Module 15, Scary Stories

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 Scary Stories, By Alvin Schwartz 

Overview: Scary Stories is a collection of short scary stories. Each story is about one to two pages with terrifying short stories and even more terrifying illustrations. The short stories range from topics about brains, bloody fingers and big toes.

Schwartz, A . (1989). Scary stories to tell in the dark. New York, NY: Harper Collins publisher.

Little Library Review: I love this book! For me it is a classic of my childhood. The interesting thing about the questionable nature of the book is that I read this book first in the 90's in early elementary and no one was up in arms about it at the time. I like this book for those readers that just love to scare themselves and test their boundaries of fear. This book is graphic and scary and I would not read this with very young readers. The spooky stories will definitely have you visualizing and hesitant of walking around in the dark, but that is the fun of reading a book like this. This book would be perfect for a sleepover party to scary the tuna salad out of each other right before bed time. :)

Other Professional Reviews:
Grade 3-8. This folklore collection is unusually good. True to the genre, the stories contain suitable for telling, particularly for Halloween or around the campfire. Contemporary and humorous stories are blended with spooky ones. The scholarship in the source notes and bibliography are useful to serious literature students. Although the cover is not charming, it hints to macabre, shadowy black and white illustrations inside. The stories are not unbearably grotesque:they are suitable for even low elementary grades.

Chamberlin, L. B. (1982). Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Book Review). School Library Journal, 28(5), 81.

Using it in the Library 📖: An activity that can be done with this book is to have a faux camp out in the library. The librarian can have students bring their sleeping bags or towel as you read aloud the scary stories together. It would be a perfect read aloud to do near Halloween but really I am sure the kids would enjoy this activity anytime of year. This could be done with a book club, reward or a just because.

Module 14, Take Me Out Of The Bathtub

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Take me out of the bathtub, By Alan Katz and Illustrated by David Catrow 

Overview: Take me out of the bathtub is a collection of silly and funny poems from a little boy and his wild house hold. The book features short poems about diaper changing, cleaning, and taking a bath to the tune of familiar songs like twinkle, twinkle and take me out to the ball game.

Katz, A. (1991). Take me out of the bath tub. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster publishing.

Little Library Review: Take me out of the bathtub is a fun way to introduce or maintain kids love of poetry. These lyrical poems are fun because they have a familiar rhythm and the content cover zany topics that will make kids laugh. Poetry can sometimes be a hard sell for children but Alan Katz does a really good job of making light of the wild things happening in this house. The illustrations are not to be overlooked and compliment the silly words of the poems/songs.

Other Professional Reviews: K-Gr 3--The 14 songs from Alan Katz's book, Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2001), are featured in this companion CD. The songs cover a wide range of topics, from food fights to loose shoe laces and from a bad babysitter to a tale of the tub. Because the whimsical lyrics are set to well-known tunes such as "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" ("Take Me Out of the Bathtub), "I've Been Working on the Railroad" ("I've Been Cleaning Up My Bedroom"), "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" ("Stinky, Stinky Diaper Change"), and "Home on the Range" ("Give Me a Break," about an overdue library book), listeners will quickly catch on to the silly songs. The numbers included in this collection are performed by a wide range of artists who infuse just the right amount of energy and enthusiasm into each song. Instrumental tracks are included so that listeners can perform each song on their own. A good addition to collections for young children.

De Fazio, V. S. (2011). Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs. School Library Journal, 57(3), 81.

Using it in the Library 📖: Activities or lessons that can be done with this book are a poetry study of this book and other Katz books. Students can then create their own lyrical poems and perform for each other or an audience.

Module 13, Sisters

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Sisters, By Raina Telgemeier 

Overview: Sisters is a graphic novel about adventures of two sisters together. They go on road trips, buy pets, visit family and go through sisterly ups and downs together. The graphic novel is full of drama, sisterly arguments and disagreements but in the end they are there for each other throughout their set backs. 

Telgemeier, R. (2014). Sisters. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Little Library Review:  This book is a funny comedy of two sisters that fight but love each other in the end. It is a good book for siblings to read and identify with sympathize with the characters. It also teaches a lesson with humor that although you fight and don't always get along your sister will be there for you. The story structure is setup as a graphic novel so it is a appealing to those readers that maybe bored with the same old format of fictional stories. I would recommend this book for upper elementary readers.

