The Cat in the Hat, Lorax, and other issues

I love the Dr. Seuss books! They have such a funny language uniquely their own; children love the language too. The books really help with phonics and decoding because of the nonsense words. I also love the lessons that they teach. While many of his books are left to interpretation, most readers come away from the books gaining some insight.
Childhood according to Dr. Seuss, is a “perpetual zig-zag between good sense and nonsense, between the anarchy of The Cat in the Hat and the selfless stoicism of Horton (who hatched an egg).”
a. Is there a contemporary book that has this tension presented in The Cat in the Hat?

The Cat in the Hat is so cute, and teaches children the lesson about how too much of a good thing is not always good. We all need routines, rules, and “normalcy” in our lives. This book is especially good to read to young students because this can lead into a discussion about why we have classroom rules, community laws, etc. I honestly can’t think of a book that has the “tension” present. I just think that this is a silly book for kids to enjoy; sometimes, Dr. Seuss can be overanalyzed and I think this may be the case.

b. Does this book still appeal to children and why?

This book appeals to children because of the nonsense and silliness. The book is fun to read and the language is fun to try to pronounce and make sense.

Dr. Seuss considered The Lorax, published in 1971, as his best book. It did not go over well at the time and is still controversial.

a. What makes The Lorax didactic?

I definitely feel The Lorax it is didactic in the fact that it teaches that greed and wastefulness can lead to the destruction of Earth. This book makes children think about and discuss pollution and harm that is done to our animal populations too, and leads to discussions about animal extinction.
b. Are there any didactic children’s books today? If not, why not?

There are didactic books today. The Patricia Polacco books discuss issues too, and can be explored further. One example is Thank you, Mr. Falker; this book is an autobiographical account of Polacco's battle with dyslexia. This book deals with bullying and teasing issues, and shows kids how words can hurt others. Another book by Polacco, title Thunder Cake teaches readers that it is okay to have fears, but that they can be overcome. A lot of the books listed on my blog could be considered didactic in that any reader can often make a personal connection to a book and how it relates to his or her life. Readers often also search for a message or a moral to the story. No, David by David Shannon teaches readers a lesson that despite their shortcomings, their parents will continue to love them. Another great book, I can’t remember the title or the author for anything (as soon as I find it, I will post it) is a book I read a couple months ago about an African American elderly man who could not read, but wanted to. A little boy helped him to read; it was such a sweet story and gave a powerful message to children.

Yoshiko Uchida Book: The Wise Old Woman: Retold by Yoskiko

Citation: , Y. (1994). The wise old woman: Retold by Yoshiko. New York: Margaret K. McElderry.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because of the unique illustrations. I also liked the message the book gives: elders should be respected and honored.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I liked the book because I believe that older people should be respected. Many children now are not taught to respect anyone, especially other adults. This book conveys that message.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

Some examples of other books by this author include the following:

· Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese American Family
· Journey To Topaz: A Story Of The Japanese American Evacuation
· Picture Bride: A Novel
· A Jar of Dreams
· The Bracelet
· Journey Home
· The Invisible Thread: An Autobiography
· The Best Bad Thing
· Sea of Gold
· The Happiest Ending
· Samurai of Gold Hill
· Two Foolish Cats

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

This book was able to address a subject that often many books do not: respect your elders. The story also gives insight into the Japanese American culture that many children may not know much about.

Laurence Yep Book: The Dragon's Child: A Story of Angel Island

Citation: Yep, L. (2008). The dragon's child: A story of Angel Island. New York: HarperCollins.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because it showed the insecurities of the character; many readers could relate to this. I also liked the historical perspective of the book; furthermore, I enjoyed the family photos, the historical notes, and the bibliography included with the book.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I love history and I have never read any stories Chinese American experience in coming to America.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

This book is similar to Li Keng Wong's Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain. Some examples of other books by this author include the following:

· Dragonwings
· Dragon’s Gate
· The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
· Lady of Ch'iao Kuo: Warrior of South
· Hiroshima
· Dragon of the Lost Sea

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

This book was able to accurately portray the situations that people faced when coming to America. This book showed insight into a culture’s experience in coming to America that I have never read about before.

