MARTINA THE BEAUTIFUL COCKROACH
Deedy, C. A. (2007). Martina the beautiful cockroach.
Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.
Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.
Summary:
Martina the beautiful cockroach is a story who depicts the main character "Martina" in an audacious journey in search for her soul mate, her future husband. Martina in her desperate search seeks advice from her wise grandmother who suggests that she should follow an old Cuban test. To her surprise Martina finds true love in the most unexpected place or with whom the most unexpected "mouse." The detailed illustrations help readers throughout the story understand the changes the character goes through out the whole story.
Text Assignment 1:
This lively realistic picture book creates exceptional illustrations that enable the reader to think or rather imagine that the characters are humans as well.
Visual Elements
Texture -Can be used to enhance the realistic quality of the illustrations and stimulate the readers imagination.
Evaluative Criteria:
Illustrations-The illustrations in this book create the mood of the story. The illustrations in this story helped me understand or rather imagine the characters as humans. The vivid detailed illustrations were a fundamental part of the plots story structure.
Author's Website:
https://carmenagradeedy.com/
LEGEND OF THE BLUEBONNET
dePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. NY: Putnam.
Summary:
This picture book is a legend of a indigenous little girl who is faced with a troubling, but yet sacrificing decision. Her tribe is going through a horrific drought that only her "bluebonnet" can save them. Her tribe is counting on her and she definitely does not let them down.
Text Assignment 1:
This book with the detailed setting and plot story structure helps the reader understand the illustrations and how they play an essential part of the story multicultural relevancy.
Visual Elements
Lines-Can set the mood or convey movement that can provide the feeling of strength..
Evaluative Criteria:
Cultural Markers-This books illustrations help the readers understand the multicultural authenticity by including varied skin tones as well as facial features that will allow readers to make connections with their cultural background. This book enables readers to feel like their cultural matters and is relevant. Readers can make overall better connections with this book because of these cultural markers.
Author's Website:
http://www.tomie.com/main.htmlLesson Plans:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/legend-bluebonnet#cart/cleanup
OLIVIA
Falconer,I. (2009). Olivia. NY: Atheneum.
Summary:
This book is an excellent filled adventurous story that entails Olivia’s daily life routine. Olivia’s daily routine is not your typical ordinary day. Her mischievous playful character help the readers understand the child’s point view in life. This book also demonstrates the relationship she has with her family. (mother and brother) The author (Falcone) uses Olivia’s dress as a contrast and highlights it in comparison to the rest of the story characters. The magical lively illustrations help the reader understand the humoristic exaggerated life perception that any child could be going through as well.
Text Assignment 1:
This books artistic illustrations are black and white drawings, but with Olivia’s bold red color dress the readers can create visual daring images that make the main character convey a more lively image.
Visual Element
Color is used to convey emotions and symbolism.
Evaluative Criteria
The character Olivia and her age are intended to parallel the intended reader. This book emphasizes the child’s perspective in life and how a child might react given the unique circumstance that Olivia was portraying to be in.
Author's Website:
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Ian-Falconer/20564507
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. NY: HarperCollins.
Summary:
This picture book is an excellent relatable book to children due to the main character Max mischievous, vivid imagination. Max’s imagination takes him to a magical place where he is the king and not only the king, but a king to "monsters" wild things. In this book the author emphasizes the importance of children creative imagination that leaves the reader wanting more.
Text Assignment 1:
Color-The color in this children’s book is used as a way to convey emotions and symbolizes Max’s feelings and disappointments throughout the story.
Visual Elements
This book’s story elements in the illustrations help the reader understand the vivid imagination in Max’s character and the importance in the plot of the story..
Evaluative Criteria
The settings are established by the vivid unusual illustrations that enable the reader to imagine to be part of Max’s imagination.
Author's Website:
http://sendakexhibition.com/
MIRROR MIRROR
Singer, M. (2010) Mirror, Mirror. NY: Dutton
This book consists or is made up of poems portraying fairy tales with reversed character points of views. Each poem contains wonderful illustrations that help us readers understand the reversed author’s points of view.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Shape-The shape conveys action between the illustrated differentiated reversed poems.
Evaluative Criteria
The style in this picture book help the reader understand the symbolism and figurative language used as well as rhyme and rhythm in the reversed poems point of views.
