The City of Ember

The story The City of Ember is written by Jeanne DuPrau and was named a New York Times bestseller. It was published by Yearling in 2003 and is seen as a Science Fiction book for young readers.

Jeanne DuPrau spends several hours a day sitting in front of her computer thinking of new stories. Although, she has no children she keeps busy with her nieces and nephews. She has been know to say that writing is one tough decision, but is the most rewarding thing she does. To this date she has written four novels, six books of non-fiction, and quite a few essays and stories.

This is the first in a series of books. The story is about a city in which they have stock fulls of supplies to survive on, until those supplies finally start to dwindle and the lights that light the city start to fade.. Children go to school until the age of twelve. It is then that they are given their assignment within the city. Throughout the years, 200 to be exact the city has made it by, but now that things are starting to fade, a young girl and her friends find some interesting information out. They go seeking and find  more than they bargained for. The story lends leaving the reading wanting more and wanting to know what will happen to the city of Ember.

I started reading this story with my children late year, and was drawn into it as an adult. Even though is it rated for young adults, it made for a great story and an ending that kept you wanting more. It brings to life that two ordinary kids from this underground city( which I never really realized until the end, since I came into this story late), could do all this and try to save their city. It gave my students the chance to see themselves in the story and try to see what they were going to do next. Great suspense in the ending!

Thought Provoking Questions:

• Do you think at the age of twelve you would want to go to work and miss out on being a kid?
• What do you think will happen now that Lina and Doon have found the secret of Ember?
• Now that 200 years have gone by, do you think it is safe for the people of Ember to leave the underground city?

Motivational Activity:

A great activity for this book would be to have the children infer about what was going to happen next, now that that Lina and Doon have figured out the secret of Ember. The children can continue on the story and write about what they think will happen with they city. This give the children a chance to be creative and show that everyone thinks differently and has different opinions about what could really happen next. I like that throughout this story it gives you the opportunity to ask your students questions about how they would react to the things that happen and what they would be. Especially for children within this age range.  

I liked how this story gave a map of the city so you could look at where they were talking about and reference where places were throughout the city. 

Reference: The City of Ember (Book of Ember, #1). (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2016, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/307791.The_City_of_Ember

Why the Sea is Salty

The story Why the Sea is Salty is a Korean folktale. Written by Rosie Dickins and illustrated by Sara Rojo. It is intended for readers ages 6-9 and was published in Usborne publishing in 2009.

Author Rosie Dickins is a well known published author. With many different stories throughout her career. She not only is an author, but editor of these many children's books. Sara Rojo's use of bright colors and sharp lines help bring this folktale to life in this interesting story about about a thief.

The story is about a thief who steals the king's magic milestone. This magic milestone gives the king whatever he asks for, but in the wrong hands may be more than this thief has bargained for. The thief learns a valuable lesson in this classic Korean tale, that one should not be so greedy and keep your eyes on your own treasures. Within this story the thief is out to sea when he makes a wish and the magic milestone keeps turning and turning up salt. To the amount that it sinks the thief's boat and falls into the sea where is stays to this day, making salt and supplying the sea with all it needs.

I think this story is great, it has some bright and colorful pictures to draw the students in and in return shows a great moral about being happy with what you have and not being greedy. I also like that this story was written for those students who are just starting to read and is printed boldly so that readers have no trouble trying to read the words throughout it. I think it give a nice little twist to why our sea really has salt in it and could make for an interesting science project.

Thought Provoking Questions:

• Why do you think the thief thought he would be happy with the king's milestone?
• Do you think a magic milestone really could fill the ocean with all its salt?
• What would you have done if you were the king? 

Motivational Activity:

This story is a good chance for children to talk about what it means to be too greedy. It also allows for a great science lesson about the salt within our seas. I would like to be able to do a science project for my students to show them how the crystals can form on a rope (like rock candies) and then discuss what it is that really gives our oceans the salt watery taste we taste. We can talk about how animals in the oceans feed off other animals causing them to die, rather then  leaving them alone and allowing them to grow into something beautiful. 

