The Cat in the Hat

The tension between words and illustrations, sustain the reader's interest by forcing you to think about the relationship. For example, when The Cat in the Hat enters the children's home, the umbrella is colored blue on a mostly black and white page, however the text on the page says "I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny. But we can have lots of good fun that is funny."  Not once did he use umbrella, which is one of the main illustrations that catches your eye and is found on several pages throughout the book.


I've read this book since I was a child and never, not once, noticed that the main character is a good guy or a bad guy.  I always assumed he was a good guy.  Reading it again, with a different perspective, it is very clear that the main character uninvitedly goes into the house with children when no one is home.  It also has a hidden message that teaches children maybe they don't have to tell the truth if they don't have to.  I'm baffled.

I was also very unaware that Dr. Seuss was inspired by an article complaining about the reading material used in schools.  He created books that could be used to teach reading, were gender neutral, timeless with almost no realistic details that portray the era in which he wrote the book. (Unlike Dick and Jane)

Dr. Seuss's readers, are unlike any other fan base out there for "beginning reader" books.  

Every one of Dr. Seuss' children's books still appeal to children today!  They delight in celebrating his birthday, and dress as his characters for Halloween!  I can not think of a contemporary book that has the same tension as The Cat in the Hat, however I'm sure there are many that are teaching our children to accept changing social norms.  This has opened my eyes to be more aware of what I read.

Newberry Honor Book & Feature Film - Because of Winn Dixie

I actually read this book a long time ago, before the movie ever came out, but continue to use it every year in my classroom.  A lot of students have already seen the movie before the book is introduced, which takes prohibits them to discover character development while reading, however they are still able to enjoy the story.

The way I envisioned Opal's character was nothing like who ended up being cast to play her.  I enjoyed the movie, but was never really able to move past the fact that AnnaSophia Robb seemed too annoying.

The story line stayed true to the Newbery Honor winning book, however they added a few supporting characters and changed part of the plot by deleting scenes from the book.  For example, her father told her exactly ten things about her mother, including that she liked to drink.  The movie explained why her mother left, and it was hinted in a round about way, however never directly said.

This novel, and movie, is a great way to address tough life circumstances with children.  It is never inappropriate or stereotypical in anyway.

Newbery Honor & Feature Film - Hoot

Both feature middle school boys in Florida working with friends to save a colony of burrowing owls from disaster in the form of a new pancake restaurant.  In the book, Roy has the nickname "Tex" and in the movie he blurts out the name of the first name tag he sees: "Ling Ho."  Another noted difference is that Officer Delinko played a more active role in the book than in the movie.  He made mistakes in the book, but no where near to the extreme as he did in the movie.  Another character, Mullet Fingers, is portrayed as a runaway trouble maker, where as in the book readers portray him similar to Mowgli or Huckleberry Finn.

Both were enjoyable, but as I said before, it's hard to watch a movie and enjoy it after you have read the book.    

The Imp That Ate My Homework by Laurence Yep

One of my students saw this book laying on my desk and made it his mission in life to figure out what exactly an Imp is.  After he researched and reported back to me, somehow he convinced me to switch our read aloud book to this title.  This student is an avid reader and stays on top of the newest released chapter books for kids.  I believe he was so intrigued by this book because it was something he had never seen before and it allowed him to use his imagination in a way he hadn't done lately.  

Within the first few chapters of the book, the kids were able to make several inferences about how Jim felt about his grandfather as well as his heritage.  We actually had to stop several times and discuss why he might of felt this way.  None of the students were able to relate to feeling "ashamed" of their culture.  However if they were American, and were growing up in Japan, trying to be like the Japanese, they admitted they might feel differently.

They enjoyed listening to this book read aloud and the crazy things the Imp did to make Jim's life miserable as well as the connection that he was developing with his grandfather.  (Which many of them can relate to.)    

Other stories written by Laurence Yep:

• Dragonwings
• Child of the Owl
• Sea Glass
• Dragon of the Lost Sea
• Liar, Liar
• Monster Makers, Inc.
• The Rainbow People
  (illustrated by David Wiesner)
• The Star Fisher
• The Lost Garden
• Dragon's Gate
  (illustrated by Wayne McLaughlin)
• The Junior Thunder Lord
  (illustrated by Robert Van Nutt)
• Later, Gator
  (illustrated by Eric Velasquez)
• Thief of Hearts
• Tree of Dreams: Ten Tales from the Garden of Night
  (illustrated by Isadore Seltzer)
• Ribbons

Feature Film & Caldecott Medal: The Polar Express

Just with any published book that is turned into a feature film, you have variation in opinions.  This book, more so than other recent blockbuster hits, still seems to come up in conversation.  Chris Van Allsburg's illustrated children's book is elaborately simplistic.  Because of this, a story seems so much more magical than just any old story because it allows children access to an imaginary world that they can only dream about.  In many households and classrooms this book is a tradition because it reinforces the idea of faith and belief without reference to a specific religion.  