Author Website:
http://www.gregorymaguire.com/
THE THREE PIGS
Wiesner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. NY: Clarion.
Summary:
This picture book initiates as the original story of "The Three Little Pigs," but then a turn occurs to the stories plot. The pigs are "literally" blown out of the book with the huffing and puffing from the wolf. The wolf not liking the idea of not being able to partake in the eating of the pigs seems puzzled. The pigs in the other hand definitely seem to be enjoying being out of the book and make new friends "characters" from other stories and they seem to live happily ever after.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Composition-The composition in this children’s book is a combination of all the elements in the story. The lines, shapes, colors, and textures help the reader understand the mood of the pigs as well as the wolf in the story.
Evaluative Criteria
The plot from this story starts up as the same from the original story and therefore helps the readers make a connection with the familiar "The Three Little Pigs" story. The climax in addition to the resolution are clear once the different version occurs. The illustrations help the "new" plot be believable and enjoyable.
Authors Website:
http://www.davidwiesner.com/
THIS IS NOT MY HAT
Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Boston, MA: Candlewick.
Summary:
This picture book teaches a lesson of stealing or taking things that don’t belong to you without being imposed. Even though the fish thinks that no one saw him the lesson or moral of this story is that taking something that is not righteously yours is incorrect and it doesn't or shouldn’t matter if you are caught you should not take things that don’t belong to you.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Texture-The texture in this children’s book helps enhance the readers realistic but yet imaginary illustrations become more acceptable. The illustration of the fish in contrast with the dark background water help stimulate the readers imagination.
Evaluative Criteria
The theme from this story is conveyed in a naturally way rather than imposed. This story satisfies the value of the overall message or lesson the author was trying to convey to the readers.
Authors Website:
http://jonklassen.tumblr.com/
MY TEACHER IS A MONSTER
Brown, P. (2014). My teacher is a monster. NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Summary:
This story book is such a marvelous relatable book that is full of figurative language. The author compares Ms. Kirby to a monster. This book portrays the teacher as the monster which at times students tend to view their own teachers as one because of the constant reminders of the their expectations in their classroom. Bobby had this perception of his teacher until one unexpected meeting at the park and from there on their teacher-student relationship changes to better.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Shape-The shapes in this children’s book helps the reader understand the dialogue between the teacher and the student. The shapes also help convey the actions that the characters are going through in this story.
Evaluative Criteria
The illustrations from this story are incredible that really emphasizes the size "literally" of the teacher and the students. These illustrations help the reader understand the students point of view towards teachers at times. The illustrations complement the story and take it beyond its actual words.
Authors Website:
http://petebrown.blogspot.com/
IT’S A BOOK
Smith, L. (2011). It's a book. NY: Roaring Brook.
Summary:
This story book is a great representation of how sometimes technology is viewed as more important than actual books. In this book a monkey is so involved with his book that his friend a "jackass" seems to not understand why? This book has several interpretations of technology versus books.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Lines-The lines in this children’s book help the reader understand the feeling of frustration between the monkey and the jackass when the jackass does not seem to understand the importance of a book. The strength between both characters point of view help the reader understand the mood the author was trying to convey.
Evaluative Criteria
The theme from this story can be set as the way technology is impacting modern society and how we tend to react towards the importance of it. We seem at times to be so technology dependent and seem to think not to be able to function without it. This topic can be discussed even with older students depending on your point of view towards technology versus books.
Authors Website:
http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/LaneSmithBooks/Lane_Smith_Books.html
THE PAPERBAG PRINCESS
Munsch, R. (2012). The paper bag princess. NY: Annick Press.
Summary:
This book depicts a clever princess who looses everything from a dragon’s mischief. This princess with nothing not even her prince charming decides to do something about her future. The princess being as smart as she was decided to create a plan and get her prince back. The story takes a turn after her "prince charming" shames her, but being the wise princess she was she makes the decision that she does not need him in her life after all.
Text Assignment 1:
Visual Elements
Composition-The composition in this children’s book helps the reader understand the elements in the story. Starting from the illustrations, lines, shape, color and texture arranged together help the reader understand the mood the author was conveying.
Evaluative Criteria
The theme from this story can be depicted of how during ancient times women were viewed as needing a man to survive. Now, during more modern times women seem to be doing just fine without a man or having the strength to start from the bottom if needed. This book demonstrates the true strength of women and the resilient virtue women hold.