Reference:

 Why the Sea Is Salty. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7195348-why-the-sea-is-salty

 Why the Sea is Salty: A Tale from Korea (Usborne First Reading: Level 4) Hardcover – June, 2009 

(n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://www.amazon.com/Why-Sea-Salty-Usborne-Reading/dp/0794523080 

The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree by author and illustrator Shel Silverstein.
This book is considered a picture book and is intended for ages
4-8, but the author challenges all readers to read it.

This book made its debute in 1964 and has become one
of Shel Silverstein's best known titles. With it being
translated into many different languages.

Shel Silverstein had a hard time finding a publishing
company that wanted too publish The Giving Tree. As many
companies said his draws were '"too sad" for children and "too simple
for adults"' (wikipedia, n.d.). Finally after listening to Tomi Ungerer he found
a publishing company that would publish his story.

The Giving Tree is about a boy and a tree. Throughout
his life he builds a bond with this tree, that gives
him everything he ever asks for. As a young boy he loves
to play and climb on the tree and in doing so the tree is happy.
This line becomes a repeated theme throughout this story too.
As a young child the boys wants money and the tree suggests that
he take her apples and sell them for money. Next as a young adult
the boy again wants something, a house, and the tree suggests
he cut down her limbs and make a house. As the boys reaches
middle age he wants a boat, and the tree suggests he make
a boat out of her trunk. Only a tree stumps remains
as the story comes towards the end. In this final part the young boy
is now an old man and he again comes to as the tree for something.
She tells him she no longer has anything to give, as she
is only a stump. Being an old man and only wanting a place
to rest, this works well for him and again the tree is happy.

This story has a great moral to be taught to young children.
They can see that all the tree wants is to make the boy happy,
but he never seems to understand how his wants, is slowly
killing the tree. Yet, she is always happy in helping him
in anyway. I believe this can really speak volumes to
our young children about caring for one another, and
how we must take care of each other in order to be
happy.

Thought Provoking Questions:

• Why do you think the tree gives all she has to make the boy happy?
• Can you think of a time in which someone in your life has done something for you that has made you happy? Did you thank them for it?
• What type of relationship do you see, between the tree and the boy? (mother/child, mother nature/ mankind, friendships?

Motivational Activities:

I found this great activity on the web and thought it would be something great for the children to do. The children are first read the story about The Giving Tree. Next, they are told they are going to write an essay with a minimum of two paragraphs. The first paragraph is about someone who this believe is like the tree. Someone who always gives to them personally. They are required to list three things in which that person has done for them. The next paragraph is to describe how they could be more giving, like the person they wrote about. I would even go further with this and ask my students to act on those things and do at least one caring thing for that person, within a weeks time. I think that would bring home even more the concept of what it means to do for others and be caring. 

Reference: 

 (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giving_Tree 

Woods Runner

This Historical fiction novel was written by Gary Paulsen. There is no illustrator 

in this story as it is a chapter book. It is intended for readers Grade 6-8, it is 

cautioned for readers, because of some violence.

Author Gary Paulsen grew up in a rough childhood and ran away from home at the

age of fourteen. His love for books all started when the local Librian gave him his

first card and a book. He discovered then that books could be a great companionship.

Woods Runner is set in the Revolutionary War with thirteen year old Samuel. Samuel  and his parents live off in the woods and one day while he is out hunting alone British soldiers come and destroy his village, and kidnap his parents. Frantic Samuel chases after them, meeting a host of great characters along the way. One of which is good ole Coop, Coop and his men find young Samuel after an Indian almost kills him with his tomahawk. Samuel survives this attack and sets off again to find his parents. He next comes along a great family with a young little girl named Annie. After Annie's parents are killed and her home destroyed. He takes Annie with him as he runs into a few other men who welcome them in and help rescue young Samuel's family. The story leaves you in suspense as they rescue Ma and Pa from the British, only to be caught again. 

