The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs- Fantasy

The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs
by Jon Scieszka

My response to this book was recorded on Voicethread.

My Voicethread link:
http://cedncsu.ed.voicethread.com/share/419642/

This book tells the wolf's version of the three little pigs and why he was 'framed'. This is a very interesting story and could show students how everyone has their own unique point of view about situations and circumstances.

Neptune- Non-fiction

Neptune
by Seymour Simon

In the book, the author compiled photographs taken of Neptune by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. After finding that out, I did some research, googling really, to find out that the Voyager 2 became the first spacecraft to visit and explore the planet Neptune. The author presents a short and precise summary of the mission to Neptune and the discoveries made during the course of the mission. The book contains several vivid photos of the planet, its rings, and its minor moons. The book also spotlights information on Triton, Neptune's largest moon. The would be a great book to use to not only build literacy skills, but also enlighten students with knowledge of the planet and intergreate science with literature.

The Diane Good Book- Folktale

The Diane Good Book of
American Folk Tales & Songs
collected by Ann Durell


This book is comprised of nine stories and seven songs. The book opens with the song, "Yankee Doodle," and displays the music and lyrics to the song. The book includes stories about popular folk tale characters, such as Davy Crockett. I enjoyed the novel, but more so on an adult level. I am not sure whether I would want to share this with students because if may be hard for the to relate. The book does not tell when, where or why the story or song came about, which may make it harder for students to draw comprehension from this book or to build connections with it.

March On!- Biography

March On!
The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
by Christine King Farris

This book, first of all, has beautiful illustrations! The book is told from Christine King Farris's, Martin Luther King Jr.’s older sister, point-of-view. The book covers the story of the 1963 March on Washington. The author tells about how she and her brother were raised. The main spotlight in the book is placed upon the actual march and the author also tells details about Martin Luther King Jr. investing time on the speech he delivered. The author includes details about the many people who attended, the news coverage, and the activists. I think this is a great novel to share with students and could easily be incorporated during Black History month in Febuary to share the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Midnight Unicorn- Fantasy

The Midnight Unicorn
by Neil Reed

This book is about a little girl who really likes unicorns. The little girl, Millie, admires a statue of a unicorn at the park. One day, a A unicorn statue that she admires comes to life. When she is around the statue it makes her feel happy, and when it comes to life, she gets to ride on the unicorn's back. The unicorn takes Millie on a journey through the sky and flies over a land where unicorn play together, as well as flying Millie through lightning and storming skies. My favorite part of this book would be the illustrations. There is one object per page that is slick and draws attention to itself. I found myself rubbing the pages as I read to feel the differences in the pages

The Bremen Town Musicians- Folktale

The Bremen Town Musicians
and Other Animal Tales from Grimm
retold by Doris Orgel

This a book comprised of the original Grimm tales, retold to be shared with children. The begins with the first story about the Bremen Town musicians and then tells other stories such as, "The Hare and the Hedgehog," "King of the Birds," "When the Birds and the Beasts Went to War," "The Fox and the Geese," "The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids." I like the way that at the end of each story, the author includes comments on the story and, in some cases, the author discusses some of the changes made. The illustrations are very vivid and life-like, which I think would make the book a great read aloud to a classroom. I think great discussions could be drawn from the book, by asking questions about why the author may have made the changes that they did and whether or not the students thought it was a good or bad change to make.

Face to Face With Lions- Non-fiction

Face to Face With Lions
by Beverly and Dereck Joubert

This book is fantastic and would serve as a great resource for a homework report, class assignment, or just to read to gain a better understanding of lions in general. I was so fascinated with this book that I did some research and discovered that the husband and wife authors have spent over 25 years in Africa photographing lions and other animals. The pictures are very vivid and up close to the lions. The photos show the lions napping, swimming, playing, caring their cubs, preying, and eating. The authors share information about lion diets, everyday life, and life expectancy. The book also includes a map that highlights where lions live and prowl in Africa. The end of the book has some beneficial sections, such as an index, glossary, notes from research and a bibliography.

Unicorn Wings- Fantasy

Unicorn Wings
by Mallory Loehr

This book is great for students who are beginning to read short sentences and have a limited vocabulary. The story is about a unicorn that doesn't have wings. The unicorn admires other creatures that do have wings, such as birds and insects, and dreams of being able to fly, too. One day, the unicorn helps another unicorn that does have wings and the unicorn with wings give the one without a pair. The unicorns go off flying together and end the story on a pleasant note. I would want books such as this in my classroom library to help students build upon their reading strategies and learn to read for fluency.

My Dad, John McCain- Biography

My Dad, John McCain
by Meghan McCain

This book tells about John McCain, through his daughter's point of view. It covers his life, from when he grew up to the wars he fought in. The author does a great job of breaking down McCain's life into vocabulary that a child would easily comprehend. I would share this novel with my students to tell them about ways in which presidential candidates try to campaign before an election, which is what the author was doing for her father. I would also have the students to compare and contrast presidents and use this book as a helpful resource.