Annotated Bibliography

             I have compiled my own Annotated Bibliography for Children's Literature. In my research I have found that there are a lot of good books out there are already and they are very useful in the classroom. As a future teacher, I encourage you to all take a look at the books you are reading and record them for future reference, I am sure they will come in handy one day. For now, I have some of my favorites from my list that I would like to share with you. With each book comes the summary, my personal response, and a teacher connection to the classroom. Enjoy!

Annotated Bibliographies:

Summary: Dinosaurs are huge! We all know that they are but how big is big? O’Brien takes the dinosaurs and places them next to everyday objects we see today to show us just how big they truly are if they were to still be around today! Personal Response:

Gigantic! How Big were the Dinosaurs? By

Patrick O’Brien

Copyright 1999

# of pgs: 32                               

Historical Fiction 

   Grades 1-2

      This book gives us quite a realistic view to see how huge dinosaurs would be today. This makes it an         interesting read because it helps us to relate it to our own everyday life which I find fascinating. I’ve known that dinosaurs were big but I never imagined how big they might be and this book brings that alive to us.

    Teacher Connection:

      In a classroom setting, we could be talking about how dinosaurs used to be around and let the children know how big they must be! This book could be a great way to introduce them to this concept. I would have the students have a worksheet that has pictures of everyday objects. Next to the objects, there would be space for the students to draw. As a class, the students would be listening to the teacher read this book aloud. After everyone learns about how big one dinosaur is next to an object, the students will draw their own dinosaur next to the object on the picture on their worksheet. These objects will correlate the ones in the book so the dinosaur should correlate too.

 

     

Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday by Mary Pope Osborne Copyright 2002 # of pgs: 73 Modern Fantasy Grades 3-4 Summary:       Annie and Jack have a secret tree house that magically appears when it wants to be found. In this episode, they were whisked away to the First Thanksgiving in 1621. They met the pilgrims and the Indian Squanto. They were found and must participate in helping prepare for the feast, the first Thanksgiving ever! In their time there, they recognized the hardship of the times and the amount of preparation needed in the village at the times. Jack and Annie learned about this great feast in a firsthand perspective. Personal Response:        I enjoyed this book very much because it really brought us to look at Thanksgiving from a different perspective. We tend to think of it as food time but back then, it was a celebration of the unity of the Indians and the pilgrims as they had to work together to survive in the first place. The children will be able to see the difference of the way children lived back then compared to today. It helps gain the necessary appreciation of the hardship they went through for us to be where we are today.    Teacher Connection:        In the classroom, the teacher could have a video about Thanksgiving to introduce the topic to them. Have them discuss what it means to them. Then, after they have read this book, have a class discussion about the differences they recognized between back then and today. Have a chart up front on the board; a column for the similarities and a column for the differences. After this is finished as a class, have the students think about ways they could help their parents at home with Thanksgiving. Once a list has been made, share the list with students to take home. When they come back from Thanksgiving, have the students write in a journal about what they did to help their families. Seven Natural Wonders of North America by Michael Woods & Mary B. Woods Copyright 2009 # of pgs: 70 Nonfiction Grades 5-6 Summary:      There are Seven Natural Wonders of North America alone and this book helps us to see it all in one book. It would be so much better to see in person but this gives us a sneak peek into the natural beauty that surrounds us each and every day! If we would only open our eyes! Personal Response:          I found this book to be simply amazing with the awesome pictures it gives of the natural beauty that surrounds us! All this time that I have lived here in Florida, North America, and all this has surrounded us! It intrigues me and reminds me that there is history to all these wonders and it is important to remember the history around us.  Teacher Connection:            In a classroom, this would be great for students to learn. Since there are seven wonders, I would divide the students into seven groups. Each group will be assigned a Wonder of the North America. This will become more of a project where they will be given a little bit of classroom time to work on it. They will conduct research on their wonder to find out how it might have been created. Such as if it was result of man’s actions or something that was created without any help. Together as a group, they will present their findings. Also, they would have created a model of the Wonder in any way they choose to display it.

Fab Four Reflection

                The fab four chapters were helpful and expanded my views on what Children's Literature is truly about. These chapters opened my eyes to the fact that no matter how popular a book or how out-of-this-world it might be, it can all still be utilized inside the classroom. So often, we think of reading books at school as something that is boring or unnecessary. That is total opposite of the way we need to approach literature inside of the classroom. When students are interested in the literature and want to read, the better the chances of the students participating in activities and actually engage in learning. In this fab four, I learned that non-fiction doesn't have to be boring but find ways to teach the students with interesting topics introduced in a creative way. I learned that poetry can have two totally opposite ends, on the one hand where the language is simple and rhymes to the other hand where the language is complex and requires analysis. No matter how it comes about, it can all always relate back to the students and intrigue their learning. I learned that modern fantasy usually has the popularity among the teens so introducing that into their classroom can intrigue their curiosity and pursue education with a totally different attitude. I learned that diverse perspectives helps students recognize that yes there is a difference in skin color but that doesn't have to separate us from each other. It doesn't matter the difference a person has (skin color, mental disability, abusive household, etc.), they are people too and they have issues just like everyone else, we don't need to add to that. Diverse perspectives covers more than racism because that is only one issue, there are so many other issues that a person deals with. In a classroom, we could discuss these issues and help people to realize that we can't jump to conclusions but have a compassionate heart toward these people. All together, the fab four has expanded my horizons and revealed the importance of Children's Literature in the classroom!