This story is great for young readers, as they can imagine being in Samuel's shoes, only to discover all their hard work may have not paid off. A lot of my students where I work would be able to relate to this story as many of them are avid hunters and survivors. I am not one to like reading, but this story kept me captivated and on my seat t see if Samuel would again find his family and get out alive. 

Thought Provoking Questions:

• Do you think at the age of just thirteen, you would be able to survive and rescue your parents from the British?
• What do you think will happen to Samuel and his family after the end of the story?
• What made Samuel decide to take little Annie in and not just leave her to be, after only knowing her a few hours?

Motivational Activity:

Students can reference the different vocabulary throughout the text and learn more about different words they do not know or understand. They can also place themselves in the shoes of the different characters and retell the story from their point of view (this you will see in the video below, created by my last semester class). This story can be used to explain different things that went on during the Revolutionary war and have them compare and contrast from them until now too. 

Reference:

 Paulsen, G. (2010). Woods runner. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

 Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2016, from        http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/woods-runner#cart/cleanup 

Little Red Riding Hood

This bilingual tale of Little Red Riding Hood was written by The Brothers Grimm, and illustrated by Pau Estrada. It is intended for readers Kindergarten through 2nd and published in 1993.

Authors The Brothers Grimm are well known story tellers and nothing is different in this classic retold story of Little Red Riding Hood.

In this version little red is going to se her ill grandmother deep within the forest. She is to bring her some honey and pie, but the sly ole wolf has other plans for little red. After running into her in the forest he sneeks off and beats her to grandmothers. Quickly gulping down grandmother, he changes into her nightgown and jumps into bed. Waiting for the unsuspecting little red to show up.

Once she does though he wastes no time in gulping her up too. Only to find himself full and sleepy he lays down and takes a nap snoring away. It's this snoring that catches the ear of hunter in the woods. Thankfully for grandma and little red, he comes to the rescue cutting them out of his belly and free at last form the evil wolf. Before he awakens red stuffs two rocks in his belly and sews him up, and shortly after the wolf dies.

Illustrator Pau Estrada uses colorful images to turn this grim story into a more bright and happy ending. The use of simple pictures throughout make this classic tale come to life once again even in the darkness of poor grandmother and little red.

I love how the story is told just as the classic tale, but has a few changes that make it softer and more unique. I enjoyed being able to see it both written in English and Spanish, and with this and a few other classics think it could make for some easy understandings. As it's language and use of pictures is quit simple and pristine.

Thought Provoking Questions:

• Do you think that Red should have listened to her mother when she told her not to dally through the forest, and make it right to grandmothers house?
• Why do you think this story has a different ending than the other Little Red Riding Hood stories you've heard before?
• If you were Red do you think you would have stopped along the way and talked to a wolf?

Motivational Activity:

This story and all of the other LRRH stories teach a great lesson within. One I think would be a great time to discuss with the children, and what they think could happen if little red hadn't talked to the wolf. Children can rewrite the story and put in their own endings and parts, or can tell the story from another characters point of view. Have them think about what the wolf, or red's mother would think and how would they retell this story? 

Reference: 

 Sn̈z, B. A., & Garcia, G. (1993). A Gift from Papa Diego Un regalo de Papa Diego. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. 

A Gift from Papa Diego

A gift from Papa Diego was written by Benjamin Saenz
and illustrated by Geronimo Garcia. It is an ESOL endorsed
story for children Kindergarten through 2nd.

Author Benjamin Saenz grew up in Mexico on a farming village. Growing up in Mexico and having a family that mostly only spoke English, Saenz had to learn much of his English from his siblings and watching cartoons. This story was inspired by those cartoons, as he loved to watch Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and all the heros.








In this story Little Diego lives far away from his Papa Diego,
but wishes to be close to him, because he misses and loves
him so much. Little Diego is having trouble trying to understand
why his Papa can't be with him. As his father tries to explain
it to him, he gives him some old comics he use to love to read as a child.

