Bodies From The Ice By James M. Deem

1.  Bibliography
Deem, James M.  2008.  BODIES FROM THE ICE MELTING GLACIERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THE PAST.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Company.  ISBN 978618800452

2.  Plot Summary
Everyday glaciers all over the world are melting.  A couple hiking in Italy discovered the body of a man that lived 5,300 years ago.  Has the ice disappears the rocky ground underneath displays artifacts and bodies from the past.  There are glaciers all over the world that are showing evidence from history.  Some of the people that have been found under the ice and snow are hunters, soldiers, children, travelers, shepherds, and dairymaids.  When scientists find the bodies they can study them to make discovers from the past.  The author of this book takes the reader on an adventure to explore glaciers that are melting all over the world and the ancient treasures that have been found.  Whether it is a body or the sole of a soldiers boot. 

3.  Critical Analysis
The author of the book is a college professor who has written other nonfiction titles.  He did not go on this journey of the glaciers, but researched the information for this book.  Each chapter of the book opens with a beautiful picture of the glacier being discussed on one page and text and a map of the location of the glacier on the opposite page.  The photographs in the book are big and beautiful.  Every fine detail is displayed in the images.  The pictures of  the book may be too detailed for younger children.  Some of the pictures are very graphic and emotional.  Every picture includes a caption for easy reading through the book.  The reader can use the table of contents to decide what glacier they would like to learn about.  The table of content provides the reader an easy way to find exactly what they want to read.  In the back of the book is a page suggesting websites and glaciers to visit.  There is also an index if the reader is looking for a specific topic.   The book is well organized and easy to use.  The pictures are amazing and draw the reader to read the text to understand what is happening with these melting glaciers.

4.  Review Excerpts
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL starred review, "With its extensive bibliography, suggested Web sites, and a listing of glaciers to visit, Bodies is a fantastic resource. Deem superbly weaves diverse geographical settings, time periods, and climate issues into a readable work that reveals the increasing interdisciplinary dimensions of the sciences."
BOOKLIST states,"There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers."

5.  Connections
Pick important facts from each glacier in the story.  Include what the scientist found at the melting glacier and the location of the glacier.  After reading the information to the children have them form groups and pick the glacier that they found the most intriguing.  Have them research that glaciers location and the time period from where the body and artifacts are from.  Than have each group develop a poster about the information they researched to share with the class.   
Other  books by James Deem about bodies:
Deem, James.  BODIES FROM THE ASH:  LIFE AND DEATH IN ANCIENT POMPEII.  ISBN 9780618473083
Deem, James.  BODIES FROM THE BOG.  ISBN 9780618354020

Crossing Stones By Helen Frost

1.  Bibliography
Frost, Helen.  2009.  CROSSING STONES  New York:  France Foster Books.  ISBN 978374316532


2.  Plot Summary
Muriel Jorgensen is an eighteen year old girl growing up in 1917.  Her family owns property on one side of Crabapple Creek and the Normans own the other side.  The four children Frank, Emma, Ollie, and Muriel have been friends and grown up together.  The crossing stones in the creek that link the two families bring together the lives of the children.  Muriel starts to realize that she cares about Frank has more than just her best friend, but he joins the army.  She is a young woman who believes in equality for all.  Woman should have the same rights has man.  But many people don't share her opinion and advise her to not share her point of view.  "You'd better straighten out your mind young lady."   Muriel has to struggle with growing up becoming the person she is destined to be and helping her family survive the problems of war.


3.  Critical Analysis
The author has written each verse of the poem from either Muriel, Ollie, and Emma's point of view.  The words of each page are shaped in a stone or running stream depending what character is voicing their opinion.  Muriel's poems are set up in fourteen-lines, the first line rhymes with the last line, the second line rhymes with the second to last line, keeping up this pattern, with the seventh and eighth lines rhyming with each other at the middle of the poem.  The lines of Emma's poems rhyme at the end of each word and Ollie's words rhyme at the start of every line.  The reader understands the emotions and turmoil of each character has the story progresses.  To create the sense of going from a stone to another stone, she wrote a middle rhyme for one sonnet linking the outside rhyme to each other.  Linking Emma and Ollie's poems connect the characters emotionally to each other.  The poems are brought to life with the format created by the author.  The reader can feel the emotions that the characters are going through in their lives.  This is a great book to share the decisions and heartache of becoming an adult.