Diverse Perspectives

An important aspect of the classroom is the diversity that is adequately recognized. The genre of diverse perspectives allows this recognition into the classroom directly in the lessons and activities so that the many cultures could be encouraged. The critical issues associated with this genre are the following: helps children understand racism and recognizing self-identity, the readers see people like themselves and facing challenges and solving problems, and “...read about the various experiences of ethnic groups in our multicultural society, we better understand who the United States is as a nation” (pg. 304).

Connecting this genre in simple ways are as the following: incorporate problem posing which requires readers to use questions to engage in critical analysis, and incorporate alternative perspectives which explores viewpoints of different characters in a story or different people in real-life situations.

Some examples that include diverse perspectives are the following: 

The House You Pass on the Way By Jacqueline Woodson (grades 3-5)

     Staggerlee is the granddaughter of celebrities and the daughter of an interracial couple in an all black town. She is used to being all on her own because she needs to isolate herself from her curious neighbors. When her cousin Trout comes to visit, Staggerlee finds herself longing to be just like Trout: outspoken, sure of herself, and beautiful. As Staggerlee embarks on a journey to learn from Trout how to be the woman she longs to be, she comes to find that Trout may not be who she thinks she is. 

 Breathing Underwater By Alex Flinn (grades 6-8)

         Nick seems to be perfect because of his intelligence, popularity, handsomeness, and wealth. What he tells no one, not even his own best friend, is the terror he must face when he is alone with his father. One day, he meets Caitlin and falls in love. For once, he thought this was his way out of his problems, that is until things spiral out of control and he faces the fact that he gained more from his father than just his green eyes and money.

Poetry

The sometimes most difficult but most expressive genre is poetry. It has such a beautiful aspect to it that draws a reader into its form that could be symbolic yet literal simultaneously. This genre holds critical issues such as the following: poetry creates a kinship with the reader where it speaks directly to the child, to the senses, imaginations, emotions, feelings, and childhood experiences; and  poetry helps students to: nurture a love and appreciation for the sound and power of language; engage children in a new or heightened understanding of the world, themselves, and others; broaden experiences with and connections to new concepts in all content areas; validate our human experience; and provide opportunities for children all linguistic and cultural backgrounds to develop important oral language skills through reading and performing poetry.

The connection of this genre into the classroom has its many difficulties but there are always its possibilities that it leaves for the teacher. Some of the connections that have been found are the following: listening to poetry can help children know and understand the different emotions in the poems, use imagery to assist students have mental images about what the poetry is describing, and writing poetry is available for students to express their feelings and could help them deal with problems and possibly find solutions through this.

Examples for poetry are the following:

 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (grades 9-12)

             Two families are at war but when one boy crashes the party of the warring family, little did he know he was going to fall in love with the daughter. This tale of Romeo and Juliet is a classic and the poetry is so full it requires analysis. To understand the love that flamed between the two that they should die for each other, the ultimate sacrifice.

       

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss (grades K-3)

  Dr. Seuss continues the tale of two children who are invited into a magical world where there are fish everywhere. The poetry fulfills this book with all the rhyming to help the children learn about basic concepts such as counting and colors.

 Where the Sidewalk Ends By Shel Silverstein (grades 3-5)

                     In this book filled with poems, Silverstein fills the pages with humor. Each poem has its own unique characteristics and yet all of the poems are silly framed with humor to attract the attention of children. 

Modern Fantasy

Among all the genres, this one maintains a high level of interest among the young adults and incorporates room for imagination and the stretching of the mind in an interesting way. Some of the critical issues associated with this genre are the following: it helps young readers to explore complex ideas on a symbolic level and fantasy is perfectly suited to thoughtful exploration of philosophical issues at a level that can be understood and appreciated by children.

To incorporate this genre into a classroom requires a creative method that will interest the students as well as meet the objectives of the lesson. It may be tricky but it can be done! Some simple ways to include it in the classroom would be the following: discuss the motifs to help the students know the language needed to apply their understanding of these elements in their future reading, discuss the truth in fantasy to help the children understand that at the heart of all fantasy lies the truth about ourselves and the world around us and students can respond through personal writing about fantasy stories from personal experiences.

Some examples of modern fantasy are the following: 

Twilight By Stephanie Meyers (grades 9-12)

      Bella, a simple girl who went to live with her dad after her mother moved away with her new husband. Once she comes to this new town, there are more secrets for she had to discover than she ever knew there to be and fell in love with one of the most dangerous one of all. As she encounters this new world, she is pursued by vampires who are not so nice and Edward, her newfound love, comes to her rescue.

