Rabbit's Snow Dance

 

Bibliography:

Bruchas, James, and Joseph. 2012. RABBIT’S SNOW DANCE. Ill. by Jeff Newman. Dial Books. ISBN: 0803732708.

Plot Summary:

Rabbit’s Snow Dance is a funny twist on an Iroquois folktale about the importance of being patient and listening to your friends. The rabbit loves winter, and he uses dance and song to make it snow even in the summertime. The other animals aren’t happy and ask him to stop but he doesn’t listen. When will the rabbit realize that there's enough snow?

Critical Analysis:

I really enjoyed this book as well as my 2^nd grade students. We found the story was written very well and taught a variety of lessons from patience, listening to your friends, being considerate, and not being selfish. The illustrations by Newman were amazing and really made the story stand out even more. We really enjoyed the twist to the folktale of why rabbits no longer have long tails.

I love that Bruchas shared this Iroquois folktale as its important to continue sharing our First Nations stories that have been passed down for generations. I feel Bruchas and Newman did truly an amazing job and this book will be added to my library for sure.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

“The telling is sprightly, and Newman's ink-and-watercolor artwork makes an ideal companion. An appealing addition to folktale shelves.” —Booklist

“This modern retelling maintains [the Bruchacs’] solid reputation for keeping Native American tales fresh.” —School Library Journal

Connections:

This book is an amazing read-aloud to teach about folktales and teach the lessons of patience. You could use this book to also study Native American Folktales. Some other books to check out are:

-          How Chipmunk Got His Stripes by Joseph and James Bruchac

-          How Raven Got His Crooked Nose: An Alaskan Dena’ina Fable by Barbara Atwater

-          Turtle’s Race with Beaver by Joseph and James Bruchas

You could even use this folktale to study alone with other books about stubborn animals such as:

-          Bears Wants More by Karma Wilson

-          Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema

Swamp Angel

 

Bibliography:

Isaacs, Anne. 2000. SWAMP ANGEL. Ill. by: Paul Zelinsky, Puffin Books. ISBN: 0140559086

Plot Summary:

Swamp Angel is about a girl who is a force to be reckoned with. She can lasso a tornado, drink a lake dry, and she can defeat a bear. This book has amazing folk- art paintings that match the exaggerated text and is set in the American frontier.

Critical Analysis:

I honestly had to read this book a few times because, during the first read, I wasn’t that impressed. I was looking at it as a second-grade teacher and I thought the students would lose attention. It’s a very wordy book but seeing that it has a lot of awards I thought let's try it again. It is a great spin from other tall tales out there. It's different so the children would be interested in a new story. Funny elements such as the dad giving her an axe as a baby are laughable and pull kids in. I also felt there were a few words that they hadn’t heard before and really aren’t common words such as mired. You could use this to teach using context clues to figure the words out. The imagery used throughout the book is what really makes it a more interesting book because it's funny to see a large girl. The giant bear and seeing her do outrageous activities. If this book didn't have the illustrations that Zelinsky created it wouldn’t have won as many awards that it did.

I think this book is interesting and I feel that it probably won so many awards largely because it is a tall tale with a female main character. If I had to rate it from a 0-10- I think I would give it a 5 or 6. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

A Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

"Move over Paul Bunyan, you are about to meet Swamp Angel. . . . Visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to remember".

-- The Horn Book, starred review

Connections:

Great book to compare with other folk tales, and to read this author's other books Dust Devil, and Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.

This book could be used to lead into writing your own tall tales. 

The Three Little Tamalas

 

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric. 2012. THE THREE LITTLE TAMALAS. Ill by Valeria Docampo. Two Lions. ISBN: 0761455191

Plot Summary:

 An adaptation of The Three Little Pigs, with three little tamales instead. The book has three tamales who cool off when a tortilla rolls by. He tells them to run so they do. They each build houses in different areas much like the original Three Little Pigs, but Senor Lobo the Big Bad Wolf comes along to blow their houses down. Follow this tale that has added humor and a Southwestern twist.

Critical Analysis:

This is a fun book! It’s not exactly the traditional story but it is a version of The Three Little Pigs set in Texas near Mexico. Kids will really enjoy it; the connection to the traditional story is close enough that they can predict what will happen but different enough that they will giggle at the changes and enjoy it. I really enjoyed that Krimmel integrated the setting into the story by having the houses built out of items you would find in Texas that are largely known items plus parts of all the items that can be used in making tamales. The use of some Spanish words is a great way to use context clues to figure out their meanings but there is also a glossary if needed. The bilingual students will really enjoy this book and it would be fun for them to read it aloud too.