4.  Review Excerpt
HORN BOOK starred review:  “The distinct voices of the characters lend immediacy and crispness to a story of young people forced to grow up too fast.”
BOOKLIST starred review:  “Frost skillfully pulls her characters back from stereotype with their poignant, private, individual voices and nuanced questions, which will hit home with contemporary teens, about how to recover from loss and build a joyful, rewarding future in an unsettled world.”
Honor Book For Lee Bennett Hopkins Award For Children's Poetry.

5.  Connections
Have young adults write poems in a shape that goes with their poem.  Has the author did in this novel.
Other poems about growing up:
Shandler, Sara.  OPHELIA SPEAKS:  ADOLESCENT GIRLS WRITE ABOUT THEIR SEARCH FOR SELF.  ISBN 0060952970
Sonss, Sonny.  WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW.  ISBN 0689855532.

A Curious Collection Of Cats By Betsy Franco Illustrations By Michael Wertz

1.  Bibliography
Franco, Betsy.  2009.  A CURIOUS COLLECTION OF CATS.  Ill. by Michael Wertz.  Toronto:  Tricycle Press.  ISBN 9781582462486


2.  Plot Summary
The Franco has put together a collection of thirty-four poems about cats and their lively personalities.  Veronica Goes Wide is about a cat who is a little chunky.  The illustration is of a big cat who takes up the whole page.  The words run across Veronica's body with each word changing in size to emphasize the point of the poem.  The word plump is the largest word in the poem to make sure the reader understands how large the cat actually is.  Each poem picks a different aspect of a cats personality and their habits to bring them to life in the book.


3.  Critical Analysis
The author uses limerick, free verse, and haiku to bring the poems to life.  The words of the poems curve and wind around the pages.  The poem titled Fluff Is Polydactyl is about a cats big feet.  The words of the poem are written across her two back feet.  The reader has to follow the words along the cats large feet to read the poem.  The way the words of each poem are laid out on the page bring excitement to reading each poem from the words reading down a cats tail to being read on a toilet.  Turning each page brings a new journey of word play.
The illustrations of each poem are bright and colorful.  The cats are depicted in a cartoon format to bring hilarity to their actions and personalities.    In Shadow's Dream the illustrator uses blacks, blues, and silvers to give the viewer the images of darkness and moonlight has the cat wakes from her dream.  Each color for every illustration fits the point of the poem.  The pictures add to the fun of reading each poem has the words move around the images on the pages.

4.  Review Excerpt
BOOKLIST Review:  "Once kids get the feel of how to follow the lines—up and down or in curving jumps or around the page borders––they will have fun with the playful images."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review:  "Franco understands the nuanced world of the fluffy, fractious, and faithful feline friend."
Honor Book For Lee Bennett Hopkins Award For Children's Poetry.

5.  Connections
Print off coloring sheets of cats doing different actions from the internet.  Than have the children color them and write their own poem on the coloring sheet.  Tell the children to have fun with the words and let each word play on the page and make it fun to read has the book was.
Other books with cat poems:
Crawley, Dave.  CAT POEMS.  ISBN 1590782879
Eliot, T.S..  OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS.  ISBN 0547248271

Button Up Rhymes By Allice Schertle & Pictures By Petra Mathers

1.  Bibliography
Schertle, Alice.  2009.  BUTTON UP.  ILL. by Petra Mathers.  New York:  Harcourt Children's Books.  ISBN 9780152050504

2.  Plot Summary
This enjoyable book is told from the different types of clothing.  All of the types of clothing belong to many different kind of animals.  Violet is a bird who wears a hiking hat.  "I am Violets hiking hat."  "I live on Violets head."  Wanda is a rabbit who has a pink bathing suit.  "We like to be wet, Wanda and I, I'm Wanda's swimsuit, we don't like dry."   This collection of poetry adds a different point of view to the reader from clothing that animals wear.