Jerry Pinkney Book: John Henry

Citation: Lester, J. & Pinkney, J. (1994). John Henry. New York: Dial.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because of the beautiful illustrations by Pinkney; I have also always liked epics and tall tales; children love reading them as well.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Nothing in my life has really influenced my reaction to the book; it was just a good read.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book is similar to Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyun, Mike Fink, and other tall tales. Other books by this illustrator include the following:

Roll of Thunder
Hear My Cry
The Ugly Duckling
Riki-Tikki-Tavi
Song of the Trees
Little Red Riding Hood
The Talking Eggs
Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brier Rabbit
Goin' Someplace Special
The Moon Over Star
The Patchwork Quilt
The Little Match Girl
The Little Red Hen
Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir
Aesop's Fables
Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
Pretend You're a Cat
Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo'
Noah's Ark
The Jungle Book
The Adventures of Spider: West African Folktales
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King

There are many more.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
This book did not really offer any insight; it would be a good book to read when studying tall tales.

Children's Book in a Film: Because of Winn-Dixie

Citation: DiCamillo, K. (2004). Because of Winn-Dixie. New York: Candlewick.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because this story shows a character learning about herself through a dog. Through Winn-Dixie, Opal also learns about other people in her community and realizes that she is not alone. The dog and her new friends help her to cope with the loss of her mother; this book is a book that readers could connect with, whether through losing a parent, having a dog, or meeting unusual people.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Something in my life that may have influenced my reaction is that I have had pets in the past that were very important to me. The story also shows that an unlikely person or animal can unite many people.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

Right now, I can’t think of any books that are similar to this. :D Books by the author include The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Tiger Rising, and The Magician's Elephant.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

This book was able to show how unlikely events bring people together. The book also gave the insight that despite hard times and thinking you won’t get through something, in time, you will. Opal was able to do this “because of Winn-Dixie.”

Comparison to the movie:

This book was very similar to the movie. I don’t think that there were many differences between the book and the movie. The characters are basically the same, as well as the events in the movie and the book.

Children's Book in a Film: Zathura

Citation: Allsburg, C. V. (2002). Zathura. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because I know that children would enjoy reading about actually being in a board game. The story is full of action and adventure, so this book would appeal to boys; boys are very hard to motivate to read fiction books, so this could perhaps get boys reading fiction.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Something in my life that may have influenced my reaction is the fact that when my little brother was younger, he liked the book and the movie and he didn’t care much for reading. He also liked Jumanji. These books and movies appeal to boys.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

This book is very similar to Allsburg’s other book, Jumanji. Other books by this author are The Stranger, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Polar Express, and The Widow's Broom.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

This book was just a fun book to read. I don’t think I gained any valuable insight; I just enjoyed the book and so would young readers.

Comparison to the movie:

This book was very similar to the movie. The differences were subtle, but since the movie had to be made longer than the story, there were small differences. However, the characters had the same names; other similarities include the characters experiencing low gravity, a defective robot, and invading Zorgon aliens.

Coretta Scott King Award Winner: Elijah of Buxton

Citation: Curtis, C. P. (2009). Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Paperbacks.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because it Elijah is accident-prone, makes mistakes, and “fragile,” so I can relate to the character. This book also realistically portrays slavery to young readers through a child's first-person perspective. Readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent. Essential to the story, some of the scenes show a variety of emotionas and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Something in my life that may have influenced my reaction is the fact that despite all the differences that the character and I may have, I was still able to make connections with the character; other readers probably would be able to, as well.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

This book reminded me of Feathers, in that it was insightful book involving African American perspectives. Other books by Curtis include Bud, not Buddy, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, and Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

This book was able to accurately portray the horrors of slavery to young readers. This takes a talented author to be able to do this; this book distinguishes itself among other books that claim to portray slavery.

