Rose Blanche

Part One:  
Book Information: Innocenti, R., Gallaz, C., Coventry, M., Graglia, R., Tschudi, G. M. (1985). Rose Blanche. Mankato, Minn: Creative Education.

Genre: The book is classified as a historical fiction book in children's literature.

Grade Level: The book is listed as an appropriate book for grades K-3 but due to the content in the book and many reviews that I read, I do not think that it is suitable for children that young. This book would be more appropriate for children grades 3-6 and would be great for teaching students about the holocaust.

Part Two: 
Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes
I chose to read this book because I saw that it had won the Batchelder award which is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and then translated into English in the United States. I first skimmed through the book and looked at the pictures before reading it. By looking at the illustrations, the book seemed to take place in Germany during WWII.

After reading the book, I found the story to be a good way to introduce children to the holocaust. The book is told through eyes of Rose Blanche, a young German girl who lives in Germany during WWII. Her curiosity leads her to discover a concentration camp, full of starving people locked in by an electric barbed wire fence. Rose has a piece of bread in her bag and gives it to the people. She returns everyday with as much food as she can carry. Although Rose knew that she could have been killed for helping the people in the concentration camp, she still did it anyway. I believe that this theme of Rose risking her life to help others is the most important throughout the story and is something that is important for children to see someone their own age being a hero. At the end of the story, Rose was on her way to bring the people in the concentration camp food when she walked in the middle of a battle and was shot and killed. This is a very sad ending to the story but gives insight of a young girl during the holocaust. This story does a great job at capturing the lifestyle of people during the holocaust and gives children an idea of the struggles that many people had to go through.

Thoughts about craft
This book allows children to get into the character of Rose Blanche since she is about the age of the children who are reading the book.  I think that the pictures really tell the story and capture what is going on perfectly. The words are at the top of the page and add just enough to describe what Rose sees, hears, and smells while she makes her trips to the concentration camp every day. The colors that the author uses are dark and set the setting of the holocaust.  I found it interesting that although all of the colors in the book are dark, the main character Rose, is the only one in color with her red bow and pink dress. Since Rose goes out of her way to help others, her bright colors are a symbol of good when everything else at the time was bad. The pictures really help to capture the emotion of the setting during WWII and I think that they really make the book as good as it is.

Part Three:
Critique
This book has been translated into English and I think that the author did a great job with the translation. The story is an easy read but because of the content I think that the story would be better for older children to learn about Germany during the holocaust.  It teaches children the importance of helping others and shows Rose as being a hero for bringing food for those that were in concentration camps. The colors that the author uses help to set the setting and allows Rose to be the bright focus when the rest of the world is dark and gloomy. This is a tough topic to dicuss with students and I think that this book would be a great way to introduce WWII to students. I would definitely use this book in my classroom!

Part Four:
Lesson Sketch

Grade: 4th

Standards:
Literary Response and Analysis: 3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character’s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character’s actions.
Writing Applications: 2.2 Write responses to literature:
      a. Demonstrate an understanding of the literary work.
      b. Support judgments through references to both the text and prior knowledge.
Listening and Speaking: 1.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond to relevant questions with appropriate elaboration in oral settings.

Lesson Outline:

• I would first have a discussion with the students about the major themes in the book. Topics to discuss would include: 
• Because Rose Blanche was not a bystander, a good discussion could take place about individual responsibility and why it is important not to be a bystander, but to stand up for the injustices that one might witness. 
• Also, the illustrations evoke so many questions and feelings. Have students discuss what they see in the pictures, the message sent, and the symbols and facts not directly stated in the book.
• Next students will be able to create their own poem, creating a setting as if they were in Rose's position. Students will be able to state their position and what they would do if they were Rose. They would also need to make sure to incorportate the setting of the holocaust as the book does and explain what they see and what they feel.
• By having the students create a poem, the teacher will be able to assess what they have learned from the book by allowing them to be in Rose's shoes and explain what they see and are feeling. It will be a great way for teachers to introduce the topic of the holocaust into the classroom.

Discussion Questions:
What would you have done if you were Rose? Would you have risked your life to help those people?
If you had to leave your home, what would you take with you?
Why is it important to help others?

Links to outside resources:
http://www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=247 (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.voorhees.k12.nj.us/Page/11008 (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/830051.Rose_Blanche (basic info)

Where the Wild Things Are

Part One:  

Book Information: Sendak, Maurice. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper and Row.

Genre: The book is classified as a fictional, picture book in children's literature.

Grade Level: K-3, I think it is a great book for children in this grade range and definitely should be incorporated into the classroom!

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes

I chose this book because I have heard many great things and that it is a must read!  I have never read the book before but found the cover of the book to be very interesting.  My initial thoughts of the giant "wild thing" on the front cover of the book seems to show that the story takes place in a jungle or forest. It has big horns and human-like feet and is a creature that I have never seen before in any books. It looks very intriguing and seems to be a book that would get a child to use their imagination.

