Hooway For Wodney Wat

TITLE: Hooway For Wodney Wat

AUTHOR: Helen Lester

ILLUSTRATOR: Lynn Munsinger

PUBLISHER: Walter Lorraine Books        PUBLICATION DATE: March 1999

GENRE: Fiction                                          READING LEVEL: Grade 2

BRIEF OVERVIEW:This story is about a rat with a speech impediment. Everyone made fun of him until one day, his impediment saved his classmates from the new obnoxious student.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: I will lead into a discussion about bullying. I will elaborate on bully prevention and the harmful effects it can have on people.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: (Schuyler Kenzel, Valdosta State University ECED)

LABELS: (Fiction, Children’s books, Children, Bullying)

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

Copyright: 2012        Reading Level: PreK-3rd grade
Book Description: Giraffes Can't Dance is a touching tale of Gerald the giraffe, who wants nothing more than to dance. With crooked knees and thin legs, it's harder for a giraffe than you would think. Gerald is finally able to dance to his own tune when he gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend.

Integrated Ideas: Students will describe the story’s character, Gerald, and the other jungle animals through sign based on the text and illustrations within the story. The students will explain the struggle Gerald faced when trying to dance and the effect the other animals had on his self confidence to dance on his own. As a class, the students will learn and attempt the dance styles listed within the story from each jungle animal. Each student will then create their own dance to share and teach to their fellow classmates that expresses their individuality and emotions. 

Reviewer's name and affiliation: Bethany A. Loggins, Valdosta State University

Racing The Past

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Sis Boulos Deans 
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Co.         PUBLICATION DATE:  2001 

AWARDS: 1995 Marine Chapbook Award  
GENRE: Fiction                     READING LEVEL: 6^th

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A mentally and physical abused child.  He is taunted at school and gets in trouble often, so to channel that energy he decides to run a race everywhere he goes in efforts to leave the past in the past.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have the student’s discuss the story with a partner and write a paragraph collectively about how they would have treated Ricky with compassion

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Daphne Wright- Valdosta State University