Newbury Book: Bud, Not Buddy

Citation: Curtis, C. P. (2004). Bud, not Buddy. New York: Laurel Leaf.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked that even though the book is set in the 30’s, there are issues that readers today could relate to. After his mother dies, he goes in search for his father, a man he has never laid his eyes on. I also like how Christopher Paul Curtis seems to capture the language and feel of the time period. Despite the bad situations Bud gets into, the author gives the reader a sense of hope.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I have never experienced any of the hardships that the character faced, but as I was reading the book, I know that some of my students have.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

This book could be compared to The Watson’s Go to Birmingham because of the similar time periods and the dialect. The book also reminded me of the Hatchet, in that both characters faced difficulties in their struggle to survive. Other books by Curtis include Elijah Of Buxton, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, and Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

I learned that some children’s literature can be “real.” This book did not sugarcoat anything. However, this showed readers that despite hardships they may face, there is still hope.

Caldecott Book: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale

Citation: Willems, M. (2004). Knuffle bunny: A cautionary tale. New York: Hyperion Books.

Questions: 1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
This story shows the lengths that a parent is willing to go to do something for his or her child.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
This reminds me of the time I lost my favorite hat in the St. Louis Arch. I was very young (about
3) and we never found the hat. I did get over it though! It also makes me think of when I used to go to the feed store with my dad; I thought I was such a big help!

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
Other books by this author include Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Elephants Cannot Dance!, Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, plus a lot more.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
This book reminds children of experiences that they may have had and perhaps will evoke memories of their own first words. This book gave me the insight that children’s literature really strives to make connections in any way to a child’s life.

Caldecott Book: Kitten's First Full Moon

Citation: Henkes, K. (2006). Kitten’s first full moon. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
This is such a sweet book. Many children enjoy animals, especially kittens, so children would appreciate this book. I love how the kitten mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk. This book shows the persistence of the kitten in getting what it wants.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I have always loved animals, so it is only natural that this book would appeal to animal lovers, even adults.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book reminds me of My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann. It would also go well with Frank Asch's Moongame and Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's The Sun, the Moon and the Stars for nocturnal celebrations. Other books by this author include Chrysanthemum, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Julius, the Baby of the World, Wemberly Worried, Chester's Way, and Shelia Rae, The Brave.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book? I learned that books don’t necessarily have to have a message, but a book can sometimes just be pleasurable to read, although I do think that this book could teach children to be persistent and not give up.

Caldecott Award Winner: So You Want to Be President?

Citation: St. George, J. (2004). So you want to be president? New York: Philomel

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I just absolutely LOVE this book! The pictures are beautiful and students don’t realize that they are learning history when they read this book. The basic theme is that anyone can be president: a fat man (William Howard Taft) or a tiny man (James Madison), a relative youngster (Teddy Roosevelt at 42) or oldster (Ronald Reagan at 69). Presidential hobbies, sports, virtues, and vices all are included. It's fun, but the purpose is serious: to remind kids that the American presidents have been a diverse group of individuals. There's a factual supplement at the back giving all the dates and names, with a one-line bio for each past-president. This book is great to use in social studies.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I just love history and social studies and I really enjoyed teaching it. I also love weird facts, so this book combines the two.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book similar to another book written by Judith St. George titled So You Want to Be an Explorer?. Other similar books by this author include You're On Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt and The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
I learned that history doesn’t have to be boring and even young readers would enjoy learning facts about the presidents.

Describe difference between Caldecott and Newbery Awards. Is one a better award than another?

According to Fact Monster, a Pearson Education group, “The Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal are both awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The Newbery Medal, named after English bookseller John Newbery, is awarded each year ‘to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year.’ The Caldecott Medal, named after English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, is awarded each year ‘to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year.’"

