QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy.  2006.  Quest for the Tree Kangaroo.  New York: Houghton Mifflin.  ISBN: 0618496416.

PLOT SUMMARY
Montgomery teams up with Bishop and a team of scientists along with some locals from New Guinea and go in search of the amazing Matschie's tree kangaroo.  She describes the trip in great detail as she shares with the reader the exact items packed for the trip.  She goes on to tell about the plane ride, the language, and the school visit, and the hike into the cloud forest.  Once they arrive to New Guinea she describes the search of the tree kangaroo and how they insert a microchip and put a radio collar on it to track it.  Her team documents everything from the camp sites to the people and plants they encounter. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bishop included beautiful photographs to help the reader better understand the tree kangaroo.  The information is very detailed and well organized making it easy to follow their trip.  This is a great book loaded with information that can be enjoyed by both young and old.  The author included advice for kids on following their passion with wildlife conservation. 

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXERPTS
Awards
2006 American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Henry Bergh Children's Book Award
John Burroughs Young Reader Award
A Green Earth Honor Book from the Newton Marasco Foundation
A 2006 SIBERT HONOR BOOK
Orbis Pictus Award for nonfiction from the National Council of Teachers of English!
2007 Julia Ward Howe Finalist Award from the Boston Authors Club
Henry Bergh Children's Book Award
Named one of the TOP TEN books of the year for children by The Washington Post
A Booklist Editor's Choice for 2006
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year 2006
A National Science Teachers Association Council on Children's Books Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 Selection
A NSTA/CBC Selector's Choice
A Junior Library Guild Selection

Reviews
“Bishop’s photography is stunning portraiture… the tree kangaroo is marketably adorable…
… There’s plenty of evocative description of their habitat, thoughtful exploration of the role the locals play in conserving the animals, and revealing information about the rigors of this kind of scientific project… Personal focus and as-it-happens eventfulness will absorb young animal lovers.”
                                      --The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Montgomery gives an unusually strong, visceral sense of the work and cooperation fieldwork entails and the scope and uniqueness of this particular mission. She also communicates the thrill of studying animals in the wild, making observations, and discovering new information. As usual, Bishop’s color photographs are exemplary and extend the excitement in close-ups of creatures and of the team at work.”                        --Booklist

CONNECTIONS
1) Come up with a presentation to present to Bank of America to persuade them to  fund your animal conservation project.  Set up  your own team of researchers, scientists, and photographers to study an endangered species of your choice.  Include the materials you need and explain your day to day plan for your trip and the funds needed.  Get creative and get funded!!!
2) In your group of 4-5 kids research the Kangaroo Family: red kangaroos, grey kangaroos, tree kangaroo, and the Wallaroo.  Your team will explain the differences and similarities in the kangaroo family.  Include habitats, diet, characteristics, and important facts.
3) Write a children's book about any type of kangaroo in the kangaroo family to share with a Kindergarten student during buddy time.   Include 4-5 important facts and illustrations/photographs in your book. 

BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Steve.  1995. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  ISBN: 0395697018

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Animals can be record holders just like people.  Jenkins tells about fourteen animals that hold a record for being the biggest and smallest, fastest and slowest, strongest and longest animals. The strongest animal is an ant which can amazingly carry a load five times its own weight.  The smallest mammal is the Etruscan shrew which can surprisingly fit in a teaspoon.  The cheetah is by far the fastest animal which can reach a speedy 60 miles an hour.  The land snail is the slowest animal with a whooping speed of 8 inches in a minute.  The author includes interesting facts about each animal in a chart at the end of the book.  The chart includes facts like the animals name,  record, size, diet, and range. 

 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jenkins did a great job comparing the animals to actual everyday items that the children can relate to.  He compared the Etruson shrew, the smallest animal, to an adults hand to show its size and  to a ping pong ball to compare the shrew's weight to.   He included a great visual to show how an ant can carry five times its own weight and a strong human can carry something that equals its own weight.  The pictures where great to look at and the color contrasts are very catchy.  The animals are in bright colors that stand out and the back ground is in lighter colors.  For example the largest kind of spider is black with a yellow background which is very enlightening to the eye. Great book with great information/facts for young children

 

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS

Awards

-The Children's Literature Choice List, 1996 Children's Literature; United States
-Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 1995
-American Library Association-Booklist Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children, 1996 National Science Teachers Association
-Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002 California Department of Education
-1998 Washington Childrens' Choice Picture Book Award
Reviews
Large, clear print; fascinating facts; and beautiful, detailed, cut-paper collages make this excellent title a delight. Silhouette drawings show comparative sizes — the blue whale is shown next to an adult human. The realistic, inventive, textured illustrations, mostly double spreads, flow smoothly from page to page. An all-round superlative effort.  --School Library Journal
 

"Here's proof that power isn't just about size and that science can be a lot of fun." --Booklist

 

CONNECTIONS

1) Read Highest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest also by Steve Jenkins and  come up with antonyms and synonyms for the words cold, high, deep, high, big, strong, and fast. 