Other Professional Reviews: Gr 4 Up— Telgemeier has returned with a must-have follow-up to Smile (Scholastic, 2010) that is as funny as it is poignant, and utterly relatable for anyone with siblings. This realistic graphic memoir tells the story of Raina; her sister, Amara; and her brother, Will, as they take a road trip with their mother from California to Colorado to join a family reunion. The author's narrative style is fresh and sharp, and the combination of well-paced and well-placed flashbacks pull the plot together, moving the story forward and helping readers understand the characters' point of view. The volume captures preadolescence in an effortless and uncanny way and turns tough subjects, such as parental marriage problems, into experiences with which readers can identify. This ability is what sets Telgemeier's work apart and makes her titles appealing to such a wide variety of readers. Not only does the story relay the road trip's hijinks, but it also touches on what happens with the advent of a new sibling and what it means to be truly sisters. Fans of the graphic novelist's work will be sure to delight in this return to the Telgemeier's family drama.—Krishna Grady, Darien Library, CT

Grady, K. (2014). Sisters. School Library Journal, 60(7), 96.

Using it in the Library 📖: Sisters is written in graphic novel structure: a fun activity to do after reading this story would be to create fictional stories in a comic book format.

Module 12, Rosa

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Rosa, By Nikki Giovanni, Illustrated by Brian Collier 

Overview: Rosa Parks is a average African American woman working in the 1950's as a seamstress. One day on her way home she is tired and encounters a situation on her bus ride and is faced with a difficult situation. She takes a stand for herself and others like her. The story does not stop here though as most familiar with her story do. This book continues and tells how Rosa was feeling and the impact that is had on her family and friends.

Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. New York, NY: Holtzbrink Publishers.

Little Library Review: This book is written about a common public figure Rosa Parks, however, it is written from a different perspective and connects with her background as common person and human. I like the way that the author shares stories of her experiences at home and with her husband to show that she was just an average person who made an extraordinary difference. The text is also written in a simple child friendly way so that children are able to understand the story and events of actions that day. The illustrations are full of rich color and make a powerful impact on the story's delivery. 

Other Professional Reviews: Gr 3-5-- An eloquent narrative and powerfully expressionistic art paint Rosa Parks with a heroic sheen. Cast as a capable, strong-minded woman who sat down that fateful day ready and able to face the consequences, Parks actually glows in the illustrations--fittingly, as her experience lit the way for those who organized the subsequent bus boycott and, like the marchers depicted on a culminating double foldout, were moved to so many further acts of courage.

Peters, J. (2006). Rosa. School Library Journal, 52(3), 88-89

Using it in the Library 📖: This book would be a good mentor text to use as a resource for research on individuals that have made an impact. The language is simple enough that readers will be able to get a lot of real and important information from the story.

Module 11, Actual Size

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Actual Size, By Steve Jenkins 

Overview: Actual Size is a colorful book of information about the actual size of an array of animals. As you read about each animal a picture is illustrated of the either a part or entire body for readers enjoyment. 

Jenkins, S. (2011). Actual Size. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Little Library Review: Actual Size is a really amazing book because it gives readers a glimpse of animals they otherwise may never see. Someone may tell you how big a bears paw is but Steve Jenkins shows you, which is many ways is more powerful. This book is good for any age reader to enjoy, compare and have fun with animals and their many sizes.   

Other Professional Reviews: PreS-Gr 5-- In striking torn-and-cut paper collages, Jenkins depicts 18 animals and insects-or a part of their body-in actual size. One illustration compares an atlas moth with a 12-inch wingspan to a dwarf goby fish, which is 1/3-inch long. The eye of a giant squid, at a foot across, occupies a spread to terrific effect; only the snout and tongue-curling its two-foot length across two pages and littered with termites-are visible in the picture of the giant anteater. The hand of a gorilla fills a page opposite the entire pygmy mouse lemur with its tiny human-fingertip-sized palm. The saltwater crocodile grows to 23 feet, so tremendous that its head occupies a three-page foldout. On the reverse side is the rat-eating Goliath frog, a staggering 36 inches long in full hop. One or two lines of text briefly introduce each animal and give specific measurements, e.g., the gorilla stands 5 ½ feet tall and weighs 600 pounds, while the mouse lemur is 2 ½ inches tall and weighs 1 ounce. The end matter offers full pictures of the creatures and more details about their habitats and habits. Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.

Ratterree, D. (2004). Actual Size (Book). School Library Journal, 50(6), 128

Using it in the Library 📖: This book would be a good resource book to use for collecting information about animals featured in the book. Steve Jenkins also includes measurement and sizes, it would be fun to really use measurement tools to measure the illustrations. A variety of tools could be used. Students could also recreate a similar styled book of real items and their actual sizes.