I also liked how the book tied in some of Kimmel’s other books such as The Runaway Tortilla who appears at the beginning of the story, and a variety of characters are included in the party at the end of the story.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

The traditional "Three Little Pigs" gets a southwestern flavor in Kimmel's latest updated tale, a takeoff on his previous The Runaway Tortilla (2000), illustrated by Randy Cecil. Taking their cue from the tortilla, three tamales from T"a Rosa's restaurant also decide to make a break for it. Each builds a different type of casita: the first of sagebrush, the second of cornhusks, and the third of cactus. When Se˜or Lobo makes his appearance, youngsters will have no doubt as to who he is: "I'll huff and I'll puff / like a Texas tornado / and blow your casita / from here to Laredo!" A glossary helps readers unfamiliar with Spanish, although most words are defined in context. Docampo's oils are filled with southwestern colors and details. Her tamales each have a stereotyped personality all its own: the mustachioed macho brother, the pretty but not-too-bright sister and the smart sister who wears glasses. A flavorful addition to the folktale shelf that begs to be shared with a group. (Picture book . 4-8) (Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2009)

Connections:

1.      I would use this book with a variety of adaptations of The Three Little Pigs” and have my students in groups read one of the books. They could create a reader's theater of the book, and all the students could present their book. As a class we could discuss similarities and differences and why we think the authors had these changes in the story.

2.      Your students could do a comparison activity between the books.

3.      The students could write their own twist on the original story after reading a variety of adaptations.

Other adaptations are:

-          The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot by Margaret McNamara.

-          The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas

-          The Three Little Gators by Helen Ketteman

-          The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark by Ken Geist

-          

4.      You could also use this book as a beginning to an author's study and have students then read a variety of Eric Kimmell books and have a book discussion. Most of his children's books are a twist to classic books. 

The Three Cabritos

 

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric. 2012. THE THREE CABRITOS. Ill. by Stephen Gilpin. Two Lions. ISBN: 9780761463092

Plot Summary:

Kimmel tells a story about three little goats and how their mother is worried about the Chupacabra, the goat sucker who lives under the bridge. This story is a Mexican twist to the classic The Billy Goats Gruff.  A funny twist to a classic.

Critical Analysis:
 I really liked the characters and setting of this story because it gives the original text a funny spin. I am from the South not far from Mexico so it is relatable. I love the twist of the troll being a chupacabra. The Three Cabritos are still the three little goats but with this change in words as well as others throughout the text you also get a taste of the Spanish culture. I found that the storyline was similar when they each tried to say the next brother would be bigger, but they had to play music that he would like to get across. In the end, the biggest and last brother tricks the chupacabra by playing his accordion one last time, but he doesn’t realize that this accordion is magic. While he plays it makes those listening dance until he stops. The brothers all played the Chupacabra well.

Gilpin over all did an amazing job with the illustrations. I loved how the mother goat is obviously fussing at her children by having her hand on her hip and the son's faces are saying so much. The details here are amazing and continue throughout the story with background scenery, and images really portraying the goats playing their instruments to their facial expression when they are running away. The only criticism I have is when I think of the chupacabra I don’t think of them being blue. To me, that was a little strange, and would like to know why he decided to have him be blue.  I asked my students their thoughts as well and they agreed that they wouldn’t think a chupacabra would be blue. We thought it would be more like a leathery, brown-colored creature.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

Kimmel sets his reworking of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" just north of the Rio Grande, sending caprine musicians Reynaldo, Orlando, and August"n tripping across the border to a fiesta in Mexico. First, of course, they must first get by the fearsome Chupacabra, or "goat sucker," guarding the bridge—who demands a tune in exchange for their lives. Gilpin stands the goats on hind legs, gives them overalls, band instruments, and big horsey grins, and pits them against a spiny blue monster that resembles a cross between Yoda and a whale-sized flea. Ultimately, big August"n tootles away on his accordion until the dancing Chupacabra collapses and deflates in exhaustion. Any political implications in this fresh, original take on the familiar tale are (surely) inadvertent and would go over the heads of younger readers anyway. (end note) (Picture book /folktale. 5-7) (Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2007)

Connections:

I would use this book with a variety of adaptations of “The Three Billy Goat Gruff” and have my students in groups read one of the books. They could come together and create a reader's theater of the book, and all the students could present their book. As a class we could discuss similarities and differences and why we think the authors had these changes in the story.

