Guess What? / Challenged

Plot Summary:

            Like several others discussed, this book does not follow a typical plot line. The text asks kids to guess things about “a crazy lady called Daisy O’Grady,” and then answers the question on the next page. For example the text asks if she has a broomstick. On the next page, we find out that “Yes!” she does have a broomstick. In the end we find out that she is a witch but she is a nice witch.

Personal Reaction:            

            This is the kind of story that would be great to read to an audience of children, I like it when they are asked to participate in the story, but guess what? It might scare the bejesus out of them! The scary part is not really the text, it is the creepy illustrations. Daisy O’Grady is grotesquely pictured taking baths beside dead animals, sleeping amongst spiders, and casting spells. The pictures are very well done actually; they are of extremely high quality with amazing attention paid to detail. They do not really add to comprehension due to the fact that the book only contains 124 words and there are many more objects in just a few of the illustrations.  I am not one for censoring at all, but I do have to say this particularly when it comes to young children: let’s not give them nightmares. I would be outraged if my little one (which I don’t have) came home from school with nightmares because of a book that was too scary. On the other hand, I do think this book was intended to be a read aloud and am not sure it holds up to being read silently.

Fox, M., & Goodman, V. (1990). Guess what?. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Dear Primo: A Letter to my Cousin/ Pura Belpre

Plot Summary:

            This book does not follow a typical plot line; it is organized in a compare/ contrast manner. A boy from an urban part of the United States writes his cousin in rural Mexico. The boy tells about his life and surroundings such as riding a subway to school. His cousin rides his bicycle. The boy plays basketball, his cousin plays soccer. The boy goes to diners and eats pizza. His cousin eats quesadillas and tortillas. These comparisons go on throughout the book.

Personal Reaction:            

            This is a nice story; there are a lot of Spanish words with illustrations beside them so that they need no explanation. The illustrations are done in collage, which adds an interesting texture and allows for the comparison to continue beyond the text. Of course the illustrations are also used to reinforce text, which is often written in letter form. This book was very simple, but valuable in that I think many kids can identify with having a cousin that lives some distance away, and wonder about their lives. Therefore, it may have an intended audience of predominantly ELL and immigrant readers, but I do think this book is for any kid.

Tonatiuh, D. (2010). Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Interrupting Chicken/ Notable Books for Children

Plot Summary:

            Papa is telling bedtime story to his daughter, a little red chicken. She loves to hear them, but she keeps ruining the plot because she interrupts and inserts herself in the stories, warning the characters of danger and ending the story immediately. She ruins Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood before Papa refuses to tell her another. She begs and begs until Papa asks her to tell him a story. Papa gets into bed and the little red chicken begins to telling him a story about a Papa reading to his little red chicken. Before she knows it, Papa is asleep.

Personal Reaction:            

            This book is adorable! I love the cute relationship between father and daughter that is depicted as well as the personality of the little red chicken.  Stein has a very strong voice. The illustrations are also excellent; in fact, the book is a Caldecott honor book and a New York Times bestseller. The illustrator uses bright, bold colors to tell this great story. In addition, the pictures increase the tone of the book, depicting the little red jumping out of the bed to interrupt one of her father’s stories.

Stein, D. E. (2010). Interrupting chicken. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

City Dog, Country Frog/ Notable

Plot Summary:

            This book does not follow a typical plot line; it is organized in a circular, seasonal way. The story begins in the spring when City Dog visits the country and meets Country Frog. The two become fast friends and Country Frog teaches many country games to City Dog. In the summer, City Dog comes back and teaches Country Frog city games. In the fall, Country Frog is too tired for games and the two just talk about all the fun they have had in the past. In the winter, City Dog cannot find Country Frog. In the spring he meets a new friend, Country Chipmunk.

Personal Reaction:            

            This is a very simple story of friendship and acceptance. It sends a very good and peaceful message. It also addresses change, I love that City Dog makes a new friend in the end instead of missing his old one. The illustrations, done in watercolor, are bright and cheerful, yet appropriate to the season and the tone of the book. Winter is more bleak, and spring is more merry of course. In addition, the illustrations increase comprehension and are appropriate for the words. I really liked this book.