The Lightning Thief By Rick Riordan (grades 6-12)

           Percy Jackson attends boarding school, one after another, and its about to happen once again. More than that, his Greek mythology book is leaking mythological monsters and gods of Olympus and Percy has only angered a few of them. As a result, when Zeus's lightning bolt has been stolen, Percy becomes the prime suspect. He must find the missing bolt with his friends and he only has ten days. On his journey to find the bolt, he faces more than the thief, he must face his own issues of a father who has abandoned him and the possibility of a friend betraying him.  

  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (grades 6-12)

         In this adventure, there is a young boy named Harry Potter whose parents who supposedly passed away in a car accident. Little did he know that one day he will find out the truth and has been accepted into a wizard school, Hogwarts. In this epic journey, Harry finds out the truth of his family and saves Hogwarts from his arch nemesis, Voldermort. 

Nonfiction

When it comes to reading, there is one genre that is quite often overlooked. Some may think nonfiction is boring but, on the contrary, children find it fascinating to learn how the real world operates and eager to participate in these activities. There are many benefits that this genre offers including the following: it is good for later schooling, important in larger society, answers question that children have, builds knowledge of natural and social worlds, and contains important text features. Some considerations for nonfiction are the following: maintains children’s preference, text accuracy, and multicultural understanding in the selection and use of children’s literature.

            As far as a classroom setting, nonfiction can be a reliable source. The level of interest from the children allows the teacher to be able to incorporate it into the classroom where the students are excited and learn a great deal in simple activity. Some ways to incorporate this into the classroom are the following: textbooks are non-fiction so increase access and time to read informational texts, and literal comprehension incorporated which is retelling, synthesizing, visualizing, summarizing, recognizing the main idea and locating details, understanding text structure, and figuring out new vocabulary, and, lastly, helps to foster interest in subject areas.

Some examples of nonfiction that could be useful are the following: 

How Many Baby Pandas? by Sandra Markle (grades 1-2)

Sandra Markle reveals the lives of eight panda pairs as they grow from birth to the time they climb trees. These pairs were born during a baby boom at China's Woolong Giant Panda Breeding. Markle employs basic counting skills and panda facts in this book connecting children to the real world and enjoying it.

Letters to a Soldier  by David Falvey (grades 3-4)

        This book connects the classroom to the real life of a soldier. Mrs. Julie Hutt's fourth-grade class from Roslyn, New York wrote letters to a soldier in Iraq. They wrote to thank him for his service and asked about what a real U.S. soldier's everyday life is like. What did he do? How he spend his spare time? Doesn't he miss home? These students received an answer to their questions from David Falvey. This book is the compilation of their real letters. 

Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (grades 5-6)

        This diary of Anne Frank reminds us of the horrors of the Holocaust in 1942 when the Nazis invaded Holland. Frank's family went into hiding in Amsterdam. It has the records of Anne Frank in her last two years of life when they were in hiding in the attic of an old office building. Her diary held vivid impressions of her experiences in that time period. She was an optimistic girl full of life whose promise of life was cut short.

Gary Schmidt Author Study

Introduction:
          My childhood consisted of two hobbies: soccer and reading. For the amount of time I spent out on the soccer field because of the level of involvement my family had invested in soccer, there was enough time for me to be able to read and enjoy a good story. In all this time that I got to read, there were many authors I had encountered. Therefore, I chose an author that I didn’t know so I can expand my horizons and reach a whole new world.
          Gary D. Schmidt has a brought together a collection of books that intrigues imagination yet also wrote books that students will be able to relate to. Some of his stories are set in a school with students who need to face the challenges of everyday life. Other stories he wrote inputs imagination to learn a valuable lesson. All together, he has written stories that will make students think critically about their own life and learn how to adjust to situations before they arise.
Background Info:
          Gary D. Schmidt was born in 1957 Hicksville, New York. He was raised Baptist but went to a primarily Catholic and Jewish school. He received his undergraduate degree in English from Gordon College in 1979. He earned his MA in English at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1981 and his PhD was in medieval literature in 1985. It was the same year as he earned his PhD that he joined the Calvin College Faculty in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His academic interests/specialization are children and adult’s literature, New England cultural history, old and middle English language and literature, creative writing, writing for children and young adults, and Katherine Paterson.

Gary D. Schmidt now lives with his wife and six children on a 150-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan. On this farm he helps with splitting wood, planting vegetable gardens, writing, and feeding wild cats that drop by. He also collects first editions of the Concord authors. Some of his favorite books are the following: The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi, The Aubrey series by Patrick O’Brian, Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, and Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson.

Gary D. Schmidt has written some books that have received honors from the American Library Association. For his book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, he received both a Newberry Honor and Printz Honor in 2005. For his book The Wednesday Wars, he received a Newberry Honor in 2008.