Other adaptations are:

-          Listen, My Bridge is so Cool! The Story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff as Told by the Troll. By Cristian Bernardini

-          The Three Billy Goats Fluff by Rachael Mortimer

-          Trip Trap Trouble by Katie Pye

-          The Three Bully Goats by Leslie Kimmelman

-          The Three Armadillies Tuff by Jack Hopkins

Environmental Scan

Environmental Scan of Educational Technology

Overview

After reading the "Environmental Scan of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools", I connected my understanding of knowing our patrons with Technology availability. Any educator should already establish the importance of knowing your school's patrons, but this report helps to dive deeper into understanding the importance and interrupting of the information. An extra interesting fact about this report was that it was commissioned by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Time to Dive In

 I am a teacher in Klein ISD which starting this year became a 1 to 1 district. This is amazing as our district encompasses a wide range of demographics. This is an attempt to level the playing field with technology available to all students. I am a second-grade teacher at a school with 890 students. Our largest ethnic group making up a little over half of the campus is Hispanics. The next large ethnic groups were White (250) and African Americans (180).  As for economic disadvantage compared to non-advantage our campus is almost an even split at 49.8% and 50.2%. 

After comparing the "Environmental Scan of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools", with my observations of our campus along with the Texas Education Agency, 2023 Performance Report I agree with the following observation, "The use of mobile devices has expanded rapidly, and there is an increasing number of Americans (13% in 2015) who lack home broadband access and depend on smartphones for Internet connectivity." (Cohen Group, 2016). I find this to be very true not just on our campus but in our district. Our district used to offer hot spots if families requested them, but we had so few families requesting them because of smartphones that the hot spot program was discontinued this year.

With our district becoming 1 to 1 we have found a lot of benefits in our classrooms. We can tie in more programs for our students to use and they truly enjoy it because it appears as a game to the them. We have so many programs that I can’t even list them all but a few off the top of my head we use daily are Google Drive, Schoology, Waggle, Happy Numbers, Lexia, Math Fact Lab, Britannica, PebbleGo, and many more. This has become very helpful by having more small group rotations in which we can have more entuned personalized learning for our students. It has also allowed easy research because in elementary school we often all research a general topic at once and the library only has a certain number of books available. This gives us all the opportunity to teach using Britannica and PebbleGo along with books to find accurate information for our research. Even though we as teachers are also learning aspects of the technology available, we always have digital support available to us. For every 2 campuses, we are assigned 1 digital support person who comes to our campus 2 days a week but will come more if we have questions about a specific program or we are taking assessments with the technology and need help.

With the ever-growing technology era, I feel our district has done an amazing job at understanding that everyone needs access to the same technology, and with the implementation of 1-1 devices, this is the beginning of leveling the field with those campuses who normally don’t have as many resources available compared to others.

References

Michael Cohen Group, LLC. (2016, December). Environmental scan of educational technology in U.S. public schools. https://www.mcgrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Report-Environmental-_-Final12.22.2016.pdf

Texas Education Agency. (2023, December 15). Texas Academic Performance Reports. https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/accountability/academic-accountability/performance-reporting/texas-academic-performance-reports

 

Trombone Shorty

 

Bibliography:

 Andrew, Troy. 2015. TROMBONE SHORTY. Ill. by Bryan Collier. Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 1419714651

Plot Summary:

 This is the story of “Trombone Shorty” and how he got his nickname. You hear about New Orleans where Troy grew up and how he made his dream of playing music come to life. The real-life story of Troy Andrews.

Critical Analysis:

 Andrews wrote an autobiography picture book about his beginning. From where he grew up, to where he got his nickname and how he met Bo Diddley and more. The illustrations by Bryan Collier tie in with what it must have really been like through Troy’s eyes as a child. I like how he has the motion of what the smells in the kitchen are doing when making gumbo and the flow of music as it flows out over the crowds.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

The Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award-winning picture book.

"This well-told and exquisitely illustrated story of a musician with a steep career trajectory will inspire young readers to pursue their passions, despite the challenges."―Kirkus Reviews

"Collier’s expressive watercolor collages layer and texture each page, creating a mix of images that echo the combination of styles Andrews uses to create his own “musical gumbo'...Read this one aloud to capture the sounds and sights of Trombone Shorty’s New Orleans."―The Horn Book Magazine

"The storytelling is imbued with a touch of storybook glamour and generous humor...Collier’s vibrant mixed-media illustrations ably complement the text with a skillful melding of paint and photo collage that underscore the “gumbo” of street sounds and musical styles that influence Andrews’ works."―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Connections:

 This is a great book to talk about personal narrative writing.