Willems, M., & Muth, J. J. (2010). City Dog, Country Frog. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Skippyjon Jones Class Action/ New York Times Bestseller

Plot Summary:

            Skippyjon Jones is back again. This time he wants to go to school against his mother’s wishes. He then imagines himself at school with his dog friends. The problem is, there is a “wooly bully” dog in a spinning tea cup circling the school. Skippyjon enjoyes himself immensely and breaks the “wooly bully’s” tea cup, only to find out that the dog inside is very tiny and hungry. Of course, Skippyjon feeds the little dog and continues to play until his mother comes to get him. In the end, the reader finds out that it was all make believe and he has broken a tea cup and eaten a sibling’s banana.

Personal Reaction:            

            This book was very cute and humorous. The text was very busy and there were many literary elements to it. The author did an excellent job at alliteration and rhyme. There were many Spanish and even a few French words in the book as well. I felt like all that was going on might cause a breakdown in comprehension, I even had to slow down and reread parts of it. If the text was busy and confusing, it was well matched by the illustrations. There were parts where the pictures helped with comprehension, such as helping the reader know that a platano is a banana. The illustrator did use the busyness to create a feeling of fast-paced movement typical of a Chihuahua. I do believe that there are different levels of humor and interest for different ages and skill levels as far as this book is concerned.

Schachner, J. B. (2011). Skippyjon Jones class action. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

The Stupids Step Out/ Challenged

Plot Summary:

            Stanly Stupid, tells his wife and family; Mrs. Stupid, Buster, Petunia, and Kitty (their dog), that they are going to be “stepping out today.” They proceed to get ready. The entire family gets together in a bathtub without actually drawing a bath or taking off their clothes. They wear clothing incorrectly, and go off to Grandmother and Grandfather Stupid’s house. Upon arrival, Grandfather stupid does not recognize Stanly as his son and Grandmother Stupid is in the closet. After saying hello they leave and move on to their next adventure. They see themselves in a mirror and make fun of the people they see. They eat disgusting things for dinner, and dress in clown costumes to go to bed. There is no plot at all to this book at all.

Personal Reaction:            

            After reading this book, I realized that there were fifteen minutes of my life that I would not ever get back. Not only is the book entirely offensive and inappropriate, but it is not even funny or believable. At least Amelia Bedilia has a little characterization and some creativity. In addition, you can use those books to teach multiple meaning words. This book has neither characterization nor creativity. I am embarrassed for Albuquerque Public Library because they possess several copies in their holdings. Not that I even wish to censor, it is just a waste of money. If you want good slapstick, read Mad Magazine, at least it usually makes sense. The illustrations are further disturbing, they depict a framed picture of a tree on the wall of the house and underneath it says “flower.” In addition, there is a picture of a flower on the next page and it says “tree.” The characters in the book are designed to look “ugly,” because they have to make fun of themselves in front of the mirror. I just wonder who is stupider, the characters of the book or the author, publisher, and illustrator?

Allard, H., & Marshall, J. (1974). The Stupids step out. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

The Hundred Penny Box/ Newbery

Plot Summary:

            Michael lives with his parents and his great-great-aunt, Aunt Dew. Aunt Dew is getting older (100 years), and is having problems distinguishing past from present. Aunt Dew keeps an old box with a hundred pennies in it, one for each year of her life, and she and Michael go through and count the pennies as she tells him stories for each year. Having an older relative in the household is frustrating for Michael’s mother, and she wants to throw away Aunt Dew’s box. Michael tries to get Aunt Dew to let him hide it, but she insists that the box is tied to her life force and would rather die than not have it to look at. Michael argues with his mother and gets her to leave Aunt Dew’s box alone before she goes to sleep.

Personal Reaction:            

            This is a very warm story about a young man protecting his older aunt. I really enjoyed the well-developed characters and the relationship between Michael and the rest of his family members. The book reveals universal truths about how memories are all we have in the end (particularly if we live to be as old as Aunt Dew). In addition, the author used symbolism in a way that is unique, with the mother not understanding that the box and the pennies stood for Aunt Dew’s memories. The illustations were plain. They did not particularly add to the story or the reader’s comprehension. They do remind me of old photographs, and that is appropriate. They also give the book a warm feel.

Mathis, S. B., Dillon, L., & Dillon, D. (1975). The hundred penny box. New York: Viking Press.