This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness

goodreads.com

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN-13 9780618616800

In this two-part collection of poems, Sidman has presented a collection of apology poems and responses. The first collection of poems are apologies from a group of students written to someone in their life that they feel they should apologize to.  The second collection of poems are responses back to the student from the person they apologized to. The poems are in order in each section to match the apology with response. This collection of poems include rhymes, haiku, snippets, and more.

Some of the poems are funny, some sad, and others just entertaining to read. In Secret Message  by DaRon, he writes "Well, big brother, here's my secret message: I'm sorry I'm such a "weird kid." I'm sorry I embarrass you." DaRon places the poem in his brother's car under the seat in hopes that he will find it. LaMar, DaRon's brother, finds the poem. In his response, LaMar writes: "But I been thinking about you, little bro, since you put that note in my car. You got your own stuff-stuff I don't have." Both children and adults will find this unique collection of poems enjoyable. 

Most who read this collection of poems are not aware that "the class" is entirely fictional. Sidman wrote each poem as the student and the recipient, creating fictional names and situations. This collection is written so well that the reader, given they know the truth,  may forget the poems are completely fictional. 


If you enjoy this title by Joyce Sidman, you may also enjoy: Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, and Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature. 


This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness was the Children's Book Committee Award Winner 2010, the Cybils Award Winner 2007, and was a Texas Bluebonnet Nominee 2009.  

Publishers Weekly (03/05/2007):
Sidman ("Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems") explains, via an introduction from one of the book's sixth-grade characters, that the poems contained in this often humorous and touching anthology were inspired by the title poem of apology, which was penned by William Carlos Williams. The student in Mrs. Merz's class who introduces the book explains that some of the students received answers to their "sorry" poems.”

School Library Journal (05/01/2007):
Gr 4-7-“Mrs. Merz assigns her sixth-grade students to write poems of apology, and what emerges is a surprising array of emotions, poetic forms, and subjects from dead pets and biting hamsters to angry siblings and betrayal of trust. “



Further Activities for This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness:
http://www.americascores.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/This-Is-Just-to-Say-Apology.pdf

http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_38_112.html

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/just-say

http://writingfix.com/poetry_prompts/poems_of_apology1.htm

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars

kidscorner.org

Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 9780152053727

This compilation of twenty poems has a topical connection to things found in space. The individual poems each focus on something different, such as the sky, the solar system, Saturn, Jupiter, and minor planets. Each spread features a poem and an illustration of the poem topic. The illustrations are gouache, collage, and rubber stamps. 

Most of the poems are simplistic and quick. The rhyme of each poem is found at the end of each line.The imagery in each poem creates a vivid image of each line. "Nothing's as black as a black hole. (Not black ink or lumps of coal)", a line from "The Black Hole", helps create the image of a very, very dark place.  The unique illustrations were created by using primed brown paper bags. The illustrations help make this book of poems more appealing to both children and adults. 

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars was a 2009 Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee. It was also nominated for several other awards including: Young Hoosier Book Award 2010, Keystone to Reading Book Award 2008-2009, and Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award 2009. 


If you enjoy this book of poetry by Douglas Florian, you may also enjoy: Laugh-eteria, Beast Feast, Insectlopedia, In the Swim, and On the Wing.

School Library Journal (07/01/2007):
Gr 1-5 “The pleasing blend of faded shades and brilliant colors, of old-fashioned prints and fanciful sketches, makes the illustrations seem both antique and high-tech. An appended "Galactic Glossary" provides additional information. In both language and artwork, Florian strikes the perfect balance between grandeur and whimsy. “

Booklist (04/01/2007):
“This large-format book looks at astronomy through the magnifying, clarifying lens of poetry. Each broad double-page spread features a short, accessible poem about a subject such as the sun, each of its planets, a comet, a constellation, or the universe, set within an impressive painting.”

Further activities for Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars can be found at:

http://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/Comets-Stars-the-Moon-and-Mars-ideas.html

A poetry kit from Harcourt, Inc is also available:
http://www.harcourtbooks.com/Comets/default.asp

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

pbskids.org

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Viking Children's Books. ISBN 0670878553. 


This story begins with Joseph in a field of flowers with chickens, a turkey, a cat, and a goose. Joseph is wearing an overcoat which reaches to the top of his shoes. The overcoat is tattered and patched along the bottom edge. Rather than tossing the coat, he finds another use for the overcoat by trimming off the bottom and creating a jacket. When the jacket becomes worn, Joseph trims it to make a vest. When the vest becomes worn, he makes a scarf, then a necktie, then a hanker-chief, then a button. Joseph loses the button and now has nothing. He decides to make a book about the overcoat to show "you can always make something out of nothing". 


