Friday, March 28, 2008

The Egyptian Cinderella

The Egyptian Cinderella
Written by Shirley Climo
Illustrated by Ruth Heller
Crowell Books, 1989
Picture Book, Traditional Literature 2-5

Summary: In the land of Egypt there lived a young maiden named Rhodopis. She did not look like any of the other Egyptian girls because she had green eyes instead of brown and thin, straight hair instead of thick, dark hair, and her skin was sun burnt pink instead of copper. The other servant girls teased Rhodopis and ordered her about cruelly, so she found friends in the animals such as the birds, a monkey, and a hippotamus who she sang to.
Sometimes she would dance for her animal friends. One evening her master awoke to see her dancing. He decided that she had a special gift and deserved to no longer be barefoot. He gave her a pair of beautiful slippers made of rose-red gold that sparkled like fireflies.
When the other servant girls went to see the Pharaoh, Rhodopis had to stay behind. While she was working on the chores, a falcon flew by and snatched one of her slippers. The falcon took the slipper to the Pharaoh, dropping it in his lap. He thinks that it is the will of the gods to find the girl whose foot would fit in the slipper. During his search, he could not find a woman whose foot was small enough to fit in the slipper. When he finally arrives with his chariot and army to the home of Rhodopis, she hides in the river reeds. The Pharaoh sees her and has her try on the slipper which fits! She also pulls the other slipper from her tunic. When the other servants declared that she is not even Egyptian, the Pharaoh says that her eyes are as green as the Nile, her hair as feathery as papyrus, and her skin the pink of a lotus flower.

Response: This story is different from other Cinderella stories in a few ways. One is that Rhodopis did not have sisters who were cruel to her. The servant girls were cruel to her. There was also not any magic included in this story. Most Cinderella stories include a bit of magic. The fact that this story is fact and fable makes this very interesting! This is similar to other Cinderella stories because the “prince” was trying to find the lady whose foot fit into a slipper and that she was an unlikely choice because she was not a royal subject but a servant girl. I enjoyed reading this Cinderella story, for it is very unique.

Teaching Ideas: Students can be given a geography lesson with this book. The real Rhodopis that this story was based upon, was taken from her home in Greece and taken across the sea to Egypt. Students can see the route that was taken. The history of Egypt as well as religion, families, education, work, art and education can be researched and discussed with students. This information could be compared to the life portrayed in The Egyptian Cinderella.

Students can also discuss Egyptians and their fashion of clothing. How is it different from the way that we dress?

Students will also find the Nile River can be discussed in more detail. The Nile provides the Egyptian people many resources such as food and water supply.
The author states that this is one of the world’s oldest Cinderella stories. It was first recorded by the Roman historian Strabo in the first century B.C. This is an interesting concept for students to learn. Also the fact that Rhodopis is a real person is even more interesting! She was a Greek slave girl who married the Pharaoh Amasis in 570-526 B.C.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Rough-Faced Girl

The Rough-Faced Girl
An IRA Teacher’s Choice Book, An ABC Children’s Bookseller’s Choice, Winner of the Georgia Children’s Storybook Award, Winner of Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award
Written by Rafe Martin
Illustrated by David Shannon
Puffin Books, 1992
Picture Book, Traditional Literature 3-5

Summary: The setting of this story is set along the shore of Lake Ontario in an Indian village. Here a poor man lived with three daughters. The oldest two daughters were cruel and hateful to their youngest sister. They made her feed the flames of the fire, which burned her arms, face, and hair, leaving scars. Her sisters called her the rough-faced girl. One day the sisters decided that they wanted new beads, moccasins, and buckskin dresses because they wanted to marry the Indivisible Being, who lives in a wigwam painted with sun, moon, stars, plants, trees, and animals. He is said to be very great, powerful, and handsome. However, no one could see him, expect his sister, who lived there. When the evil sisters met the sister, she asked them what his bow was made of. Of course, they gave the wrong answer because they have never seen the Invisible Being. Rough-faced girl asked her father if she could have beads, a new dress, and some moccasins. He could not afford anything more, but he gave her some broken shells and worn, cracked moccasins. When she wore her new clothes, the people made fun of her, calling her ugly. But she had courage in herself and she kept walking through the village. She met the sister of the Indivisible Being beside the lakeshore and the sister looked past the outward appearance into Rough-Faced girl’s heart, which is beautiful and kind. When the sister asked her what the Indivisible Being's bow was made of, she replied that it was the great curve of the rainbow and that the runner of his sled is the Milky Way that spreads across the sky. Rough-Faced girl was then taken to the wigwam, where she met the Indivisible Being. She was given the finest of buckskin robes and a necklace of perfect shells. She was told to bathe in the lake and when she came out of the waters, her skin grew smooth again and her hair beautiful and glossy. This was the way the Indivisible Being and his sister had seen her from the start. She then married the Indivisible Being and they lived together in “great gladness and never parted.”

