A Book or Two: Children's Literature Reviews

Find a perfect children’s book to share or read, and information on new, classic, and favorite children's literature, reviewed by university professors, teachers, librarians, graduate students, and teachers-to-be! Browse A Book or Two by title, genre, or topic! HAPPY READING! This is a closed site, to prevent inappropriate postings. You won't be able to add your own comments. Communication should be sent to the site organizer, Dr. Deb Marciano (dlmarciano@valdosta.edu).

Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts

10/21/14

The Dream Eater

TITLE: The Dream Eater

AUTHOR: Christian Garrison ILLUSTRATOR: Diane Goode

PUBLISHER: Aladdin PUBLICATION DATE: 1978

GENRE: fiction READING LEVEL: 5-8

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A Japanese boy named Yukio runs around trying to find someone to tell his nightmare to and finds Baku the nightmare eating creature. The creature eats his and all his friends' nightmares.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: We can keep a dream journal and share them with the class or friends.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Emily Lewis, Valdosta State University ECSE

LABELS: non-european, fiction, dreams

9/21/14

Someday

AUTHOR: Eileen Spinelli Illustrator: Rosie Winstead

PUBLISHER: Dial PUBLICATION DATE: 2007
GENRE: Fiction/ Picture Book READING LEVEL: 2nd gr BRIEF OVERVIEW: A young girl tells about her big dreams of being an artist, a gymnast, and a geologist. She also follows up with her current life and how happy she is in the here and now.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Have students write a short story sharing what they want to do when they grow up. Each day a different student will get the chance to share his or her story. The students will dress up as the career he or she has chosen whenever he or she presents the story to the class.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Brittany Chastain, Valdosta State University ECSE

12/5/13

The Secret of Old Zeb

AUTHOR: Cameron Agra Deedy

ILLUSTRATOR: Michael P. White

PUBLISHER: Peachtree Publishers

PUBLICATION DATE: 2002

GENRE: Transitional Chapter Book

READING LEVEL: First Grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: A small boy goes to live with his great aunt for the summer and while he is there, he meets and befriends a man who teaches him to live life and chase his own dreams instead of the dreams of others through the building of a boat.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: This book would be to help children learn about dreams and the differences between wanting something for yourself and for somebody else. During this book, boats and boating terms would be discussed.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Nicole Stuart- Valdosta State University

11/22/13

Me...Jane

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Patrick McDonnell

PUBLISHER: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

PUBLICATION DATE: April 5, 2011

GENRE: Nonfiction

READING LEVEL: Ages 1 & up

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Jane carried her chimpanzee everywhere. Jane loved the nature and she cherished carrying Jubilee everywhere with her. She dreamed of life in Africa. That was not only a dream because today she works with chimpanzees in Africa.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: I would use this book to show my students that dreams can come true. I would then have them to do an activity concerning their dreams/ambitions.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Emily Cribb, Valdosta State University

LABELS: adventure, dreams, zoo

Free Fall

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: David Wiesner
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins PUBLICATION DATE: 1991

AWARDS: Caldecott Honor
GENRE: Wordless Picture Book

READING LEVEL: Kindergarten-3rd grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: While asleep a boy dreams of going on many adventures.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: 1st grade-Students will think of somewhere they would like to go on an adventure and draw it as a picture. The students will present their drawings to the class and the class must guess where it is. The student presenting is not allowed to talk or write any words on the paper.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Bree Danforth, Valdosta State University

11/21/13

My Name is Not Isabella

AUTHOR: Jennifer Fosberry ILLUSTRATOR: Mike Litwin

PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

PUBLICATION DATE: September 1, 2010

AWARDS: New York Times Best Seller

GENRE: Historical Fiction READING LEVEL: 2nd Grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Isabella has many dreams to be someone important. Throughout the day she changes her name to represent important women in history.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: Break the class into groups and have each group choose a name of one the women in the story. Leave it up to the group on how they want to present that person to the class.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Kenyah Wolfe Valdosta State University

Just a Dream

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Van Allsburg

PUBLISHER: HMH Books for Young Readers

PUBLICATION DATE: 1999

GENRE:Fiction PB

READING LEVEL: grades 3-5

BRIEF OVERVIEW:Walter the main character is a litterbug and doesn’t appreciate the beauty of nature, or understand how he needs to keep the planet healthy then a journey shows him how bad the Earth could get.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY:Go over the importance of recycling and keeping the Earth clean. Have students draw the reduce, reuse, recycle sign. Practice recycling within the classroom

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Katelynn Pappas- Valdosta State University

LABELS:dreams, Earth, Recycle

11/20/13

Africa Dream

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Eloise Greenfield/Carole Byard

PUBLISHER:Harper Collins
PUBLICATION DATE: January 30th 1992

GENRE: Fiction

READING LEVEL: 1st-3rd grade

BRIEF OVERVIEW: The story is about an Africa American girl who dreams about an adventure in Africa and meeting her grandmother for the first time.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: The students will write and draw about people, places or things they've dreamed about.

REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Alicia Evans- Valdosta State University