Module 10, Henry's Freedom Box

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Henry's Freedom Box, By Ellen Levine 

Overview:  The book begins with Henry's life as a young slave. He is struggling with his identity because he doesn't know his birthday and he is seperated from his family. He collects things as he grows up but is torn apart again from his family once again when he is a man. In despair and desperation he comes up with a plan for his freedom to mail himself off to the North. 

Levine, E. (2007). Henry's Freedom Box. Boston, MA: Scholastic Inc.

Little Library Review: This is one of those powerful eye opening books for children to read about another perspective of how some people had to once live. I think children will connect to this book because of the value they have for their birthday and family and make a connection with Henry. I imagine young readers will empathize when they consider how tough things were for Henry that he felt he had no choice but to mail himself in a box. The illustrations as Henry is traveling gives the reader a perspective of how dangerous the situation was and how brave Henry was. 

Other Professional Reviews: 
Gr 2-5 — Inspired by an actual 1830s lithograph, this beautifully crafted picture book briefly relates the story of Henry "Box" Brown's daring escape from slavery. Torn from his mother as a child, and then forcibly separated from his wife and children as an adult, a heartsick and desperate Brown conspired with abolitionists and successfully traveled north to Philadelphia in a packing crate. His journey took just over one full day, (hiring which he was often sideways or upside down in a wooden crate large enough to hold him, but small enough not to betray its contents. The story ends with a reimagining of the lithograph that inspired it, in which Henry Brown emerges from his unhappy confinement — in every sense of the word — and smiles upon his arrival in a comfortable Pennsylvania parlor. Particularly considering the broad scope of Levine's otherwise well-written story, some of the ancillary "facts" related in her text are unnecessarily dubious; reports vary, for instance, as to whether the man who sealed Henry into the crate was a doctor or a cobbler. And, while the text places Henry's arrival on March 30, other sources claim March 24 or 25. Nelson's illustrations, always powerful and nuanced, depict the evolution of a self-possessed child into a determined and fearless young man. While some of the specifies are unfortunately questionable, this book solidly conveys the generalities of Henry Brown's story.

Threadgill, C. (2007). Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story. School Library Journal, 53(3), 176.

Using it in the Library 📖: This would be a good book to do some activities or lessons about character point of view and character traits. Henry goes through so many ups an downs in the story that the story naturally lends itself for stopping points to reflect. 

Module 9, Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty

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Who pushed Humpty Dumpty, By David Levinthal  

Overview:  Who pushed Humpty Dumpty is a mystery of short snippets of events happening around private investigator Binky. Binky is a toad and is traveling around this fairytale town investigate these crimes happening to some familiar fairy tale characters. 

Levintal, D. (2012). Who pushed Humpty Dumpty. New York, NY: Random House Children's Books.

Little Library Review: Who pushed Humpty Dumpty is a funny mystery book with lots of old familiar characters that readers will recognize. The book is hilarious because it is centered around this very serious, very professional TOAD private investigator. He is bound and determine to clean up this little town of the "crimes" taking place. I would recommend that parents or teachers expose their child to fairy tales stories like The 3 bears prior to reading this mystery. It is not necessary but it will make the story that much more humorous as you read. I recommend this book for all elementary age children to enjoy. 

Other Professional Reviews: Gr 1-4 -- These open-and-shut cases of nursery-rhyme mysteries are narrated by Officer Binky, a toad with a manner reminiscent of Joe Friday's on the old Dragnet TV show, with his typical "Just the facts, Ma'am" style. In the first of five short stories, the officer gets a call from Mrs. Bear, who is upset because someone broke into the family home, ate their porridge, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds. Based upon the evidence-a blond hair and an empty bowl, a piece of blue material caught in a chair that has seen better days, and a disheveled quilt on a bed -- Officer Binky deduces that it "could only be one dame: Goldilocks!" When questioned, she admits to being the intruder. The intrepid cop assures readers that "they'll feed her three meals a day where she's going, and she'll have plenty of time to rest." Hansel and Gretel, Humpty Dumpty, Snow White, and Jack and the Beanstalk are all similarly treated in eight pages or less with the police officer quickly solving the mysteries behind the well-known tales. Illustrations are presented in a variety of sizes and set off by frames in different colors. At the end of each segment, a red stamp reading 'CASE CLOSED' is superimposed over Nickle's richly colored acrylic artwork. The tongue-in-cheek telling of tales will tickle the fancies of children familiar with the originals. -- Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Owen, M. H. (2012). Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty?: And Other Notorious Nursery Tale Mysteries. School Library Journal, 58(9), 118.

Using it in the Library 📖: A fun activity to do after reading this book assuming that students are familiar to the fairy tales it to do a book hunt to connect the mystery with its original fairy tales and compare.