Response: This Algonquin Cinderella story is a great way to convey the message of true beauty. Though Rough-Face girl’s sisters were beautiful on the outside, they were ugly and cruel on the inside. They thought too much of themselves to see the beauty of the rainbows, stars, and sky around them. Because they thought so highly of themselves, they were unable to see the Indivisible Being. In contrast, the Rough-Face did not allow her scars and lack of outward beauty to stop her from seeing the beauty around her or change her kind heart into a heart like her sisters’. She was able to see the Indivisible Being, due to her unselfish, caring heart.
I also like how Rough-Face girl was confident in herself and courageous even when others made fun of her and called her ugly. She seemed to push this away and follow what her heart was telling her.
The illustrations are breathtaking and do a great job of conveying the tone and mood of the story. When the sisters are making Rough-Face girl feed the fire, the colors used in this painting conveys the cruel and evil hearts of the sisters. I believe that they almost look a bit scary! When Rough-Face girl is walking through the forest, the scenery is painted in vibrant colors and much detail. This painting includes a rainbow, waterfall, puffy white clouds, a stream with a deer drinking from it, and birds flying through the air.

Teaching Ideas: The teacher should be sure that students understand the meaning behind this story; beauty is found in the heart. This is what makes us beautiful, not fancy clothes or outward beauty. The differences between Rough-Face girl and her sisters can be listed to be sure that students understand. This could be done as a class or in groups.
This story was originally a Mi'kmaq story, which is a Indian tribe considered to be in the Algonquin branch of Indians. However, Martin seems to have revised the story from the original so that the ending is a bit more romatic than the original story.
The culture of this Indian group can be discussed as teacher shares different facts with students.
For instance, the Mi'kmaq Indians do not call their houses teepees, they call their houses wigwams. The clothing the Indians wear in the book reflect the true style of clothes that Indians wear. They wear breechclothes and leggings. The canoe that Rough-Faced girl and the Indivisible Being ride in at the end of the book also reflect the importance of the canoe to the Indians, which is handcrafted with birch bark. The Mi'kmaq people group also needed to use sleds to help them travel in the winter. In the book, the Indivisbile Being's sled's is the Milky Way. This reflects the idea that nature was very important to the Indians and a key part to their culture.
This Cinderella story is a great way to reflect Indian culture and the truth that beauty comes from the inside; who you are in your heart.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter: An African Tale

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughter: An African Tale
Caldecott Honor Book
Written and Illustrated by John Steptoe
Scholastic, Inc. 1987
Picture Book, Traditional Literature K-3

Summary: In a small Africa village, there lives two beautiful sisters whose names are Manyara and Nyasha. Manyara was always in a bad temper. She teased her sister and was very jealous of her, for everyone talks about how kind Nyasha is. Nyasha did always seem to be in good spirits, for she sang to her garden and to the little snake she named Nyoka. One morning, a messenger came from the city saying that the Great King wanted a wife. The father planned to leave the next morning, but Manyara did not want to wait. She left that night on her own. On her way, she passed a little boy who asked for some food, but she said that she did not have any food, yelling for the boy to get out of the way. She then met an older woman who gave her advice, but Manyara scolded her.
The next morning, Nyasha and her father searched for Manyara. When they found her footprints leading to the city, they decided to follow her path. When Nyasha met the young boy, she gave him the yam that she had packed for lunch. When she met the older lady, she smiled, taking her advice and gave her a small pouch filled with sunflower seeds. As Nyasha approached the city gate, she met Manyara who was screaming. She said that she saw a snake with five heads who knew all her faults and that she displeased him. Nyasha bravely climbed the steps and opened the door. On the seat of the great chief’s stool lay the little garden snake. Nyasha laughed with relief and joy, exclaiming, “My little friend, why are you here?” The garden snake then changed shape, becoming the king! He said that he was the hungry little boy in the forest and the old woman who you gave sunflower seeds. He told Nyahsa that she was the most beautiful and worthy daughter in the land. He asked her to be his wife. Villagers from all around were invited to the celebration. Manyara finally became happy for her sister, and she became a servant in her sister, the queen’s household.