2) Have the students sort pictures of different animals as either big, strong, or fast.

3) Ask the following comprehension questions:

Why is this a good title for the books?

How does the information fit what you already know?

How are the text features used to convey the information?

 

 

 

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What To Do About Alice?.  Scholastic Press.  ISBN: 0439922313.

PLOT SUMMARY
Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem and her name was Alice Lee Roosevelt.  She was his eldest daughter that just wanted to explore the world, meet new people, and just let loose.  He called her behavior "running riot" but, to her it was simply "eating up the world."  She knew how to turn every experience into an adventure.  She traveled, she gambled, she danced, and she drove a fast car all in which she did with much confidence.  She didn't let much bother her and she triumphed in each and every obstacle in life for she did not want people saying "the poor little thing."  She went on to marry Nicholas Longworth and became interested in politics.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is organized very nicely for young readers. The design is inviting and interesting.  The pictures are witty and vibrant just like Alice.  The reader will get a true understanding of Alice through the illustrations and the vivid writing.  This is a great biography with wonderful quotes like "running riot," "eating up the  world," "the poor little thing," and "let me loose in your library."   These quotes allows the reader to get a true meaning of the people in  the story. Great book for kids to make connections with and to relate to in a way that it is ok to be different. 

AWARDS & REVIEW EXERPTS
Awards
Sibert Honor Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
Irma Black Award Honor Book
Parents Choice Award
Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award
California Collections
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
An ALA Notable Book
Capitol Choices
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Nominated for Young Reader awards in Texas, Illinois, Utah and Tennessee

Reviews
"Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp  her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father's trusted advisers.... Fascinating."   --School Library

"Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....  Kerley's text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line....  The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."
                                            --Booklist

"It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt."       
                                             --Publishers Weekly

CONNECTIONS
1) Have groups of students read about other presidents' children and have them compare the children.  Make a graph to show similarities and differences in all children.
2) Have the students define "eating up the world."  Then have the students come up with different ideas of what they would do to "eat up the world."  They can share their ideas via a PowerPoint presentation, Prezi, Animoto, or any other form using technology. 
3) Have the students write a biography about an interesting family member and have them title it What to do about ____? They must write about that person's personality, interests, special qualities, accomplishments, desires, mischiefs,  and hobbies.  Edit the book before publishing it and sending it to the person they wrote about. 

UNDER THE MESQUITE

BIBLIOGRAPHY
McCall, Guadalupe Garcia.  2011.  Under the Mesquite.  Lee & Low Books Inc. ISBN: 9781600604294

PLOT SUMMARY
Lupita comes from a large Mexican American immigrant family that lives in Eagle Pass, Texas.  She is happy with her life and loves her family dearly.  She's enjoys acting and writing. She learns that her mother has cancer and is sadden by the possibility of losing her dear mother. Her mother is the "glue" that holds the family together but Lupita takes on the motherly responsibilities in order to help save her mother's life. Her mother is later cared for in an out of town clinic and Lupita gladly accepts the challenges in order to move her family forward. She quickly realizes that it is a struggle to keep up with her studies, house chores, and her siblings.  She finds comfort in the company of a mesquite tree where she writes her thoughts.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author used vocabulary that made it easy to comprehend and enjoy the story.  She included a glossary to define the Spanish words used in the text.  I really connected with this book in more than one way. I can relate to Lupita in that I am also Mexican American, a first generation college grad, and my own mother makes tortillas.  I can still see my "mami" making tortillas every time I came home from college.  The smell, taste, and feel of those tortillas came back to me.  Lupita is like the mesquite tree in that although she's had losses and struggles she still finds the strength to jump back and grow from what is left.

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
2012 Pura Belpre Award
2012 William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist
2013 Tomas Rivera Children's Book Award

"A promising, deeply felt debut." --Kirkus Reviews

“This stunning debut novel in verse chronicles the teenage years of Lupita, a character drawn largely from the author s own childhood...The simplicity of the story line belies the deep richness of McCall’s writing.”   --School Library Journal  

“Told in verse sprinkled with Spanish terms (a glossary is included), this story of Lupita s high-school years details her increasing responsibility within her large Mexican American family after Mami is diagnosed with cancer.”  --Booklist

CONNECTIONS
1) Have students use poetry to tell about their own lives.  Use a QR code to link to the student's poem at Open House.
2) Have students keep a journal. 
Writing stems to promote writing:
Have you had any experiences that has changed you?
What do you do to overcome difficult situations?
If  you had to pick something to represent you, what would it be? Why?
3) Research and Discuss the Mexican-American culture, music, art, and foods.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

FACE BUG

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick.  2013.  Face Bug.  Pennsylvania: Wordsong.  ISBN: 9781590789254.