This is a wonderful story with wonderful watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations. The illustrations help make this story more appealing to children. Also appealing, are cut-outs within the story. Each time a clothing item becomes too tattered and worn, a cut-out can be found in the shape of the next item Joseph will make. Children will have fun guessing what the item is just by the shape. Assorted Jewish items can be found within the collages, but children may not identify what those items are. Although recognizing these items is not vital to the story, finding them can still be fun and perhaps lead into learning opportunities on Jewish culture. 

On the first page of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, are the words "He wore the coat for a long time and then something happened to it". Time is represented in this story by each clothing item becoming tattered and children are able to witness the transformation of  the overcoat into something smaller each time. This story can open up discussions about appreciating what you have, recycling clothing, and recycling in general. 


Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is the 2000 Caldecott Medal Winner and the National Jewish Book Award winner for 1999. It can also be found on the Texas 2x2 List. 


If you enjoyed this story by Simms Taback, you may also enjoy There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,  and This is the House that Jack Built.


School Library Journal (01/01/2000):
Pre-Gr 3." Clever die-cut holes provide clues as to what Joseph will make next: windowpanes in one scene become a scarf upon turning the page. Striking gouache, watercolor, and collage illustrations are chock-full of witty details-letters to read, proverbs on the walls, even a fiddler on the roof."

Booklist (01/01/2000):
Ages 4-7. "Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again."

Further activities for Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, can be found at: 
http://www.wordsalive.org/vol_resources/elibookenrichmentguide_josephhadalittleovercoat.pdf

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/westonwoods/study_guides/joseph_has_a_little_overcoat.pdf

http://pjlibrary.org/pj-blog/index.php/archives/2436/simms-taback-joseph-had-a-little-overcoat/

Easy Work! An Old Tale

www.goodreads.com

Kimmel, Eric A. 1998. Easy Work!: An Old Tale. Ill. by Andrew Glass. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823413497

This version of a Norwegian Folktale takes place in Oregon during the nineteenth century. In Easy Work!: An Old Tale, Mr. and Mrs. McTeague maintain a cabin with their infant, a cat, a dog and a cow named Abigail. Mr. McTeague believes his daily work is much more difficult than Mrs. McTeague's. "You should stay home and do what I do. Then you'll know what work really means." The two decide to switch places and thus begins the chaos. The story focuses  on Mr. McTeague's inability to complete any of Mrs. McTeague's daily chores. He invents ways to make the chores easier, including tying a rope to the dog's tail to rock the cradle, to put the baby to sleep. His inventions result in the total destruction, the cabin burning down, and Abigail running away.  Needless to say, Mr. McTeague realizes just how difficult Mrs. McTeague's daily chores are and says nothing more. The two went back to their original chores and Mr. McTeague never again questioned which of the two had an easier time. 

Although Easy Work!: An Old Tale is based on a folktale from many, many years ago, it applied during the nineteenth century and still does to this day. Children will find the antics of Mr. McTeague to be hilarious. The watercolor illustrations are very colorful on each spread and  help convey the images of chaos Mr. McTeague causes as the story progresses. In a group setting, children may even tell stories of their parents having similar conversations as Mr. and Mrs. McTeague. 



If you enjoy this folktale by Eric Kimmel, you may also enjoy: Anansi and the Magic Stick, Cactus Soup, Iron John, and Seven in One Blow.

School Library Journal (06/01/1998):
K-Gr 3--Here, the well-known Norwegian folktale, "The Man Who Was to Mind the House," is set in Oregon. Glass's lively illustrations are done in a scratchy, folksy style and suit the text perfectly.”

Booklist (04/15/1998):
Ages 4-8. Kimmel pours a classic Norwegian folktale into an American pot, and Glass brings it to a rolling boil with dappled scenes of domestic chaos. "Kimmel's version of a story that has become a staple of feminist folktale collections will be a cheery alternative..."