So, the difference between a Caldecott and Newbery is basic—the Caldecott award is given to books for illustrations and the Newbery award is given for good literature. Caldecott awards are given to picture books. Newbery awards are given to any book considered to be “good.”

As to what is better than the other, it would depend on what one is looking for. If a reader is searching for books that are great reads, then he or she should choose Newbery books; if a reader is looking for a notable picture book, then the reader should look for Caldecott books.

Resource:
Information Please® Database. (2007). What's the difference between the Newbery and Caldecott medals? Retrieved July 14, 2009, from http://www.factmonster.com/askeds/newbery-vs-caldecott.html.

Caldecott Winner: Gone Wild

Citation: McLimans, D. (2006). Gone wild. New York: Walker Books for Young Readers.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because it is a unique alphabet book. The illustrations are bold, with pictures only in black and white. Furthermore, the illustrations of the alphabet show 26 endangered animals. For example, the newt's eyes stick out slightly from the sides of N, while its tongue emerges from the lower point. An accompanying box on each page includes a small, red-and-white image of the animal plus information about its class, habitat, range, and threats to its survival. Other material includes a paragraph about each creature along with a list of Web sites for organizations that help endangered animals and books for further reading. The book could also serve as a starting point for art and design projects for students.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
I have always liked alphabet books that have a theme. I liked that this one also included background information about each animal and websites and books for further reading. I guess my reaction was just based on being an elementary teacher and loving books that are both unique and informative.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book reminded me of B is for Bluegrass, another alphabet book that describes all the things special about Kentucky. The author also has a similar work called Gone Fishing: Ocean Life by the Numbers.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
I learned about endangered animals that I did not know much about. This book also showed that books can be cute and informative. This is a very “teachable” book.

Newbury Honor Book: Feathers

Citation: Woodson, J. (2009). Feathers. New York: Puffin Books.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because it “speaks” to young readers about race, faith, and prejudice; this book would be good to use for kids ages nine to twelve, or even older probably. The story is about a predominantly black middle school class in 1971. A pale, long-haired boy arrives one day and one of the students is convinced that he is Jesus. He tries to convince everyone that he is not white. This was just a unique story with an underlying message about race and religion. The book also teaches students to not judge a book by its cover.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Something in my life that may have influenced my reaction is the fact that this book teaches that you should not judge a book by its cover.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book reminded me of other books that discuss racial segregation, such as Rosa Parks: My Story written by Rosa Parks. Another book is If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold. Other books by the author are Visiting Day, Show Way (another Newbury Honor Book), and The Other Side.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
I have never read any books about segregation that show an African American classroom. Usually, books show a white classroom and a black student feeling like an outsider. This would be a great book to use in any classroom.

Caldecott Award Winner: Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad

Citation: Levine, E. (2007). Henry's freedom box: A true story from the underground railroad. New York: Scholastic Press.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book?
I liked the book because it is very unlike any book on this subject. I like that this book is based on a funny true story about a slave named Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. I also liked the illustrations, which depict the hardships that Henry Brown faced. Students would enjoy following his journey to freedom. Something that I disliked was that I wanted to know if he reunited with his family, but the story ended before discussing this issue.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
Something in my life that may have influenced my reaction is that I when I was little, I always wanted to try mailing myself to all kinds of different places. This idea fascinated me and I remember thinking that I was smart for thinking this, but for some reason, my parents never let me do this. :)

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book could be compared to Elijah of Buxton, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. The author also has a similar work titled If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
I learned about the lengths that someone was willing to go to obtain freedom. This story also showed that not all children’s stories are always “happy”; this story showed the hardships that the character had to face to get to freedom.

Julius Lester Book: To Be a Slave

Book: To Be a Slave by Julius Lester

Citation: Lester, J. (2005). To be a slave. New York: Puffin Books.