You could use this during Black History Month, when learning about musicians, and when learning about how you can follow your dreams. This book is a book that could be used for a variety of lessons. I think it would be fun to have books about musicians and have the students create instruments. 

The Snowy Day

 

Bibliography:

  Keats, Ezra. 1976. THE SNOWY DAY.

Plot Summary:

 The Snowy Day is about a boy who shares his experience of his day of being in the snow. He shares all the fun he has from walking silly to seeing different tracks, making a snowman, climbing a giant mountain, and more.

Critical Analysis:

 Ezra Jack Keats did a wonderful job writing one of the first books to portray a realistic, multi-cultural urban setting. There weren’t many books in this period that depicted children of color. This book became a classic and is still today a top children’s book. His illustrations portray what a child sees and does on a snowy day, and you can imagine being there. After writing his first book The Snowy Day he created his most famous character Peter.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

Caldecott Medal Book

“Keats made Peter’s world so inviting that it beckons us. Perhaps the busyness of daily life in the 21st century makes us appreciate Peter even more—a kid who has the luxury of a whole day to just be outside, surrounded by snow that’s begging to be enjoyed.” —The Atlantic

"Ezra Jack Keats's classic The Snowy Day, winner of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."—Publisher's Weekly

Connections:

 This book would be great to use when teaching personal narratives and talking about small moments when writing.

I would also get other Keats books to use as other examples of personal narratives. Such as:

-          -Whistle for Willie, 

-          A Letter to Amy

-          Peter’s Chair

-          Jeannie’s Hat

-          Hi, Cat!

-          Pet Show

-          Goggles

-          And more. 

Rosa

 

Bibliography:

 Giovanni, Nikki. 2007. ROSA. Ill. by Bryan Collier. Square Fish. ISBN: 0312376022.

Plot Summary:

Rosa is the story of what happened on the day Rosa Parks said “No.” It encompasses other civil rights issues that were going on during this time and how her “…No became a Yes for change.” In sharing her story, we can see how Rosa Parks was such an important part of the civil rights movement.

Critical Analysis:

  Giovanni does an amazing job telling the story of what happened to Rosa Parks. As an adult, I even learned things that I wasn’t even aware of. I loved how she told the story as if you were just reading about what her day was like and how it went from a regular day to a day when she was arrested for simply not moving on the bus. Her simple act of saying no led to women in the community coming together and creating the movement of not riding. They didn’t ride the buses for over a year and during this time also came together with other local organizations to decide on who would speak for them. I like how Emmett Till and MLK Jr. were mentioned in this story.

Collier did a brilliant job with his illustrations from the little details of newspaper articles reflecting the civil rights issues: white entrance signs, and separate water fountains. Also, the details of people’s faces on the bus, and the details of Rosa's hands when she is thinking over what she is doing. You can see the emotions in all the details of this book. It’s a great job depicting the period as well for those who weren’t there to experience it.

I do think the book is written with a lot of detail and might not hold the attention of younger children, but this would be a great book for 3^rd/4^th grade students and up.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

Caldecott Honor Book, and Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

“Paired very effectively with Giovanni's passionate, direct words, Collier's large watercolor-and-collage illustrations depict Parks as an inspiring force that radiates golden light.” ―Booklist, Starred Review

“Purposeful in its telling, this is a handsome and thought-provoking introduction to these watershed acts of civil disobedience.” ―School Library Journal

“Giovanni and Collier offer a moving interpretation of Rosa Park's momentous refusal to give up her bus seat. The author brings her heroine very much to life...a fresh take on a remarkable historic event.” ―Publishers Weekly

Connections:

 This book could be used during Black History Month, Civil Rights lessons, or just teaching about important people over history.

Other books to read with this would be:

-          The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Cole.

-          Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr by Doreen Rappaport.

-          Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levin.

Last Stop on Market Street

 Bibliography:

 De la Pena, Matt. 2015. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. Ill. By Christian Robinson.  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. ISBN:  9780399257742

Plot Summary:

 This book is about a boy who is wondering why he doesn’t have things that he sees others having, and he is asking these questions to his grandmother. Along their journey, you see the bond between the grandmother and grandson, as well as learning to see the beauty of everything around them.