Further activities are available for Easy Work!: An Old Tale and other Eric A. Kimmel titles are available by signing up at:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/books-by/eric-kimmel

Three Little Cajun Pigs

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Artell, Mike. 2006. Three Little Cajun Pigs. Ill. by Jim Harris. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803728158


This version of The Three Little Pigs takes place in Southern Louisiana. The story line of Three Little Cajun Pigs is similar to the original, except in this story, the wolf is an alligator named Claude. Instead of huffing and puffing, the alligator uses his tail to destroy the houses. The story begins with mama pig sending her children to live on their own.  The pigs are named Trosclair, Thibodeaux, and Ulysse, all names commonly found in Louisiana. Ulysse begins making his home of brick and his brothers laugh at him for doing so. Trosclair  makes his house of straw, which is destroyed by the alligator's tail. Trosclair runs to  Thibodeaux's house, which is made of sticks. Claude also destroys this house and the two run to Ulysse's house. Ulysse is cooking a pot of roux in the fireplace when the two arrive. Claude attempts to knock the house down, but is unable to do so. "I see dere's a chimney. Dat's how I'll get in, and den I'll get all of dem hairs on your chin." When Claude goes down the chimney, he gets burned from the roux instead of getting the pigs. Claude runs back to his home and places an ice pack on his derriere. He is never seen by the pigs again. Ulysse convinces Trosclair and Thibodeaux to each make a house of brick. 

Three Little Cajun Pigs is a very unique version of The Three Little Pigs. The entire story is written in the Cajun language. A glossary is provide in the beginning to help aid anyone not familiar with the Cajun terms found in the story. The detailed watercolor illustrations are very appealing and provide distinct emotions of the characters in the story. I suggest this story to anyone wanting a different version of The Three Little Pigs. This story also provides multicultural information on Cajun language and Southern Louisiana. If one is not familiar with the Cajun language, I highly suggest reading the book several times before reading to a group. 


If you enjoy Three Little Cajun Pigs, you may also enjoy The Three Pigs by David Wiesner, The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall, The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, and The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz.

School Library Journal (12/01/2006):
K-Gr 3 “A hilarious version of the familiar tale. Harris’s amusing watercolor- Although Cajun variations on folktales are becoming plentiful, this one should not be missed."

Hornbook Guide to Children (01/01/2007):
In this familiar story set in the "south Loo-siana" bayou, the pigs confront an alligator instead of a wolf. Harris's cartoonish watercolor illustrations deftly capture the story's motion.”

Further activities for The Three Little Pigs can be found at:
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/3LittlePigsLiteracyIdeas.htm

http://oceansoffirstgradefun.blogspot.com/2010/12/three-little-pigs-literature-study.html

http://ciese.org/curriculum/engineering/three_little_pigs.html

A Big Guy Took My Ball!

http://mowillemsstuff.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-big-guy-took-my-ball.html

Willems, Mo. 2013. A BIG GUY TOOK MY BALL! Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN-13 9781423174912 (Hardcover)

In A Big Guy Took My Ball, Piggie loses what she believes to be her ball to a much larger animal. She runs to her friend, Gerald the Elephant for support. Piggie explains to Elephant that she was playing with a ball that she found when a 'big guy' took it from her. Elephant exclaims that he will get her ball back and that 'big guys' have all the fun. As elephant approaches to get the ball, he realizes the 'big guy' is a really, really big guy. The 'big guy' turns out to be a whale and Elephant cowers away, returning to Piggie without the ball. The whale approaches Elephant and Piggie and thanks them for finding his ball. The whale explains that no one will play with him because of his size and 'little guys' have all the fun. The trio end up playing a game together called Whale Ball. 

This is a wonderful story with simplistic illustrations. This title is the newest in the Elephant and Piggie Books. The visual elements are perfect and grab the readers attention immediately. The entire background is solid white with only the character(s) and speech bubble on each page. The minimal use of art is what makes this book a perfect fit for children. The visual elements force the reader to focus on just the characters and their words. The colors used are pastel and very calming. 

There are several lessons for the reader in A Big Guy Took My Ball. The first being that Piggie found a ball and claimed it was hers. Children soon find out that the ball belonged to someone else and just because you find an item, it doesn't make it yours. Another lesson is Elephant and Piggie realize the whale would like someone to play with him instead of being afraid of his size. Children can see that appearance isn't everything and even the 'big guys' need friends.

A Big Guy Took My Ball was recently published and has not been nominated for any awards....yet. However, several other books written by Mo Willems have been nominated for awards and some have won. I also suggest these if you enjoy the Elephant and Piggie Books:

There Is a Bird on Your Head- Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal
Are You Ready to Play Outside?-Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal
I Broke My Trunk! Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor
We Are in a Book!- Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor

Booklist (05/01/2013): “as always, Willems' staging of his characters and text across the white background is a master class in economy.”

