WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE By Maurice Sendak

1.  Bibliography
Sendak, Maurice.  1963.  WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.  New York:  Harper Collins Publishing.  ISBN 9780064431781

2.  Plot Summary
Max is a mischievous little boy who is sent to bed with no supper for being too wild.  He uses his imagination to go to the world of the wild things and become their king to be where he belongs with his bad behavior.  Max becomes tired of being wild and misses his family. He returns home to find his dinner waiting for him and realizes there is more to life than just being wild. 

3.  Critical Analysis
The authors writing is from the perspective of a young boy who a first does not realize that good behavior is important.  The story makes children realize that being wild and on their own can be lonely.  Parents make children follow rules out of love, which Max realizes when his dinner is waiting in his room even though his mom said he could not have dinner.  On the last page of the story there is no images only the final words that his dinner is still warm.  The importance of love and understanding is conveyed on the last page of the book.  Illustrations are not important at this point only the words on the final page of the story.

The illustrations of the book are colorful and bring to life the world of the wild things.  The colors on the pages are full of greens and blues to show the lush forest and sky.  Has the reader turns each page Sendak changes the sky to let the reader know what time of day is taking place in the story.  The characters and background of the story have immense detail.  The reader can see all the fine lines of hair on the wild things bodies and see every blade of grass on the forest floor.  A lot of thought and detail is put into each illustration in the story to visualize the imagination of the main character.

This is a great book to read to children about good behavior, love, and imagination.  It helps the reader see the wonder of the imagination and adventure.  But at the end of an adventure it is important to be a good person and return to the ones who love you.

4.  Review Excerpts
Caldecott Medal Winner for the most distinguished picture book of 1964.
Common Sense remarks that "Classic all ages masterpiece with a wild imagination."
School Library Journal says,"Where the Wild Things Are is a masterpiece."

5.  Connections
Schedule a family night at the library to read the book and watch the movie of WHERE THE WILDS THINGS ARE.
Other books about imagination and changing behavior from bad to good:
Donaldson, Julia.  THE GRUFFALO.  ISBN 0803723865
Willems, Mo.  YOUR PAL MO  WILLEMS PRESENTS LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER.  ISBN 0786852941.

Pigs Make Me Sneeze By Mo Willems

1.  Bibliography
Willems, Mo.  2009.  Pigs Make Me Sneeze.  New York:  Hyperion Books For Children.  ISBN 9781423114116.

2.  Plot Summary
The pig and elephants are best friends who are trying to figure what they are going to do for the day.  The problem is that the elephant cannot stop sneezing after his friend comes to see him.  The elephant draws the conclusion from his sneezing that he is allergic to his best friend.  He goes to the doctor and is diagnosed with having a cold.  The author shares the hilarity of the characters not understanding what is wrong and the process of going to the doctor to figure out what is wrong.  It would be horrible if he could not be around his best friend ever again.

3.  Critical Analysis
The authors writing is very simple.  The text is written in balloon boxes, that are conversations between the characters.  There is no narrator in the story.  The conversations is very basic and easy to understand.  Each page only has a few sentences between the characters in the story to read.  The importance of the story is the conversation between the characters and their interactions.  The author does not want the reader to focus on anything but the interactions of the characters. 

The illustrations in the book are of the three characters in the story.  These is no background for the characters.  The pages are a white background with only the characters and their conversation bubbles for the reader to look at.  The backdrop setting is of no importance to the story.  The characters are simple drawings filled with expressions on their faces of what emotions they are conveying in their conversations has the story progresses.  The pages are very basic and easy for a child to follow the story.

This is a great book to share with young children.  It is a fast paced story that includes the action of sneezing that the children can do as the story is read to them.  It focuses on the importance of friendship and what happens when a person is sick.

4.  Review Excerpts
BOOKLIST has a starred review:  "Accessible, appealing, and full of authentic emotions about what makes friendship tick, these titles will put a contemporary shine on easy reader collections."
THE BULLETIN a starred review:  "These books will easily take their place alongside Seus and Eastman as classics in the beginning-reader genre."

5.  Connections
A great book to read to cold season or friendship story times.
Read with other books by Mo Willems with children that are learning how to read.
Set up a display to share all the adventures of Elephant and Pig by Mo Williams. 
Other books about having a cold:
Cuyler, Margery.  AH-CHOO.  ISBN 0439266181
Rylant, Cynthia.  MR. PUTTER AND TABBY CATCH THE COLD.  ISBN 0152047603.

"My Friend Rabbit" By Eric Rohmann

1.  Bibliography
Rohmann, Eric.  2002.  My Friend Rabbit.  New Milford, CN:  Roaring Book Press.  ISBN 0761315357

2.  Plot
This is a story about two best friends.  When they play together rabbit seems to always to have troubles.  Even though there are problems they can be worked out with an idea.  Some people might not agree with the idea or be happy about it but that person means well.  Sometimes there can be problems but a person can be a good friend because they try to fix the problems.

3.  Critical Analysis
 The author conveys the story of two very different animals and the problems with friendship through a simple writing style that flows has the reader turns the pages. The imagery of the story conveys the point of the story to the reader.  The point of view is told by the mouse, so that the reader understands the theme of the story.  If it was told by another character the story would not have the same impact.  The story has a climax, but ends with the same problem happening and no resolution.  This type of ending restates the authors plot of the story. 

The illustrations of the story are framed with a black border and bold graphics to keep the readers eye on the action of each scene.  Rohmann slowly reveals the rabbits plan by only showing half of the images on some of the pages to keep the reader guessing.  The characters have wonderful facial expressions and the author has illustrated their movements on the pages.  The reader can see the frustration of the mouse and the dedication of the rabbit to fix the problem. 

This is an excellent fast paced story to share with children about friendship.  When there are problems they can be solved.  Sometimes they are not fixed ,but that person really wants to help.

4.  Review Excerpts
The Caldecott Medal- The Caldecott award in 2003.
Review from SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  "He has taken a creative risk with "My Friend Rabbit."
Kirkus Raviews said,"Best known for fluid, superbly realistic oil paintings, Rohmann ( Prairie Train , 1999, etc) switches to thick-lined colored woodcuts and a simpler pictorial style for this nearly wordless, engagingly wacky episode."


5.  Connections
Great for story times about friendship and problems.  Can show the children that a friend can mean well with their ideas even if they don't work out correctly.
Some other titles about friendship and problems are:
Bruel, Robert O.  Bob And Oto.  ISBN 1596432039
Landa, Norbert.  Sorry.  ISBN 9781561486625