Critical Analysis:

 This book was written in a way that makes it relatable to all. I truly loved this book because it really helped you see how you need to find the beauty in everything instead of the negative. The examples Grandma gave throughout the book are inspiring and really teach you a multitude of lessons.  Robinson really brought in the story and real life with his illustrations of the story. I really felt like I had experienced almost all these situations and I even learned to look at things differently.

Last Stop on Market Street teaches multiple deep lessons along the way but in a simple and direct manner in which children would understand the lessons. This is a must add to any book collection and I am sure this will be considered a classic in the future.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

#1 New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
Winner of the Newbery Medal
A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Notable Children’s Book of the Year
A Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year
The Huffington Post Best Overall Picture Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Horn Book Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading & Sharing Pick
A Miami Herald Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Raleigh News & Observer Best Children’s Book of the Year
An Atlanta Parent Best Book of the Year

★ “Like still waters, de la Peña and Robinson’s story runs deep. It finds beauty in unexpected places, explores the difference between what’s fleeting and what lasts, acknowledges inequality, and testifies to the love shared by an African-American boy and his grandmother.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “De la Peña and Robinson here are carrying on for Ezra Jack Keats in spirit and visual style. This quietly remarkable book will likely inspire questions . . . It will also have some adult readers reaching for a tissue.” —The Horn Book, starred review

★ “With the precision of a poet, Matt de la Peña chronicles a boy's heartwarming Sunday morning routine with his nana. Christian Robinson's uplifting palette and culturally diverse cast brightens the rainy-day backdrop.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

Connections:

o   You could use this book to teach different lessons such as:

o   Kindness

o   Understand other's viewpoint (ex. Blind man)

o   Identifying the moral of the story

o   Noticing real-life similarities in the story and illustrations

o   Similar books to check out:

o   Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt De La Pena

o   A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

o   Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and Illustrated by Michaela Goade

 

Bibliography:

Lindstrom, Carole. 2020. WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS. Ill. by Michaela Goage. Roaring Brook Press. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 1250203554.

Plot Summary:

The inspiration for this book is from the different Indigenous-led movements across North America. It addresses the urgent issues of the Earth's water becoming corrupt and harmful to everyone and everything on this planet. The book is written in a beautiful lyrical voice common to Indigenous storytelling. The book uses the black snake to represent the Dakota Access Line and its movement.

Critical Analysis:

 Lindstrom’s writing is lyrical and has the essence of sitting around with an elder and hearing an old story. It speaks of the importance of water to us all “Water is the first medicine.

It affects and connects us all . . .”. It speaks to what water is to us all from the beginning of our life and throughout Earth’s history. In this book, there isn’t a typical story but it away it shows us (the people) as the characters and the plot is that the black snake is corrupting our water, and it will harm the world if nothing is done to stop the black snake.

 Michaela Goage’s illustrations add to the story and really bring it all together with beautiful illustrations of the Earth and animals. The imagery in this book ties it all together by showing the flow of all things on either and how the black snake is impacting the water all around us. The illustration of the black snake is truly amazing as it has the characteristics of a snake, yet you can tell it represents pipes. I think the illustration is what really makes this book stand out even more because it is very impactful.

 I really like how at the end of the book they added information about Water Protectors, as well as future reading ideas and a glossary.

Review Excerpt(s):

This book received The Caldecott Medal and was a #1 New York Bestseller.

"Powerful...Goade’s illustrations combine a mystical mood with the lovely fierceness of a child seeking justice." ―The New York Times

*"In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice. An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet."―starred review, Kirkus Reviews

*"Goade’s watercolor illustrations fill the spreads with streaming ribbons of water, cosmic backdrops, and lush natural landscapes.... Lindstrom’s spare, poetic text flows with the “river’s rhythm." Written in response to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, famously protested by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe―and others―these pages carry grief, but it is overshadowed by hope in what is an unapologetic call to action." ―starred review, Booklist

*"Observation is not enough, the book communicates: action is necessary... A passionate call for environmental stewardship." ―starred review, Publishers Weekly

Connections:

·         You could use this book for a variety of lessons such as:

o   Lyrical writing

o   Metaphors

o   Earth Day

o   Teaching about a specific cultural aspect of Indigenous people

·         You could also gather other books illustrated by Michaela Goade. She is an up-and-coming Indigenous illustrator. You could use her books in a variety of culture lessons as well as art depiction lessons.