School Library Journal (07/01/2013): The story engages readers with delightfully familiar cartoon illustrations and invites them to follow it independently by reading the speech bubbles. This title is a wonderful addition to the series; it's particularly useful for discussions of inside and outside traits, as well as the tricky topic of threesomes.

Further activities for Mo Willems books can be found at: 
http://cdn.dolimg.com/explore/PMPages/DCOM/books/catalog/Printable/Elephant_&_Piggie_TG.pdf

and: 
http://www.pigeonpresents.com/teachersguides/EandP_eventkit11.pdf

Eloise

www.amazon.com

Thompson, Kay. 1969. ELOISE. Ill. by Hilary Knight. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN-13 9780671223502 (Hardcover)

Eloise is a story about a six year-old girl, named Eloise who lives in The Plaza Hotel in New York. The story follows Eloise throughout her day living in The Plaza. Eloise is very mischievous by stomping in the hallways, kicking the walls, and other inappropriate actions in the luxurious hotel. Eloise spends her days with her nanny, her pet turtle, and her pet dog. 

Illustrations are on each page to demonstrate at least one of the experiences of Eloise.  The illustrations are ink drawings with colors of black, light pink and dark pink. The element of these three colors on each spread helps the images stand out.

I found this book to be extremely disappointing. Eloise was published many years ago and I have seen it on library shelves many times, but this was the first time I actually read it. It took a lot for me to read the book all the way to the end. Eloise appears to suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and jumps around in the story, A LOT. I realize children are energetic, but this is over the top.The sentences have no periods, so this adds to the hyperactivity effect occurring in the story. The story was just all over the place for me.

For those who love (or don't love) the story, I recommend reading Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor and Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann.

"Ooooooo....I just love Eloise! Thank you, Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight. You're the bestest!"

-- Judy Blume 

"My first happy response to Eloise was entirely due to the brilliant, iconic images. That brazen, loose-limbed, deliciosly little girl monster is Hilary Knight at his best."

-- Maurice Sendak 

Further activities for Eloise can be found at:  http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/eloise-at-the-plaza-summer-activities-for-girls/

This is Not My Hat

www.amazon.com

Klassen, Jon. 2012. THIS IS NOT MY HAT. Ill. by Jon Klassen. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN-13: 9780763655990 (Hardcover)

This is not My Hat is a story about a little fish who decides to take a hat from larger fish. The larger fish appears to be asleep when the hat is taken. The little fish justifies his actions to the reader by stating the hat did not fit the larger fish and he won’t notice it is gone anyway. The little fish continues swimming with the hat and hides where no one will find him in the tall, thick plants. While on his way to hide, he encounters a crab who promises not to reveal his location. The larger fish wakes and is in pursuit of the missing hat. The crab does in fact reveal the hiding spot of the little fish by pointing with his claw. The larger fish enters the tall, thick plants and the story ends with the larger fish swimming away wearing the hat. 

This is not My Hat is a book with few words and with the beautiful illustrations, few are needed. The Visual elements are very calming and work beautifully with the story. The illustrations provide clues to what is happening in the story with expressions of the eyes on the fish and crab. In the beginning, the little fish is looking back while swimming and seeking his hiding spot.  The eyes of the larger fish demonstrate the emotions felt by the fish on each spread as the story progresses and the fish searches for the hat. The crab's eyes follow the fish into the tall, thick plants to the right and later follow the larger fish as it emerges and swims away with the hat.

The story is about not taking things that belong to others. On the first page, the little fish states "This hat is not mine. I just stole it." Children know this is not the 'right' thing to do and are able to watch the story unfold as the owner gets the hat back. In the end, the larger fish is seen swimming away with the hat from the tall, thick plants. The little fish is not shown again and what happens to it is left open to the reader. Children may believe the little fish was eaten or is ashamed and embarrassed to come out. 

This is not My Hat is the Caldecott Winner for 2013. Other nominations include: The Buckeye Children's Book Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, and Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Awards. It can also be found on the Texas 2x2 list. 

For those who enjoy this story, you may also enjoy: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka, and Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newberry. 

Booklist (08/01/2012):  "Once again, the simple, dramatic tension and macabre humor mesh splendidly with Klassen's knack for tiny, telling details and knockout page turns."

Horn Book Magazine (09/01/2012): "Little eyes will pore over the end pages, looking for evidence of foul play, but all the interaction between the two characters takes place where the plants grow tall and close together, obscuring the view."

Further activities for This is not My Hat, can be found at:  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/not-my-hat-0