3.  Critical Analysis
The author brings the words to life adding rhythm and rhyme to each poem.  In the poem Bob's Bicycle Helmet the last word on every other line rhyme.  "Bob's on his bike."  "And I'm on Bob."  "I'm Bob's helmet." "I,m on the job."   The imagery used in the poems lets the reader imaging the illustration before they see the pictures to go with the poems.  The language of the poems brings the verses to life in a playful tone that helps bring out the personality of the clothing and the animals that wear them.
The illustrator uses a variety of bright colors to bring the personality of the clothing and their owners to life.  The animals expressions fit together with the action of what they are doing in the poem.  Harvey the pig is playing in the mud with his galoshes and the excitement on his face is portrayed and the mud flying every where.   Sometimes the illustrations are on the page next to the poem and other times they are part of the poem has scenes play out with the words.  The illustrator has done a wonderful job bringing to life the personality of the clothing and animals.

4.  Review Excerpts
KIRKUS a starred review: ". . . these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun."
BOOKLIST a starred review:  "The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat."
2010 Winner Lee Bennett Hopkins Award For Children's Poetry

5.  Connections
Read children different stories about animals.  Than have them pick their favorite animal and write a poem about it.
Other animal poem books:
Lumin, Maxine.  MITES TO MASTODONS:  A BOOK OF ANIMAL POEMS.  ISBN 0618507531
Singer, Marilyn.  LOVE POEMS FROM THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.  ISBN 0375867104 

Rapunzel By Paul O. Zelinsky

1.  Bibliography
Zelinsky, Paul O.  1997.  RAPUNZEL.  New York:  Dutton. ISBN 0525456074

2.  Plot Summary
A couple has to give there baby to a sorceress for stealing Rapunzel out of her garden.  The sorceress raises the child has her own, but when she turns twelve the child that is very beautiful is locked in a high tower,  Has time passes the child becomes a woman who is only visited by the sorceress.  Until one day a prince sees the sorceress climb Rapunzel's hair to gain entrance to the tower.   The prince calls to Rapunzel to let down her hair and climbs into the tower.  Has time passer they fall in love and Rapunzel becomes pregnant.  When the sorceress finds out she cuts off Rapunzel's hair and the prince falls from the tower.  Becoming blind from the fall and wandering the forest.  He finds Rapunzel in the forest with their children and the tears of love restore his sight.  They travel together to his castle to live happily ever after.

3.  Critical Analysis
This story is a classic retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel the author has researched the story back to its roots from the original telling by the Brothers Grimm.  The characters of the story are normal people that want love and happiness.  The sorceress is not a crazy witch, but a mother who does not want her child to grow up and leave her.  Rapunzel is torn between her own happiness and disappointing the only person who has ever loved her.  The story shares with the reader the hardships of growing up and finding your own way in life to be happy. 
The quality of this book that separates it from other stories of Rapunzel is the illustrations.  Zelinsky portrays the story in a new light by adding elements of the Italian Renaissance to his drawings.  The backgrounds of the story take place in Italy to fit the theme of the drawings. The illustrations are created with oil paintings.  The illustrations of the story add a new beauty to the story that reflects the beauty of growing up and change.  Giving this classic tale a unique new retelling!  The author portrays this story in a new light to apply to human nature.

4.  Review Excerpts
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY:  "A breathtaking interpretation gives the fairy tale new art-historical roots, with illustrations that daringly-and effectively-mimic the masters of Italian Renaissance painting."
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE:  " His Renaissance portrayal of the story glows with a richness of detailing and lighting that show a close study of the old masters."
Winner of the Caldecott Medal.

5.  Connections
Compare and contrast different stories of Rapunzel during story time.
Do a story time with fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm.
Other stories of Rapunzel:
Cech, John.  RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 1402769113
Isadora, Rachel.  RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 0399247726
Roberts, Lynn.  RAPUNZEL:  A GROOVY FAIRY TALE.  ISBN 0810942429
Storace, Patricia.  SUGAR CANE:  A CARRIBEAN RAPUNZEL.  ISBN 0786807911

The Three Horrid Little Pigs By Liz Pichon

1.  Bibliography
Pichon, Liz.  2008.  THE THREE HORRID LITTLE PIGS.  CT:  Tiger Tales.  ISBN 139781589250772

2.  Plot Summary
The three little pigs will not behave, so there mother tells them they need to move out.  Each little pig steals materials from different types of animals to build their homes.  The pigs do not know how to build their homes and each time the wolf who is a carpenter shows up to help.  The pig refuses the help and eventually the animals come to take back the materials stolen from them.  The three pigs are again left without a home, but the wolf has a nice big brick house.  The pigs decide that they want his house.  The nice wolf lets the pigs move in and teachers them how to build a house big enough for everyone.

