Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor, Illustrated by Max Ginsburg--(Historical Fiction)

This post civil war story skims issues related to segregation of races that occurred in Mississippi. A young boy named Jeremy has grown up in a white household that has many prejudices about blacks. His father will publicly discriminate against blacks but, Jeremy sees these people as significant beings just as himself. Jeremy hangs out at his father’s store, which is right near the bus stop. One day Jeremy notices that a lot of people are traveling by bus and approaches a black family at the stop. They say that their grandma is going to help with a relative that is sick and they are there to send her on her way. The grandchildren leave before the bus departs to go make their milk delivery and Jeremy follows. On the way, they notice that the river is up at the bridge. Jeremy makes his way back to the store and notices that the bus is still there. He hears shouting from the bus driver and sees that the blacks are having to get off the bus to make room for the white people; every black person including the Grandma that he met at the stop. Jeremy sees another black acquaintance, Josias, get shoved off the bus and flee from the scene. Jeremy follows him, hoping his father will not notice, and makes it to the bridge in time to see the bus pass. As the bus is making its way over the flooded bridge it looses control and spins into the river. Ironically, the bus full of white people is planted upside down in the river. Josias dove in and began getting the passengers out of the water. He noticed that none of the victims were moving; they were dead. All the white passengers have died in the crash. Jeremy and Josias stayed near the river all day even though he had been judged so harshly because of his race by that very bus driver and passengers.

I would use this book to introduce topics of segregation and typical life for an African American living in this time. I would use this book with a mature audience of students because strong prejudice terms are used in the book to emphasize the stereotypes of blacks.

A Story A Story Written and Illustrated by Gail E. Haley--(Multicultural)

A Story A Story is a tale from Africa which explains how stories came to be. This African tale uses native language and beautiful drawings to describe the culture in which the story is about. This tale is a ‘spider story’; many African tales are referred to by this title because the ‘spider man’ released these tales from the sky god. The main character, Ananse is the ‘spider man’ himself. This tale describes how Ananse bartered with the sky god for stories to be released from being locked up in the sky. Ananse used his gift of making webs and spun one high into the sky to meet with the sky god. There, the sky god demanded that he receive a tiger, hornets, and a fairy as a price for the stories. This ‘spider tale’ goes on to tell how Ananse fought these creatures and tied them in his web as a trade to the sky god. Ananse outwitted each one of these powerful creatures and offered them to the sky god. Success of small creatures against powerful ones by using wit is a theme throughout most ‘spider stories’. The sky god loved his gifts and had his nobles come out for a celebration as he released stories to every place on earth. And that is how stories came to be!

I would use this book in my classroom to introduce the African culture. The language and drawings all are reflections of this culture. Phrases that are specific to African language are used; for example, when something is really small in Africa they may use repetition and write 'small' multiple times. It would be neat to use this as a resource for identifying how other cultures use literary tools such as repetition.

Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, Ilustrated by Ted Rand--(Multicultural)

This Native American story is about a grandfather telling a young boy about a story he loves to hear; it is his story. The Grandfather tells his Grandsons birth and his struggle to survive in his small feeble body. The worried Grandfather knew he was close to death and took him to see the sunrise but, the baby never opened his eyes. A herd of blue horses stopped at the baby and brought life to him. He raised his arms to the blue horses and was named “Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses”. At that moment the boy grew strong. The Blue Horses gave him power to overcome. The boy was born with a “dark curtain in front of [his] eyes” which created obstacles for the boy. But the strength that he gained from the blue horses gave him the ability to feel the sky on his face and even race his horse. He overcame obstacles because he had the power of the blue horses and trusted his blindness. As the story of the boy’s life comes to an end a knot is tied on a rope; this is used to let the boy know that he knows the story by heart once the rope is full of knots because his Grandfather will not be there forever to tell the story he loves so deeply.

I would use this book in a classroom discussion about inferences. This book never says that the boy is blind but makes several hints. For instance, blindness is referred to as a dark curtain and there is mention that he has to count the gallops that the horse makes as he trusts that it will take him back home.