After reading the book, I found the story to have several themes that children can relate to. The story begins with the main character, Max, who after dressing in his wolf costume, is sent to his bedroom after causing havoc in the house.  As Max is frustrated with his mother, his room transforms into a jungle and he ends up sailing to an island where the "wild things" are.  After he intimidates the creatures, Max becomes king of the "wild things." They create a rumpus until it is time for Max to return back to home where he finds a hot dinner waiting for him in his bedroom.  One of the themes displayed in this story is parental love. Max is disciplined at the beginning of the story but comes home to a hot dinner waiting for him.  There is also a theme of power and control.  While Max becomes king, he displays much power among the "wild things" and can get them to do as he pleases. A theme of resolving conflict and taking responsibility for our actions is evident when Max decides that it is best for him to go home.  These are all themes that children are able to relate to and I think that they are terrific lessons for children to learn about.

Thoughts about craft

This book is extremely creative and appeals to a child's imagination.  It takes kids on a journey as they will be able to put themselves in Max's shoes.  The illustrations that the author uses are bright and vivid, telling a story using only 338 words.  It is due to the fact that the pictures tell the story themselves, that Sendak does not need to write as much in the story.  I think that the story could not solely be a picture book because I feel that the words add just enough to the story.  There are six pages in the book that are wordless and consist of only pictures. I think that this is a great addition in the story, allowing children to be creative and use their imagination to think of what is happening at the time.  I really like the combination of words and pictures in the book and feel that it creates a very effective story. It is evident as to why it received the Caldecott award.

Part Three:

Critique
Overall, I thought this book was great and would be an excellent story to use in the classroom! When reading this story to children, they are able to discuss Max's behavior and why he acts the way he does.  They can also discuss that if Max loves adventure so much, why does he go back to his parents in the end.  These are important questions to discuss with students and will allow them to identify the major questions that Max faces.  The many themes that the story presents including parental love, power and control, and taking responsibility for our actions are evident throughout the story and allow children to learn important life lessons.  The author uses few words throughout the story and allows for the illustrations to speak for themselves, allowing the reader to use their imagination.  I really enjoyed the book and I can see why it was awarded the Caldecott award.

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 2nd

4. With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. 

Lesson Outline:

There are six pages in the book that have no text at all.  These pages include illustrations of Max and the "wild things" creating a "rumpus" and having a good time.  These pages are left for the reader to use their imagination and determine what is happening in the story. For this activity, students will create their own dialogue for all of the characters on these six pages.  They will receive print outs of these pages and they will be able to add their own text and illustrations as to what is going on in the story.  Students will be able to show their creativity and what they think is important in the story. They will be able to ask themselves important questions relating to theme and show why Max decided to leave the island so abruptly.  Each student will create dialogue for Max and each "wild thing" on each of the six pages. They should have also added some sort of illustration to go along with the dialogue.

Discussion Questions:

What do you think Max and the "wild things" were doing after Max became king?

Why do you think Max decided that it was time to go home?

Why do you think that the "wild things" listened to Max and made him king?

If your dreams could take you to another place, where would you go?

Links to outside resources:

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/content/teachers/tsk_where_the_wild_things_are.pdf

(lesson plan ideas)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are (basic info)

http://www.lfpl.org/kids/pdf/sendak-2-3grade.pdf (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/where-wild-things-are#cart/cleanup 
(basic info)

Touchstone Book - The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss (1957). The Cat in the Hat. New York, New York: Random House.

This is a Touchstone Children's Book and is great for all ages! It is a wonderful beginner book for children to start reading but I think it is ideal for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd graders.

I really liked the story and found the illustrations to be unique and very interesting. The story is fun and rhymes which I think is great for students to read!  The illustrations throughout the book are very colorful and cover the entire page.  I found it very interesting that the only colors that are used in the whole book are blue, red, and white, but it is amazing how much he was able to do with only a couple of colors.  I have read other Dr. Seuss books and the writing in all of his books is very similar due to the rhyming and creating of words. I think it is something that children would really enjoy to read!

Children would love the pictures and the story!  It is a very creative, fiction book that allows children to use their imagination while also being able to relate to the story.  The setting takes place in the house of two children where the Cat comes and meets the children. A child's home is a place where all children would be able to relate to and understand.  The problem that they face is making sure to clean up the mess that the Cat has made before their mom gets home which is also something children would be able to relate to as well.  They would be able to use their imagination and have a great time reading the book!

The Cat in the Hat provides a great list of vocabulary and rhyming words for children to learn.  A lesson for grade 3 can follow the objective for "identifying the musical elements of literary language (e.g., rhymes, repeated sounds, instances of onomatopoeia)."  I can ask my students what a rhyming word is and to find examples of rhyming words throughout the book.  I can also have a vocabulary word list, found on this website (http://seasonal.theteacherscorner.net/read-across-america/worksheets/the-cat-in-the-hat-vocab-list.pdf).  I can ask my students what the words mean that are on the vocabulary list and we will be able to go over the ones that they do not know.  

Another website that I could use is: http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1571.html.  This would be great to use when reading the book to younger children because it is a sight game which connects the vocabulary words in the book to pictures or actions in the classroom.  It is a great way to get children to learn what the tough words are and they will have a great time doing it. 

Next, students will be able to create their own Cat in the Hat poem using the vocabulary list and rhyming words.  The website that I can use for this can be found at: http://seasonal.theteacherscorner.net/read-across-america/the-cat-in-the-hat.php.  I will ask my students what they have learned about rhyming and will be able to test their knowledge by reading their poems that they have created.  I think that The Cat in the Hat is a great book for children of all ages and I would love to include this book when I am teaching rhyming and vocabulary!