3.  Critical Analysis
The author reverses the personality of the pigs and the wolf for a new version of this much loved classic.  The conversation between the characters bring life to the story.  The words are fun to the children and allow the children to interact with the story.  The words twist and turn on the page and change size to work with the action of the story or the tone of the character.  The reader is able to change their voice with the characters to add more life and excitement to the story.
The illustrations of the story are bright and fun.  The bold colors of the images on the pages bring to life the personalities of the three horrid pigs.  The characters become round characters due to the illustrations.  The expressions of the pigs are easy to read and see how bad they actually are.  The distress of the wolf and the animals is also very apparent.  These expressions bring more life and laughter to this classic tale with a twist. 

4.  Review Excerpts
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review:  "If you think you can't jam another twist on a classic tale into your collection, think again."
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE:  "The parody is fun all the way through to the back end pages, which show the reformed, cleaned-up trio."

5.  Connections
This story would be fun to read with other versions of the three little pigs to let the children see the difference versions that are available.
A craft to use with a three little pig story time would be to have a cut out of a house and let the children glue different materials on it to make their own home.  For example yellow yarn to symbolize straw, red square stickers for bricks, and wood chips for wood. 
Other books with a change of characters from the original story:
Grace, Will.  THREE LITTLE FISH AND THE BIG BAD SHARK.  ISBN 0439719623
Laverde, Arlene.  ALASKA'S THREE PIGS.  ISBN 1570612293
Rubin, Vicky.  THE THREE SWINGING PIGS.  ISBN 0805073353
Trivizas, Eugene.  THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG.  ISBN 068981528

Beautiful Blackbird By Ashley Bryan

1.  Bibliography
Bryan, Ashley.  2003.  BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD.  New York:  Atheneum Books For Young Readers.  ISBN 9780689847318

2.  Plot Summary
This is a retelling of a Zambia, Africa folktale.  There are many birds of all different colors living  in Africa.  The birds do not have any black on their feathers.  The only bird that was black is the blackbird.  The blackbird is voted the most beautiful bird by the other birds.  The Ringdove tells Blackbird that he should have a black ring around his neck to match his name.  The Blackbird replies that the beauty that is on the inside is what is important not outside beauty.  But he decides to help the bird by giving him black rings around his neck.  The rest of the other birds decide that they want black marks too.  Blackbird decides to mark the rest of the birds with black, but lets them know that even with markings they will still be themselves.  All of birds receive black markings on their feathers from Blackbird and everyone feels beautiful.

3.  Critical Analysis
The story starts has a normal tale being told by a narrator.  But once the characters of the book start to be introduced the words rhyme and in parts of the story are a song.  The author adds a rhythm to the words to make the birds speak with an accent since they live in Africa to collaborate with the setting of the story.  The singing and the rhythm of the text brings out the roots of where the folktale is from.  It makes the reader picture the African safari has they read the story.
The illustrations in the book are very bright and colorful.  The author uses cut-paper artwork to form the images on the pages in the book.  The birds and the background are the many colors of the rainbow.  The colors used in the story let the reader see how the birds are only filled with rainbow colors and the only color black in the story is the blackbird.
The many colors of the birds displays the uniqueness and individuality of each one adds in conveying the importance is on the inside.  Each one of us is unique and what we are on the inside is what is beautiful.  It does not matter what color we are.  This story has a great moral to share with children.

4.  Review Excerpts
Winner of the Corerra Scott King Award.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review:  "Mr. Bryan is a master of material that even the youngest child will instantly recognize:  construction paper."
HORN BOOK:  "A life enhancing folktale from Zambia."

5.  Connections
The librarian could read the book aloud and have the children repeat certain phrases in the book. 
The children could decorate their own birds of many colors for the craft during a story time.
Other African folktales:
Guthrie, Donna and Robert Roth.  NOBIAHS WELL:  A MODERN AFRICAN FOLKTALE.  ISBN 0824986229
Krensky, Stephen.  THE LION AND THE HARE:  AN EAST AFRICAN FOLKTALE (ON MY OWN FOLKLORE).  ISBN 1580138497
Smalls, Irene.  JENNY REEN, AND THE JACK MUH LANTERN.  ISBN 0689318758.