EDU 337- Literature Collection Blog

 What Do You Do With an Idea? by Yobi Yamada  Summary This story introduces a young boy and his idea. The young boy is unsure of his idea at first, but as his confidence grows, so does his idea. He decides to nurture his idea and bring it into the world. This heartfelt story will inspire readers both young and old to follow their dreams and be true to themselves.  Personal Response I personally love the response of this text that your idea isn't going anywhere, it's just getting started. This book sends a powerful message to readers to be brave and embrace who they are. The world needs more creativity and light, and this is just the book to inspire that.  Literary Elements Personification is used through giving an abstract quality to the form of the idea. Imagery is used to depict the idea. I would classify the genre of the story as a fiction picture book. Themes within the book include bravery, dreaming, being true to yourself, and having a growth mindset.  Ill...

The Proudest Blue by    Ibtihaj Muhammad  (Author),  S. K. Ali  Hatem Aly  (Illustrator) Summary It is the first day of school and the first day of wearing Hijab for Asiya. Asiya's hijab is a beautiful ocean blue, but not everyone thinks it is beautiful or understands whey she wears it. The two sisters in the story learn ways to be strong and be proud of who they as other students say hurtful things about the hijab.  Personal Reflection This story would be a great addition to a multicultural library as it presents themes of cultural strength and acceptance. It is natural to be curious about other cultures. This book presents students with empathy as they see the hurt that can be caused by making fun of someone's culture.  Literary Elements Imagery is used throughout the pages of the text as the two sisters describe the feeling of the first day of wearing hijab. Personification is used to depict the 'hijab smiling' to support the text of the pride ...

 I am Albert Einstein  by Brad Meltzer Summary I am Albert Einstein  by Brad Meltzer engages readers in a biographical timeline of the life of one of the greatest minds the world has ever know. This playful text allows readers to connect with the virtues that inspired Albert Einstein's curiosity to know how the world works.  Personal Reflection I like how this story connects to readers that may feel out of place due to their curious nature, unusual ideas, or how they view things differently. There is a big emphasis on how we all learn differently which would make this a powerful resource for my special education classroom. The text invites students to stand out and be proud of the characteristics that make them unique. "Every single one of us is different. No one on this planet is just like you. Being different is what makes you special. So find what you love. Learn everything you can about it" (Meltzer, 2014). Literary Elements The factual timeline of Albert Einstei...

I am Rosa Parks by Rosa Parks and Jim Haskins Summary The remarkable Rosa Parks, most well known for her role in the Civil Rights Movement, tells the story of her childhood and key events in her life. While young readers may not understand why we once were segregated, the text is written in simple language for young readers to understand.  Personal Reflection I personally appreciate that the very first chapter of the book is entitled 'I get arrested.' This is a powerful way to captivate a young audience. For students who do not have a background knowledge of who Rosa Parks was, beginning the text with her arrest provides a context of why Rosa Parks was influential. The following chapters highlight Rosa's childhood and present readers with a personal reflection of why Rosa did what she did. This insight connects readers to the emotion of this pivotal moment in history.  Illustrations Illustrations by Wil Clay use a variety of muted yellows and browns giving the images a hist...

I survived the Sinking of the Titanic by Laura Tarshis Summary  The books within the I Survived series combine historical moments with fast paced storytelling, and this book is no exception. Readers will be emersed in the emotions and thoughts of the main character throughout the historical sinking of the Titanic.  The fictional telling of the sinking involves the main character George and his sister. While on the Titanic, George learns that there is a mummy aboard the boat and goes looking for it in the cargo area. As he is looking for the mummy, the ship its an iceburg. The noise from the collision causes George to flee to the top deck where he finds his sister has gone missing. George now faces the struggle of finding his sister before the ship sinks.  Personal Reflection I feel as though the way the story is told is very intriguing and will have young readers excited to read what happens next. The fictional telling of this story adds an element of mystery and surprise...

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts Summary Those Shoes is a heartwarming story about a boy who wants to have the same shoes that everyone else has. His family does not have the money to buy the shoes brand new, but he finds a pair of the shoes at a thrift store. The shoes he finds are to small, but he buys them anyways. When he notices his friend's shoes are held together with tape, the boy is faced with the dilemma of giving his friend the shoes or keeping them for himself. The boy finds joy in seeing his friend happy wearing the new shoes and learns a valuable lesson.  Personal Response I chose this contemporary realistic fiction picture book due to its relatability and moral characteristics. The main character is faced with a touch decision of helping a friend by giving up something he really wanted. Even though the shoes were to small for him, he wanted to keep them to fit in with the other kids at school. This story connects young readers with the theme of generosity and the diffe...

 Why the Sky is Far Away retold by Mary-Joan Gerson Summary The Nigerian folktale tells of the beginning of time when the sky was very close to the earth. People did not have to work the land for food, they could reach up and take a piece of the sky to eat. When the people began to become wasteful and the sky became angry. The people were warned to not be wasteful. For a short time the people were more mindful of what they took, but soon they began to waste again. The sky sailed upward and the people now had to grow their own food and work the land.  Personal Reflection I enjoy reading this folktale as it reminds us to take care of the earth and be mindful of our resources. It is interesting to me that this theme was passed down for more than 500 years and is still relevant today. The authors note at the end of the book holds a powerful statement that 'the future of nature and its gifts rests in our own hands" (Gerson, 1995). Story Elements Personification is used in the eleme...

 The Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale By Jack Kent Summary The story of the Fat Cat is a humor Danish Folklore. The Fat Cat is asked to watch over a caldron, but gets greedy and eats the entire thing. He then uses his freedom to eat everything and everyone that enters his path. This continues until the Fat Cat eats a lumberjack who uses his ax to free himself and everyone from the Fat Cat's belly and shames him for being so greedy.  Personal Reflection This story is a personal favorite in my household. As I was writing this blog post my oldest son saw the image of the book and yelled 'The Fat Cat!' from across the room and started laughing. This is truly an engaging tale. While it is intended for young readers, I still find it relevant for middle grade levels. The story of a cat growing larger and larger while eating non-traditional foods is surprising and entertaining. To hear the ending of a lumberjack cutting his way out of the cat's stomach is unexpected and quite humorou...