Response: This is now one of my favorite Cinderella stories! The fact that Nyasha is beautiful for her character and spirit is a truth that everyone should live by. How we treat others is important and truly makes a difference in our beauty and how we are perceived by others. Nyahsa and Manyara are opposites. Nyasha represents kindness and compassion, while Manyara represents selfishness and jealousy. In the end, Nyasha is chosen by the king because of her inner beauty. What an important message!
I believe that the illustrations also demonstrate the differences in the two sisters. While Manyara’s facial expressions show madness and hatefulness, Nyasha’s facial expression are gentle and caring. The African culture is also demonstrated through the illustrations. The clothing, environment, and animals are convey how this way of life is different from American life. The text and illustrations are also integrated very well. Most of the illustrations are double spread, where the text is barely noticed. The double spread also provides many details for viewers to take in.

Teaching Ideas: The beginning of the book talks about the origins and history of this meaningful story. The details of the illustrations were inspired by the ruins of an ancient city found in Zimbabwe.The flora and fauna of that region also inspired the illustrations. For students to better understand the location of Zimbabwe, the teacher could show a map.Students can also read Zimbabwe facts and Exploring Zimbabwe in pairs and then create a small poster of the information they have found. They could include the information that Zimbabwe lies on a high plateau and the terrian of this county consists of grassland and mountains. Students can then compare this information to the illustrations in the book. Do the illustrations match the description of the land and the animals that live there?

Other interesting facts about South Africa can be shared with students. Did you know that summers begin in September and last through April? Or that there is a vast array of wildlife? In Kruger National Park there are 500 different types of birds and 147 different types of mammels?

Other facts that should be shared with students: Zimbabwe occupies part of the great plateau of southern Africa. English is the official language of Zimbabwe. The most important Bantu languages are Shona and Ndebele. The names of the characters of the book are from the Shona language: Mufaro(the father) means “happy man”; Nyasha means “mercy”; Manyara means “ashamed”; and Nyoka means “snake.” Students would enjoy learning this before reading the book. Teacher could challenge students to think about why the characters may be given this name. As a class or a in groups, students can make character sketches.

This Cinderella story is a great one to use to contrast and compare Cinderella stories around the world. In comparing this to a story such as The Rough Faced Girl by Rafe Martin, several similarties and differences are apparent. One similarity is that the Cinderella's are chosen due to their inner beauty, not their outer beauty. They both treated others with kindness and had confidence in themselves. The magic person in both stories is the prince! Both girls are also teased by their sisters. Differences include the setting and culture of the two stories.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The Three Little Javelinas

The Three Little Javelinas
Written by Susan Lowell
Illustrated by Jim Harris
Northland Publishing Co, 1992
Picture Book, Traditional Literature 3-5

Summary: This is a southwester adaptation of the familiar folk tale “the three little pigs.” A javelina is a cousin of a pig. They are very hairy with bony legs. One day the three little javelinas trotted away to seek their fortunes. The first javelina decided that he was going to build his house of tumbleweed. When the coyote came, he blew the house away but the javelina escaped! He came to his brother’s home, who had built his house of saguaros ribs which come from giant cactus plants. When coyote came, he huffed and puffed and blew their house down but the two little javelinas escaped into the desert. The third javelina made her house of adobe bricks which are mud and straw. She welcomed her two brothers into her home. When the coyote came, he could not blow the house down. He decided that he would try to get into the house through the stove pipe. The third javelina had lit a fire inside her wood stove. The coyote let out a long howl as he climbed out of the stove pipe. To this day, when you hear a coyote yelping in the desert, he is remembering this incident with the three little javelinas.