Movies based on published books that turn out to be equal to or better than the original story are few and far between.  Typically this happens when a movie is made based off of a book that hasn't quite become very popular.  People see the movie, love the characters and the story and then choose to read the book.  However people who read the stories and then see the movie are more often than not, disappointed.  As a child, my mother always told me the book is always better than the movie.  You develop your own characters and settings in your mind and sometimes they aren't quite the same, (or anywhere near), what the director had in mind.  

I enjoyed this film, only because it was a children's picture book, and the movie expanded a lot of the basic elements of the plot. However I know several people that said the adventure to the North Pole was too long and exhausting.  The director was able to capture the ageless time period that is portrayed in the book and the music that is incorporated brings that extra bit of warm Christmas celebration.  I appreciate when film makers stay consistent with the ending of the story.  There is nothing worse than the comfort of knowing how a story is going to end and then witnessing a new ending in a matter of moments.  Both the book and the feature film get two thumbs up!  

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

I saw this book on the shelves in the library, but never really known what it was about.  How fitting this book is for an elementary classroom on April 22nd!  In this story, the Lorax "speaks for the trees" because they have no tongue.  He tries to convince the Once-ler to stop cutting the Truffula trees down and goes into how by destroying one part of nature everything else will follow.  The didactic message describes  the destructive nature of deforestation and provides positive examples of how you can save the Earth.  It also speaks strongly against greediness and the system many people use to make money at the cost of others.

We just finished teaching our fourth grade students about stories that contain a secret hidden message.  We read several Aesop's Fables and discussed how a message from such a long time ago still pertains today.  As a child I can remember reading Bernstein Bears books.  They always portray the children getting into some time of situation and the older characters in the book helping them learn a valuable lesson to become a better individual.      

Caldecott Medal & Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney - The Lion & The Mouse

With elaborate illustrations and barely any words, Pinkney transforms Aesop's Fable, "The Lion and the Mouse" into a story that will change the way you see the world.  I had never read the fable before, and I was still able to grasp the moral of the story, treat others as you would want to be treated.  Mr. Pinkney has received four New York TImes Best Illustrated Awards and has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.  He has received the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award five times.  His other illustrations consist of:

Sweethearts of Rhythm 2009 The Lion & The Mouse 2009 The Moon Over Star 2008 Little Red Riding Hood 2007 The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll 2007 Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me 2007 The Little Red Hen 2006 The Old African 2005 God Bless The Child 2003 Noah's Ark 2002 The Nightingale 2002 Goin' Someplace Special 2001 Albidaro and the Mischievious Dream 2000 Aesop's Fables 2000 Journeys with Elijah 1999 The Ugly Duckling 1999 Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales 1999 The Little Match Girl 1999 Black Cowboy, Wild Horses 1998 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi 1997 The Hired Hand 1997 Sam and the Tigers 1996 Minty: A Story of a Young Harriet Tubman 1996 The Jungle Book 1995 Tanya's Reunion 1995 John Henry 1994 Sunday Outing 1994 The Last Tales of Uncle Remus 1994 A Starlit Somersault Downhill 1993 New Shows for Silvia 1993 I Want to Be 1993 David's Songs 1992 Back Home 1992 Drylongso 1992 The Man with His Heart in a Bucket 1991 In For Winter Out For Spring 1991 Pretend You're a Cat 1990 Home Place 1990 Further Tales of Uncle Remus 1990 Turtle in July 1989 The Talking Eggs 1989 Rabbit Makes a Monkey of Lion 1989 More Tales of Uncle Remus 1988 Mirandy and Brother Wind 1988 The Green Lion of Zion Street 1988 Wild Wild Sunflower Child Anna 1987 The Tales of Uncle Remus 1987 Strange Animals of the Sea 1987 Half a Moon and One Whole Star 1986 A Patchwork Quilt 1985 Monster Myths of Ancient Greece 1981 Apples on a Stick: Folklore of Black Children 1981 Jahdu 1980 Count Your Fingers African Style 1980 Tonweya and the Eagles, and other Lakota Tales 1979 Childtimes: A Three Generation Memoir 1979 Tales from Africa 1978 Mary McLeod Bethune 1977 Ji-Nongo-Nongo Means Riddle 1977 Yagua Days 1975 Song of the Trees 1975 Roots of Time 1974 The Great Minu 1974 Mickey and Minny 1973 Kasho and the Twin Flutes 1973 JD 1972 Femi and Old Grandaddie 1972 More Adventures of Spider 1971 The King's Ditch: A Hawaiian Tale 1971 The Twin Witches of Fingle Fu 1969 The Porcupine and the Tiger 1969 Juano and the Wonderful Fresh Fish 1969 Homerhenry 1969 Babushka and the Pig 1969 Shoes, Pennies, and Rockets 1968 Kostas The Rooster 1968 Folktales and Fairytales of Africa 1967 Even Tiny Ants Must Sleep 1967 The Clock Museum 1967 The Beautiful Blue Jay & Other Tales of India 1967 The Traveling Frog 1966 A Book of Sizes & Shapes 1966 The Year Around Book 1965 This is Music 1965 The Adventures of Spider: West African Folk Tales 1964