My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits, Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska (Multicultural)

This is a light-hearted story about a girl that moved from Korea to the Unites States. This girls name is Yoon. That is how it looks in English at least; in Korean her name is much more beautiful on paper and all the characters seem to work together to form her name rather than having independent letters like in the English language. Yoon did not like writing her new name, even though it still meant “Shining Wisdom” and throughout the story learns new words in the English language that she would like to be identified by. On the first day of school she learns about cats; therefore, she wants to be called CAT. When a classmate heard that she wanted to be called CAT she laughed; Yoon wanted to be back in Korea. That evening Yoon wanted her teacher to like her so she drew a picture of a bird and the following day wanted to be called BIRD. The teacher warmly accepts the drawing and new name which makes Yoon feel better about living in the United States. The following school day a classmate approaches Yoon with a cupcake; once again, Yoon has a new name. At home that evening Yoon told her parents about her new friend and how she liked her teacher and even thought about how her new home was not so bad. Then, Yoon had the opportunity to write her name on a piece of paper at school and she wrote YOON. The teacher grabbed Yoon and hugged her. She had been accepted by classmates and her teacher and felt confident to be called by her name that meant “Shining Wisdom”.

I would use this book in a classroom during the first days of class to promote acceptance of other cultures. This book does a good job of illustrating and describing textually the feelings from a child that is new in the United States and does not speak the native language. Students can quickly pickup on the theme that by accepting students from diverse cultures they are give that person a sense of self worth.

Goosebumps: Ghost Beach by R.L. Stine-- (Science Fiction) CHAPTER

Ghost Beach is a horror story about a pair of siblings, Jerry and Terry, which stay with their distant old cousins for a month in a haunted town in New Jersey. While playing on the beach one evening Jerry and Terry meet three friends. They ask their new friends about a cave that they discovered and notice that they grow very anxious to get off the topic but, mention the word ghost. Through this adventure R.L. Stine takes his readers into the creepy cave to discover that an old ghost lives there. According to their new friends, this ghost that Jerry and Terry met has haunted this town since the 1600’s and they all must work together to rid of him. Jerry and Terry are puzzled because the ghost in the cave gave them warning that their three friends are actually the ghosts. Jerry and Terry come up with a plan to catch the real ghost by trapping it in the cave. While the plan was in action a dog came upon them and started barking ferociously at the three friends; Jerry and Terry were told that dogs recognize ghosts. Excited about solving the mystery and trapping the ghost, Jerry and Terry run to their distant relative’s house to tell their story. All until a dog stumbled to the house and started barking at their distant cousins.

I would use this book in the classroom to talk about how authors use different writing styles to build suspense. In this story R.L. Stine is very descriptive and uses language that makes the reader feel as if they are in the story with the ghost, such as onomatopoeia.

What To Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Biography)

This is a book about Alice Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter. Alice was not like other ladies of her time. She craved fun, adventure, and excitement rather than being concerned about poise and being proper. Instead of playing with the girls, Alice joined an all-boys club and even disguised the members as females so she could play with them in public. She also drove a runabout while other ladies rode in carriages. Theodore had had enough and demanded that Alice attend boarding school. Alice did not agree to her father’s punishment and told him that she would learn by spending hours in his library. Indeed, Alice learned many subjects on her own and even grew curious about politics. With this growing curiosity, Alice took a boat with the American delegation to Asia concerning a peace treaty. While on the trip Alice found a fiancé and brought him back to the states and was married soon after. Alice suggested that for wedding presents she wanted trinkets; she received: snakes, hay, cakes, and the pet monkey she dreamed of. Although Alice grew better behaved as she became more involved in her fathers Presidential term, she still wanted to have fun and be adventurous.

I would use this book in my classroom to illustrate how expectations for gender roles have changed over time. This book talks about the expectations for females in the early 1900’s and how Alice deviated from those. I would want students to compare these expectations to today’s.

Anne Frank by Susanna Davidson-- (Biography) CHAPTER

Anne Frank is a biography about a young Jewish girl who suffered under Hitler’s Power. This story includes real pictures from events described in the book as well as diary entries from Anne Frank. Anne and her family moved from Germany to Amsterdam in hopes of escaping the Nazi party. Anne was very grateful for her “free life” in her new home, away from the Nazis. Though with time, the Nazis flooded the streets of Anne’s new home and made all the Jews register and identify them by wearing gold stars. In order for the family to be safe, especially Anne’s sister who had been called to go to a concentration camp, they had to go into hiding. Two years went by living in hiding and Anne began to write in a diary. The Franks and those living in the Annex were not safe forever, they were discovered and arrested and sent to the concentration camp named Auschwitz-Birkenau. The sites and stench of this camp lead Anne to the realization that she was in a death camp. Separated from her father and eventually her mother, Anne and her sister worked and scarped for food. Diseases struck the camp and affected her sister, soon Anne and her sister died from Typhus. Of the members of Anne’s family, only her father survived the concentration camps. The diary that Anne wrote in during the events was given to her father and published two years later. Anne will never be forgotten and her Birthday, June 12 is known as Anne Frank Day.