Questions:
1. What did you like or dislike about the book? I liked the book because it is very unlike any book on this subject.
My students have often wondered aloud what it is like to be a slave—this book truly can answer that question. The reader is able to read, think about, and learn about the lives of countless slaves and ex-slaves, telling about their forced journey from Africa to the United States, their work in the fields and houses of their owners, and their passion for freedom. This book allows the reader to enjoy his or her freedom and look at life in a different way.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?
The story would cause any reader to react with gratitude. This book gave me a gratitude for the freedom that I have, which is something that many of us often can take for granted.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?
This book could be compared to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor in that it involves an African American family, fighting to stay together in the face of brutal racist attacks, illness, and poverty. Much like Lester’s book, this discusses the hardships that African American families faced in the past. This book also brings to mind, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. In this story, the main character once again faces adversity because of his race during the Depression era.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?
This was a unique book in that it gave young readers a true picture into the life of a slave, not just watered-down facts that they read in textbooks. This book also evokes a sense of gratitude for the freedom that we have in America, and pride in the way that America has changed it’s thinking.

Other books written by Julius Lester include the following:
· Lovesong: Becoming A Jew,
· Story of my spiritual odyssey to Judaism, On Writing for Children and Other People,
· A literary memoir discussing the relationship between my life and my writing
· Long Journey Home
· Short stories based on true stories from Black history
· This Strange New Feeling
· Do Lord Remember Me
· And All Our Wounds Forgiven
· Othello: A Novel
· Pharaoh's Daughter: A Novel
· When Dad Killed Mom
· The Autobiography of God
· Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue
· Time's Memory
· Cupid: A Novel
· Black Folktales
· The Knee-High Man and Other Tales, Illustrations by Ralph Pinto
· The Tales of Uncle Remus:The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· How Many Spots Does A Leopard Have and other Tales. Illustrations by David Shannon
· Further Tales of Uncle Remus: The Misadventures of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Wolf, the Doodang, and Other Creatures. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· The Last Tales of Uncle Remus. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales, with a new introduction. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· When the Beginning Began, illustrated by Emily Lisker
· From Slaveship to Freedom Road, Paintings by Rod Brown
· Let's Talk About Race. Illustrated by Karen Barbour
· Sam and the Tigers, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
· Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: A True Story. Illustrations by Jerry Pinkney
· What A Truly Cool World, Illustrated by Joe Cepeda
· Albidaro and the Mischievous Dream, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
· The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World. Illustrations by Lisa Cohen
· Ackamarackus: Julius Lester's Sumptuously Silly Fantastically Funny Fables, Illustrated Emilie Chollat
· Why Heaven is Far Away, Illustrations by Joe Cependa
· Shining, Illustrations by John Clapp
· Who I Am, 1974, with David Gahr, photographer

Children's Book in a Film: Holes

Book: Holes by Louis Sachar

Citation: Sachar, L. (2000). Holes. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Questions:

1. What did you like or dislike about the book?

I liked the book because it contained a combination of stories; there were three stories built into one story. This would engage any reader or any age. The story also contained unbelievable and ironic events that would appeal to readers. Of course, I also like that the story has a happy ending.

2. What in your life may have influenced your reaction or response to this book?

The story is just so interesting and the author creatively weaves the past and present into the story, making an entertaining story that is unlike any other that I have read. There is no specific event in my life that influenced my reaction to the book.

3. How would you compare this book to another book or books, or book or books by same author?

This book could be compared to the Wayside School stories also written by Louis Sachar. These stories also contained unbelievable events that readers would find entertaining. This book could also be compared to another book by Sachar called There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom. Holes is comparable because it also has a lesson to the story—we control our own fate.

4. What new thing (information or insight) did you learn about children's literature in reading this book?

I learned that even though a book is considered a children’s book or young adult book, there is still something that may appeal to adult readers. I found this book to be very entertaining and hard to put down, even though it may be a “lower” level book than what I would normally read.