Response and Teaching Ideas: I greatly enjoyed this adaptation of the three little pigs. It is very humorous and insightful. I also like how the third javelina who builds a strong, sturdy house is a girl! The encounter with the Native American woman and the Spanish speaking man allows the teacher to discuss these different cultures with her students. The illustrations are also full of detail. The environment of the desert is described and illustrated specifically-such as dust storms, cactuses, intense heat, “palo verde trees with green trunks and yellow flowers,” snakes, hawks, mountains, and coyotes. These are just a few concepts that are introduced to students. The teacher can expand on these descriptions to teach students about climate, animals, and life in the desert.
Students will also enjoy comparing this book to another version of the three little pigs. One example could be comparing it to “The Three Little Rabbits.” These two books follow the same plot but have different characters. The settings are different-one in the desert and the other in the forest. The trickster is also different-one is a coyote and the other is a fox. The animals also build homes out of different materials which came from the environment. Similarities also exist between the two stories. Both stories begin with “once upon a time,” both end happily, both contain a trickster who gets himself into trouble, and both stories are about siblings going out on their own.

Venn Diagram

VennDiagram: This is a fun way to compare the story of The Three Little Rabbits and The Three Little Javelinas. The labels are velcroed on the back. The phrases and animals will either be velcroed on the javelina square, the rabbits square, or the similarties square. An example that would go on the javelinas page would be that the trickster was a coyote. On the rabbits page, the trickster was the fox. The phrase, "begins with once upon a time" belongs on the similarties square.

I believe that this would be a fun and enjoyable activity for students.

The Three Little Rabbits

The Three Little Rabbits: A Balkan Folktale
Retold and Illustrated by Ivan Gantschev
Translated by J. Alison James
North-South Books, 2002
Picture Books, Traditional Literature K-2

Summary: Once upon a time there lived three little rabbits. When they were grown up, their father sent them out to see the world. He told them to build a safe rabbit hole to hide in from the fox. The rabbits were excited to be on their own, and two rabbits decided not to follow his father’s orders. The first rabbit built a nest of branches, hay, and moss. When he smelt the fox, he knew that he was not safe, for he had nowhere to hide. When the fox asked him to come out and play, the rabbit ran from the fox as fast as he could. The second rabbit also thought that building a nest would take too long. He built a jut make of branches, moss, and leaves. When the fox came, he also realized he did not have a safe place to hide and he ran as fast as he could from the fox while the fox searched his hut. The third rabbit dug a nice, deep burrow. When the fox came, she had a safe place to retreat. The fox eventually got stuck digging through the ground to try to reach the rabbit. Rabbit made fox promise that he would no longer chase his brothers. Then rabbit pushed the fox out of her burrow. The other two rabbits took time to dig their own safe, warm burrows.

Response: I like this book even more than the traditional three little pigs story. While the stories share the same plot, I enjoyed the characters of the three little rabbits more. This may be because rabbits were my favorite animal growing up. I also like the fact that the rabbits did not get eaten like the first two pigs who did not build a sturdy house. I also like the fact that the rabbits learned from the third rabbit and dug a burrow. Students can learn about animal habitats through this story.

Teaching Ideas: Students would enjoy comparing this story with the story of the three little pigs or a similar story such as the three little javelinas. The teacher could create a model of a venn diagram to demonstrate similarities and differences in the stories. Some differences include the settings, the materials used to build homes, and the animal that was chasing the rabbits and javelinas. The javelinas also have a conversation with people while the rabbits do not. The javelinas were sent into the world to seek their fortunes while the rabbits were sent into the world to see the world. Similarities include the fact that there are three animals and a trickster who ends up being the one being tricked! Both stories explain a concept that is true. For example, The Three Little Rabbits explain why rabbits hide in their burrows. The Three Little Javelinas explains why the coyote yelps so-he is remembering when he was burnt in the fireplace of the javelina’s home. Both stories begin with “once upon a time” and end happily.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia
1977 Newberry Award
Written by: Katherine Paterson
Published by HarperCollins, 1977
Realistic Fiction, 3-5