PLOT SUMMARY
Are you ready for the grand opening of the Face Bug  Museum?  Ready or not...author J. Patrick Lewis is ready to introduce 14 intriguing bugs through some pretty funny poems.  He takes you through a grand tour of bugs by using some pretty close-up photographs of a Hickory Horned Devil, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Nursery Web Spider, Pearl Crescent Butterfly, American Horse Fly, and many more.  The author includes some helpful text features: On Exhibit page tells what page to find each bug.  The photographs along with fun illustrations helps the reader capture a true meaning of each bug.  The author also includes a section titled And Now A Word From Our Bugs that gives additional information like where they live, what they eat, how they grow, and what eats me. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author uses rhyming text and humor to catch the readers interest.  The catchy rhyming words in the following piece is fun and enjoyable to read.  The author uses text that allows the reader to create mental images of what this bug had, feels, and smells like.  

P.U.! I found an insect
Who has uncommon scents.
Hello there, Mrs. Stinkbug,
My nose is your defense.

It was not my favorite poetry book.  I think older kids will enjoy this information more so than an early elementary student. 

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
2014-15 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2014 National Council of Teachers of English Notable Poetry List
Bank Street College of Education's Best Book of the Year (Poetry Category)

"There will be many returns to the Face Bug Museum as this book has so much to offer. Wonderfully conceived and executed."--School Library Journal

"Bugs get a close-up in this new book of poetry that shows off their thousands of eyes, bucktooth incisors, prickly exteriors and more. Frederic B. Siskind's wonderfully creepy full-color photographs and Kelly Murphy's cartoony black-and-white illustrations are abuzz with activity alongside J. Patrick Lewis's witty verses about insects and spiders. Some bugs are cleverly camouflaged, while others flaunt their colors, but they all have something worth celebrating, even the slimy-seeming Eastern Dobsonfly. . . " -- The Washington Post

CONNECTIONS
1) The students can write their own bug poems.
2) Make a bug using recyclable household items and write a descriptive paragraph about your bug.
3) Research a bug from the book.  Find the following information about your bug: habitat, what does it eat, predators, bug measurements, characteristics, and survival skills. 
4) Take a nature walk and have the students collect bugs.  Once in the classroom the students can observe them using magnifying glasses. 

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Applegate, Katherine. 2012. The One and Only Ivan. New York: HarperCollins.  ISBN: 9780061992254.

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Ivan, a sweet and gentle gorilla, lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade off of I-95.  People from near and far come and enjoy shows at two, four, and seven.  Ivan is accompanied by several faithful friends including Stella, an elderly elephant and Bob, a stray dog.  Ivan enjoys drawing and his owner Mack sells the paintings for $20 a piece or $25 with a frame.  Ruby, a baby elephant, joins the gang when Mack buys her for a cheap price from a bankrupt circus.  Stella and Ruby connect immediately and Stella takes Ruby under her wing as her own.  Stella loses her battle to age and an infected foot. Some of her last words to Ivan are asking him to promise her that he will take care of Ruby and that she is taken to a safe place.  Julia, a young girl that comes out to the mall at night with her dad enjoys to sit near Ivan's domain.  While her dad cleans the mall she does her homework, reads, draws, or visits with the animals.  She brings hope to this promise that Ivan has made to Stella when she gives Ivan finger paint.  Ivan works long and hard on a project in effort to make Stella's promise come true. He gives the papers to Julia whom after some great frustration finally puts the puzzle pieces together. The project gathers much attention when she and her dad place it on the billboard and it spells out HOME.  The news media and protesters help out greatly and the dream of leaving those four walls becomes a reality.  Ruby and Ivan are taken away in boxes and after some time Ivan sees Ruby and Bob at the zoo. 

 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Applegate did an amazing job grabbing the reader's attention by using humor, art, and friendship.  The friendship between Stella and Ivan is so loyal that Ivan does the impossible to keep his word and make the promise he made come true.  The author used excellent language to help create imagery of the story.  I could visualize the story so well that emotions of sadness, happiness, and determination were all experienced as I read this book.  One of the parts that really stood out to me was:

 

                                                               the promise

                                "I've never asked for a promise before, because promises

                                 are forever, and forever is an unusually long time. 

                                 Especially when you're in a cage."

 

This is so powerful to me in that promises are sometimes made and are not always kept.  But in reality that does that matter because that person did not belong in your life.  It's the person who does keep their promise and does what ever it takes to accomplish it.  They put aside all hardships and barriers to make it possible for the promise to come true.  Truly enjoyed everything about this book! 

 

AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS

Newbery Award 2013

Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee

Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Illinois)

 

“Important.” —The Horn Book

 

“Will capture readers’ hearts and never let go. A must have.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

 

“Exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

 

CONNECTIONS

1) Have the students come up with synonyms and antonyms for the following words: courage, promise, patience, imagination, lucky, comfort, protector, perfect,  and respect 

2) Do a extension lesson on the Character Trait: RESPECT and make an anchor chart on how Respect Looks Like and Sounds Like

3) Have the students make a "Bill Board"/poster to persuade people to adopt animals from an animal shelter.  You can collect animal food donations to take to the animal shelter. 

4) Have the students write a letter to a "brave or courageous" person in their lives.  Have the students explain in their letter why they think that person is brave/courageous.