Module 4: Number the Stars

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• Book Summary: Annemarie Johansen is a young girl growing up in German occupied Denmark during World War II. When her parents decide to help the Jews, including her best friend's family, Annemarie has an opportunity to show bravery to assist in leading them to safety. She aides in a mission to get their family, among others, to a boat that will take them to Sweden. It is not until near the end of the story that Annemarie fully realizes just how courageous and wonderful the achievement was.   

• APA Reference of Book: Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin 

• Impressions: From Annemarie's point of view, this story gives young readers a realistic account of what it was like living in Nazi occupied territories during WWII. It is written appropriately for the developmental level of the audience, not getting too graphic with the true horrors that were experienced during the holocaust. I think many upper elementary aged students are curious about the events, yet are not mature enough to handle the gruesome details. Lowry does an excellent job of describing the setting in a way that readers get a sense of the the fear that was experienced yet won't have lasting haunting visuals. This book is a great complement to a history unit on WWII.  By having students read and be able to connect with a child from that era, I think the historical events from their history text would be more meaningful. 

• Professional Review:The gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts to smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden. Reader's are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.

     [Review of the book Number the stars, by L. Lowry]. (1989). School library journal. 35(16). p39

• Library Uses: Set up centers around the library and divide the students into groups, with each group using an ipad. Each center will have a QR code to scan with different information given at each station. One center will have a Google map showing where Denmark is located with geographic questions to answer about the country. Another center will have information about the Holocaust and a form with questions for the students to fill out by reading the information provided. The third center will have the book The Diary of Anne Frank, with information for the students to compare and contrast about the two stories. 

Module 3: The Snowy Day

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• Book Summary: The Snowy Day follows the story of Peter, a boy that wakes up one morning to discover that his world is covered in snow. He spends the day exploring and discovering all the wonders that snow brings; watching his feet make tracks in the snow, hitting a tree and watching the snow fall from the branches and making a snowman and snow angels. Peter ends his day telling his mother all about his adventures and then reminiscing about the day. 

• APA reference of Book: Keats, E.J. (1962). The snowy day. New York, NY: Viking Press.

• Impressions: Keats inclusion of an African-American character was an historical event in the history of multicultural literature. No books prior to this one featured an African-American character. How exciting it must have been in the 1960's for students in the African-American community to have a character to relate to in the books they were exposed to. I have always loved including this book in my winter themed units not just for the multicultural aspect but for the unique illustrative style that Keats used to complement the story.     

• Professional Review: The author brought bold, bright color and collage to the forefront of children's literature, winning the Caldecott Medal and introducing children to a young African American protagonist named Peter who romps in the snow in this first book and who appears in subsequent stories set in an urban neighborhood.             

Munsen-Benson, C. (2006). [Review of the book A snowy day, by E.J. Keats]. Book Links, 15, page 68. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197205143?accountid=7113.

• Library Uses: Set up centers around the library where students learn more about the illustrative style of collage. One center has art books about collage on display for them to read. Another center has paper out for them to create their own collages. Another center has photos of snow scenes for them to study.  

Module 2: The Very Busy Spider

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• Book Summary: The Very Busy Spider tells the story of a spider that decides to spin her web near a farm. The illustration of the web is made with a texture that the reader can feel raised from the page. All of the farm animals try to engage her with suggestions to participate in their favorite past-times but she ignores each of them as she continues to busily spin her web. The web becomes more and more complex as the story unfolds and the day progresses.  Finally, a rooster asks the spider if she would like to catch a pesky fly, which she does and then falls asleep before being able to answer the Owl's request to know who built the beautiful web.

• APA Reference of Book: Carle, E. (1984). The very busy spider. London: Penguin Group USA. 

• Impressions: I have always loved this book for the many concepts it can introduce. It can be used in October, during a science unit on spiders or it can be used in the spring, during a unit on farm animals.  Both language arts and science lessons can be enhanced with the addition of this book to the lesson. With the author's use of repetition on every other page, "The spider didn't answer. She was very busy spinning her web.", the book can be used with younger, or newer, readers to help them gain confidence in their reading ability. The illustrations are tactilely engaging and encourage the reader to want to read the story over and over again. With each repeat reading, there are new concepts to explore. From the rhythmic language of the farm animals, to the labeling of the action words (verbs) that each animal introduces into the plot, this book can be enjoyed by multiple age groups.  

• Professional Review: Preschool-Gr. 1. The farm animals approach a spider as she's spinning her web and ask if she'd like to play. The spider doesn't answer, continuing to spin her web until it's finished. This is a good title to use when first starting to play stories. Playing Tip: The child playing the spider can use a long piece of string or yarn to spin a web on the floor.                                                                

Locke, J., & Ossont, S. (2007) Books that Play Well. [Review of the book The very busy spider, by E. Carle]. Book Links, 16. page 44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197217160?accountid=7113.

• Library Uses: The book can be used to teach students where to find non-fiction books about spiders, using the Dewey Decimal system. 

Module 1: The Rainbow Fish

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• Book Summary: The Rainbow Fish is a story about a fish that has scales envied by the other fish that live with him in the ocean due to their shimmery, colorful appearance. Although he wants to be honored and adored for this difference, the other fish are turned off by his resistance to share them and in turn, leave him feeling lonely and unadmired. After receiving advice by a wise octopus to give away his scales to the other fish in the ocean, the rainbow fish learns that it makes him happy to share his most prized possessions. Even though he is not different or "special" anymore, he gains a sense of acceptance that is far more appreciated.

• APA Reference of Book: Pfister, M. (1992). The rainbow fish. New York: North-South Books

• Impressions: I have personally owned this book for almost twenty years and have always found it very touching and thought provoking. There are so many lessons that can be taught from a read-aloud of this story. Embracing differences, modesty, and the act of giving to name the most obvious. The illustrations are as beautiful as the story and I, for one, am glad there were sequels published. My students are mesmerized by this book and often request repeat reads.  

• Professional Review: Children will be immediately drawn to this book that features an iridescent, metallic-looking main character whose scales were "every shade of blue and green and purple, with sparkling silver scales among them." Adult suspicions of the gimmick overwhelming the story quickly fade as the plot unfolds: none of the other fish will have anything to do with the Rainbow Fish, who always swims by superciliously and refuses to give away any of his special garb. He is lonely and without admirers until a wise female octopus advises him to give away his scales. Rainbow Fish then discovers that sharing brings happiness and acceptance. The delicate watercolors of underwater scenes are a perfect foil to the glittering scales that eventually form a part of each fishes exterior. This is certainly a story written to convey a message, but in it's simplicity, it recalls the best of Lionni. Besides, what three-year-old doesn't need reinforcement about sharing?

Fader, E.(1992)Book review: Preschool and primary [Review of the book The rainbow fish, by M. Pfister]. School library journal, 38(11), 75-76. 

• Library Uses:  This book would be great to use with PreK-Grade 1 during a Friendship unit at the beginning of the school year. Use the book to introduce the concept of what makes a good friend and then have the children brainstorm and discuss qualities of good friends. Make an anchor chart together of all of the qualities that make a good friend to display in the library for the year. The qualities can be written on pre-made fish die cuts to add to the chart.