Summary: Jessie Aarons lives in rural Virginia with his father, mother, and four sisters. Every morning during the summer he milks Bessie the cow and run laps around the cow pasture. He wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade. However, on the first day of school, he is not the fastest in the fifth grade. A girl, Leslie Burke and also a new student, wins all the races against the boys. After this, Jessie tries to avoid Leslie at all costs, until he realizes that her family has moved into the house on the other side of the cow pasture. During music class one day at school, Jessie realized that there was no need for him to be avoiding Leslie. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Jessie takes up for her when students tease her for not having a television. Their friendship flourished from this point on. Together they created a world that is only for them in the land of Terabithia which is between their homes and across the creek. To cross the creek, they swing across on an “enchanted rope” hanging on a tree. This is the only way they can enter “the kingdom.” This was their secret world. When Christmas time came, Jessie was so excited about giving Leslie her Christmas present, a puppy. She named him P.T. and he became the prince of Terabithia. Each day, they would retreat to their kingdom, until the rains came. The creek was starting to get so high that they could not safely cross the creek. Leslie never seemed to be afraid, while Jessie was always a bit afraid. One day, Jessie goes on a trip to Washington with his teacher. When he comes home, his parents tell him that Leslie drowned in the creek. Jessie is filled with an array of emotions. He is shocked, scared, and angry at Leslie for leaving him. On the day that Leslie’s parents leave to return to their home in Pennsylvania, Jessie build a bridge to their land of Terabithia. When his little sister May-Belle comes to see what he is doing, Jessie puts flowers in her hair and leads her across the bridge saying, “All the Terebithians are standing on tiptoe to see you. There is a rumor going around that the beautiful girl arriving today might be the queen they’ve been waiting for.”

Response: Bridge to Terabithia evoked many different emotions in my heart. The friendship that Leslie and Jessie created was truly unique and beautiful. They taught each other the true meanings of friendship: accepting one another just as they are, the importance of being dependable, honesty, trust, and teamwork. Leslie led Jessie to view the world in a different way; “It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength.”
I also seemed to feel a bit of sympathy for Jessie, for he seemed to dread going home at times. He did not seem to have a close relationship with his family. He is even afraid for them to find out about his talent for art. Leslie accepts Jessie and his desire to paint and draw and leads him to realize the importance of being himself.
I did not like the way that God is depicted in this book, for I do not believe that the reverence that is due God is present here. God seems to be depicted as an powerful, wrathful God but not a loving, personal God. When Leslie goes to church with Jessie, she says that is beautiful that Jesus would die for the people that wanted to kill him when he did nothing wrong. She says that she does not believe it, but still thinks it is beautiful. May Belle tells Leslie that if she does not believe in the bible, “God’ll damn you to hell when you die.” Once again, this makes God seem to be an angry God when in fact, He is a loving and merciful God. This book does not seem to tell the whole story of the cross and I do not believe that this is fair.
The fact that Leslie died brings sorrow to the reader as they imagine the pain that Jessie is going through as the copes with losing his best friend.

Teaching Ideas: This book could be used to prompt discussion or used as writing prompts. Students can be asked to recall the magic worlds they have created growing up. How were they created? What was magic or special about his place? Who was there with you? Students can also be taught important truths about friendship through Jessie and Leslie such as acceptance, honesty, teamwork, and trust.
Through Jessie, students will also realize what it may be like to lose a best friend or someone very close to them. They will realize the sorrow that will be experienced but also that they must give to the world what this person gave to them.

What Will I Do Without You?