I would use this book in my classroom to illustrate to kids how a young girl persevered when everything seemed to go wrong. I would also use this book to introduce heroes around the world.

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Biography)

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King skims the life and reason why people celebrate a day in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. The story begins by giving information about when and where he was born followed with information about when he first became a leader. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of peace. He changed unjust laws, which are like rules the book states. The story which beautifully depicts his life and leadership explains exactly which laws Martin Luther King Jr. changed. For example, he thought it was unfair for black people to sit in the back and had to sacrifice their seat for white people. Therefore, he and his friend Rosa Parks decided to find a way to do away with this law. With his success of changing this law and others that were unfair, we have a day of celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

I would use this book to illustrate heroes in American History. Also, this book does a good job of revealing how one person can greatly impact a nation which will expose students to setting high goals.

The Bunyans by Audrey Wood, Illustrated by David Shannon (Folk)

The Bunyans is an extension to the traditional American tall tale, Paul Bunyan. This tall tale is not only about Paul Bunyan but, includes stories about his wife and two children. In this story Paul and his family impact the land just as he did himself when he cleared the land for settlers. This tall tale gives many explanations for what many think to be natural land formations. For example, one may think that geysers were naturally formed but, according to this story the geysers in Wyoming were formed when mama Bunyan used her pickax to make huge holes in the earth so that the warm water that rose could be used to clean dishes and provide warm water. The Bunyan’s lifestyle continually impacts the land throughout this story and goes on to explain how and why Niagara Falls, the Rockies, and many other formations were created.

I would use this book to provide examples of great American tall tales. This book is a great representation of a tall tale because the teacher can easily reveal how unreasonable it is for a giant family to exist and create huge land formations such as Bryce Canyon.

Horrible Harry and the Ant Invation by Suzy Kline, Ilustrated by Frank Remkiewicz-- (Fiction) CHAPTER

This children’s chapter book is all about a mischievous second grader, Harry, who is a legend for his “horribleness”. This story begins with Harry plotting ways to be horrible with the new science unit about Ants. Harry loves bugs and other icky things that aide in his “horribleness”. He slyly gets his hands on the ants and adds them as a topping to the school receptionist’s Banana Yogurt and gets away with it. The story goes on to tell about Harry getting revenge on a classmate for bumping heads with his crush Song Lee during dance. After Harry pours ice down his classmates back he learns that he is a victim of revenge himself. Will Harry be blamed for killing the class fish; an act that his classmate sets him up for with Harry’s horrible reputation in mind?

I would use this book in a classroom when learning about respect. Harry and his classmates constantly model ways of disrespecting each other and students in my classroom could learn what is labeled disrespectful.

The Giver by Lois Lowry-- (Modern Fantasy) CHAPTER

This is a classic modern fantasy that reveals ideas of being completely governed. In the book Jonas and the people of his community experience life that is controlled by a group of Elders. Citizens of this community do not see colors, experience sunshine, love, or pain. When each citizen reaches their twelfth year he or she is assigned a role in the Community; Jonas is reaching his twelfth year; what will his role be? He has no clue, but he knows that the Elders have been watching him. He has not simply been given a role but has been chosen to be The Receiver of Memories, an honorable role. In his adventure of becoming The Receiver, Jonas experiences memories he has never known from a man with the role as The Giver. He learns that he has been kept from pain, death, love, and family. Jonas’ selflessness drives him to escape from the community so that they too can experience such feelings. In his escape he brings along a child who is about to be put to death or in the communities terms 'released'. In the end of the book the reader finds that Jonas and the child are experiencing memories that Jonas received from The Giver. As Jonas' memories that were given to him are slipping, he can only hope that his family and citizens of the community are experiencing the world outside of what the Elders decide.

This story could be used in a classroom of students to help celebrate their differences because the dullness of being the same is a constant theme throughout the story. I would have students write reflections about their feelings of living in a world of 'sameness'.