum for an English class would be a great way to open up discussions to what makes us unique and why we should always treat everyone