What Will I Do Without You?
Written by: Sally Grindley
Illustrated by: Penny Dann
Published by Kingfisher, 1999
Picture Book, Animal Fantasy K-2

Summary: When Jefferson Bear has to leave his friend, Figgy Twosocks the fox(his two front brown legs look like they have white socks on them), Figgy is very sad. She does not understand why Jefferson Bear has to go into hibernation. When winter arrives, Jefferson Bear hugs Figgy tightly and disappears into his cave. The snow soon arrives and Figgy wants to play with Jefferson Bear and she misses him greatly! She tries to play with her brothers, but they tease her, throwing snowballs. When Figgy builds a snow bear to remind her of Jefferson Bear, her brothers throw snowballs at the snowbear. Hoptail the squirrel brightens Figgy’s spirits when he asks Figgy to help her find the places she hid her nuts in the fall. They became great friends, playing the snow together each day. Hoptail even helped Figgy rebuild the snow bear, which they went to see at the end of each day. As the winter snow melts away, the spring season appears and Jefferson Bear emerges from his hibernation. He is very happy to meet Hoptail and can’t wait to about what all Figgy did without him during the hibernation.

Response: This book is absolutely adorable! The characters of Figgy, Jefferson Bear, and Hoptail are smiley and snuggly. I believe that students would greatly enjoy this book, for I greatly enjoyed reading it and looking at the inviting illustrations. The book cover will no doubt catch student’s attention. Snowflakes surround the picture of Jefferson Bear and Figgy. The bear is smiling while fox is not. They will wonder why fox is frowning! The illustrations support the text. They convey what Figgy is feeling as well as convey her playful character. The text will hold students attention while the text is read, for they are very detailed.
This is a good book to read at “circle time” with kindergarten or first grade students. Some students can relate to Figgy when she is being teased by her brothers! Students will also realize how fun and exciting it is to make a new friend.

Teaching Ideas: Students can be taught about hibernation, bears, foxes, and the season of winter. While this book may not give detail information about these facts, this book may serve as an introduction to these concepts. Also, through Figgy, students can learn about importance of making new friends! It is fun and exciting to play with others and learn about their interests.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux: the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread
2004 Newberry Award Winner
Written by Kate DiCamillo
Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
Candlewick Press, 2003
Animal Fantasy, 3-5

Summary: Despereaux is not like any other mouse in the castle. He is much smaller with very large ears. He also has no desire to be like other mice. His brothers and sisters try to teach him how to be a mouse, but he just does not conform to their ways. Instead of eating the paper of a book, he reads it. He also breaks the rules for every mouse, for he not only allow humans to see him, he speaks to them! When the king is playing his guitar for the princess, Despereaux believes that the sound is sweeter than honey. Soon, he finds himself at the foot of the king. Despereaux falls in love with Princess Pea tells her his name and also says, “I honor you,” because this is what happens in the book that he reads about a knight in a shining armor. Soon Despereaux was found by his brother and taken to the Mouse Council, who took him to the dungeon, where mouse do not come out of alive due to the rats. There is a certain rat that lives in the darkness who longed to live in the light. His name is Chiaroscuro, also called Roscuro. When he leaves the dungeon, he causes trouble because he falls into the queen’s soup, which kills her. Roscuro then longs to have revenge on the princess because she gives him a hateful look. The king then outlaws soup for the whole kingdom. Everyone in the kingdom is to give their spoons and kettles to be taken to the dungeon. When an attendant came to a certain house collecting spoons and kettles, he brings a girl named Miggery Sow back to the castle with him. She has had a hard life, for when her mother died her father sold her for a red tablecloth, a handful of cigarettes, and a hen. Her “uncle” mistreated her, making her do all the chores and not caring about what she wanted. When she comes to the castle, she has a hard time finding a job in which she could do without trouble. She gets the job of taking the jailor in the dungeon’s food. While he is eating, she talks to him. She tells him that she longs to be a princess. Roscuro hears her and decides that this is his chance to seek revenge on the princess. He tells Miggery Sow an awful plan. Meanwhile, Despereaux hides under a napkin, listening to this horrible plan. He realizes that he is to be the knight in shining armor to rescue the princess. That night, Roscuro and Miggery Sow lead the princess into the darkness of the dungeon with a knife. Princess is patient and tries to be kind. In the dungeon, when Roscuro tries to trick Miggery Sow into putting the princess in chains, she begins crying. The princess is caring and asks Miggery Sow what is wrong. She also holds her hand while she cries. About this time, Despereaux finds them in the darkness of the dungeon. He is armed with a sewing needle to protect himself from the rats. Roscuro begins crying because he realizes that he just wanted some light of his own. The princess promises him that if will lead them out of the mazes of the dungeon, she will allow him in the light of castle. In the end, Miggery Sow meets her father again, who treats her like a princess for the wrong he treated her. Roscuro was allowed free access to the whole castle. Despereaux and Princess Pea became the greatest friends who shared many adventures.

Response: This book was very unlike anything I have ever read. The characters are very unique with different types of personality traits. Despereaux was my favorite character because followed his heart. He was very courageous and brave in the face of danger in the dungeon. He also risked so much for love. The fact that he fell in love with the princess is so sweet. I also like how DiCamillo talks to the reader during the story. This is similar to what it would be like if she was telling the story. Also, I like how she addresses issues of everyday life. This includes issues the issues of love, forgiveness, bravery, and friendship.

Teaching Ideas: Teachers can have students make character logs of the different characters in which they compare and contrast the different characters of the story. Students can also discuss different issues the character face as well the difference between light and darkness as it is discussed in the book. Also, students can discuss how the author portrays love and forgiveness. Students can also compare the way that castle life is portrayed in this tale and the vision that other stories portray castle life-for example, Cinderella.
Students will greatly enjoy reading this unique fairy tale.

Venn Diagram

Venn Diagram: The above is an example of what could be used with students when comparing The Three Little Rabbits and The Three Little Javelinas. The animals (rabbits and javelinas), trees, cactuses, and phrases have velcro on the back. Students will draw a phrase or animal from the teacher and place it in the correct place on the diagram. For example, the phrase "the trickster was a fox" should be velcroed onto the three little rabbits felt square. The phrase "beings with once upon a time" should be velcroed onto similarties squre.
I believe that this will be a fun activity for students!

Swamp Angel

Swamp Angel
1995 Caldecott Honor Book
Written by: Anne Isaacs Illustrated by: Paul O. Zelinsky
Published by Puffin Books, 1994
Picture Book, Traditional Literature K-5

Summary: When Angelica Longrider was born, no one in Tenessee knew that she would grow up to be the “Swamp Angel.” By the time she was two years old, she could build her own log cabin. The title “swamp angel” came about when she rescued a wagon train, lifting the wagons and people out of the water like “they were twigs in a puddle.” When a competition arose to catch the mean-spirited bear, Thundering Taranation, Angel was the champion. The bear sure did put up a fight, but Angel fought right back. Not only did she throw him in the sky and lasso him down with a tornado, she drank up a whole lake when the bear pinned her on the bottom. They wrestled for five days when they fell asleep wrestling. Their snoring was so loud that they knocked down a whole forest. When the bear awoke and was eating honey, Angel’s snoring made a tree fall on bear and killed him. As a celebration, Angel served Tennessee bear meat cooked in all kinds of ways! She also dragged his pelt from Tennessee to Montana, which is now called Shortgrass Prairie.

Response: What a fun, imaginative book! Students will greatly enjoy laughing with this book and looking at the beautiful pictures. This tall tale is certainly an exaggerated account of the story of Swamp Angel. Isaacs used Swamp Angel to detail why the Great Smoky Mountains are given this title; because Angel and bear created so much dust while they were wrestling across the Tennessee hills. (Shortgrass prairie in Montana?) The fact that this story is about a woman adds balance to the realm of traditional literature because the hero is a woman. She overcomes the bear because she did not give up. She also used her power of being taller to help others.
The illustrations are amazing. They are painted in oils on cherry, maple, and birch veneers. This gives the illustrations a unique look and are very detailed! Students will enjoy taking in the many details of each page! There are so many different details to take in-different characters, backgrounds, animals, and activities. On one page, thundering Tarnation’s claws are clawing down from the top of the page. He also appears two other times in two different settings on these pages. In another double spread of pages, Angel is drawn doing about five different activities. For example, in one picture, she is building a log cabin, pouring water on a burning log cabin, knitting a quilt with mountain lions playing on the yarn, and Angel flying her dog with the geese on top of the mountain. However, if you were to just glance at this illustration, you would miss the eagle sitting in the tree, the beautiful colors and texture of the sky full of fluffy clouds. You will also miss the man playing his fiddle in the shadows and a squirrel dancing. On each page, there are so many details to take in! The illustrations will no doubt keep student’s attention as the text is being read aloud. The borders around the illustrations also enhance the pictures, for they are almost like a picture frame.
The illustrations also do a great job of conveying perspective. Students can see without a doubt how tall Angel is. The small people, houses, mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and animals convey her size because we know the true size of these landforms and people.

Teaching Ideas: Landforms of Tennessee can be introduced, such as the Great Smoky Mountains. This can be compared to the mountains and landforms of Montana, which is where Angel drug Bear’s pelt and created the “shortgrass prairie.” Tornadoes can also be talked about, for Angel uses a tornado to rope the bear.
The character of Angel can be analyzed by students, for she keeps on trying, keeps wrestling the bear, not giving up. She also uses her power of being tall to help others. Teacher can tell students that they have all been given special gifts that they can use to help others. For example, some may have a gift to be patient, encouraging, or caring. Some students may have the gift of leadership or even the ability to make other laugh. We all have special ways that we can help each other, in the way that Angel helped the people of Tennessee.

Lon Po Po

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China
1990 Randolph Caldecott Medal For Most Distinguished Picture Book
Written and Illustrated by Ed Young
Published by PaperStar, 1990
Picture Book, Traditional Literature, K-2

Summary: When Shang, Tao, and Paotze’s mother leaves to go visit their grandmother, she tells them that she will not be back that night and to latch the door tight behind them. An old wolf saw the mother leave and he wanted to try to trick the children. He dressed as an old woman and pretended to be their “Po-Po.” When they opened the door, wolf blew out the candle. Tao and Paotze rushed to their grandmother, wanting to be hugged. They climbed into bed with their “Po-Po” and were surprised when they felt the tail and sharp claws of the wolf. When Shang lit the candle again, the wolf quickly blew it out, but not before Shang saw his face. She decides to try to trick the wolf. She asks her “Po-Po” if she would like any gingko nuts, which will make you live forever. The three children leave the house to climb the tree to pick the nuts for their grandmother. Shang tells the wolf to tie a rope around a basket and throw it up on the tree. That way, they could pull their Po-Po up the tree. Working together, Shang, Tao, and Paotze kill the wolf. They allow the wolf to get so high in the basket and then they drop him. When they realize that he is dead, the children go into the house and fall peacefully asleep.

Response: This version is quite different from the American version of Little Red Riding Hood. I believe that the message conveyed in this story contains more meaning, for the children work together to trick the wolf. In the American tale, the woodcutter comes to kill the wolf and save Little Red Riding Hood. The characters of traditional literature are demonstrated through Lon Po Po. The hero would be Shang, for her desire to trick the wolf drives the story forward. The goal is to trick the wolf. The rival would be the wolf and the helper would be Paotze’s sisters, Tao and Paotze. Lon Po Po could be considered an animal tale, and more specifically, a trickster tale. While the wolf is trying to trick the children, the children are also trying to trick the wolf!
The illustrations are very unique and deserving of the Caldecott award! The borders around the illustrations offers a means for the illustrator to control how intimately readers feel involved with the pictures. The borders in Lon Po Po seem to be used to sepereate scenes or to separate the text from the illustration. For example, when the wolf is falling from the basket, no borders are used, to show continuous and dramatic action. Also, when the children first let their “grandmother” into their home, there is a border break in-between the children and the wolf. While the children are surrounded by a red, yellow glow, the wolf is surrounded with dark blue and blacks. Therefore, color is also used to contrast the different characters of the children and wolf, showing good and evil.

Teaching Ideas: Students can take into account the teamwork the sisters demonstrated in order to reach their goal of out-witting the fox. Teacher can ask, “Are you part of a team? How are we part of a team in the classroom?” Students can understand that they can help each other learn to the best of their ability by encouraging each other, using kind words, paying attention, and following directions. Students can also see the effects of greed through the wolf. The wolf was greedy in that he wanted to taste a ginko nut and this led to the wolf’s fall. Students can understand what greed is and the effects it can have on a person.

Lon Po Po will be enjoyed by children and adults alike, for all will enjoy the children working together to outwit the wolf.