As Little Diego reads his new comics, he dreams of flying like
Super Man to go and visit his Papa in Chihuahua. With his
birthday in just 2 weeks, he prays and prays for a Super Man
suit. He instead gets a surprise on his birthday when his Papa
comes all the way to El Paso to visit him and fulfills his birthday
wishes.

Illustrator Geronimo Garcia really brings this story to life with his use

of clay sculptures and bold colors. One can see the emotions and expressions 

needed to capture this heart felt story. Garcia even take the clay workings 

throughout the story by adding them in on the words of the story too.

Adding a few special touches with little pictures to match what is

going on at that moment.

This story can be used in the classroom with bilingual children in it and also 

ones without. One of the great features this story offers is a story page

split in two and one side is in English and the other in Spanish. Really

allowing for diversity and encouraging both reads to learn more.

Discussion Provoking Questions:  

• Do you think that Little Diego believed he could fly and go see his Papa?
• Have you ever been away from someone that you missed and loved very much? If so what did you do to help you feel better?
• Why do you think they retell Little Diego the story of his birth every year on his birthday?

Motivational Activity:

I thought with Valentine's right around the corner and a story full of love! What a better way to incorporate them together. In this story Little Diego loves his Papa very much but he can't understand how his Papa can love living in Mexico and love him all at the same time. So, this activity would have students making hearts out of construction paper. They can use whatever color they want and once finished completely they could decorate, After they have cut out their hearts start talking to them about different things they love and why they love it. Then ask them to choose someone they know, who they would like to give their big heart of love to, Have them write or draw pictures on their heart showing or telling that person all about why they love them. This is a great way for children to express themselves and learn about loving one another. 

Reference: 

 Sn̈z, B. A., & Garcia, G. (1998). A Gift from Papa Diego Un regalo de Papa Diego. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. 

Jack and the Red Beanstalk

Jack and the Red Beanstalk was written by Aphrodyi Antoine and Illustrated by Ebony Glenn. Intended for ages 5-9 or grades 1st-5th.

Aphrodyi Antoine is a mother of 2 young and very energetic boys. With having her boys she wanted to give them assess to, an appreciation of, and an understanding of different cultures.

She did this by writing this classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk and turned it into Jack and the Red Beanstalk. Just as in the classic Jack wants to please everyone, but what happens turns out to be something different than young Jack would have thought. 

Jack dreams of being the town hero and just as in the classic tale he visits a world of giants in the town of Hewa. Jack's Grandpa tells him stories and those stories than unfold into Jack's own life. With the help of Grandpa and some very special tools past down from generation to generation. Jack is able to too defeat the giants and become a hero.

               Ebony Glenn's use of  whimsical, light-hearted, and 

colorful designs, bring this known classic to us

 and gives it a nice twist. Even traditional folktale

 loves alike will be drawn in by this new style 

and tale of Jack. 

Discussion Provoking Questions: 

• If you were Jack, could you be as brave and visit Hewa?

• What similarities do you see between this story and the original Jack and the Beanstalk?

• Do you think it was right for Jack to take the bean out of Grandpa's pocket?

• What do you think would have happened if Jack's parents got home and things weren't back to normal?

Motivational Activity:
How do seeds grow Science project. Give each student 3 different types of seeds, Corn, Bean, and Radish. They are all large seeds and are all shaped differently. Once sprouting, they all have different types of leaves and grow quit quickly. While handing out the seeds, you can talk with the class about the differences we see in each seed and how they think they will grow. Will they be as big and tall as those in our story? Students will get 3 ziplock baggies and paper towels. Have them wet the paper towels and place a seed in each paper towel and close it inside the ziplock baggie. The seeds will start to grow within 2-4 weeks and throughout the students can take notice of the changes from each bean and mark on a daily worksheet. 
  

Reference:

 KidZone ScienceHow Do Seeds Grow? (n.d.). Retrieved February 03, 2016, from http://www.kidzone.ws/science/seeds.htm

 Robot Check. (n.d.). Retrieved February 03, 2016, from http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Beanstalk-Heritage-Collection-Volume/dp/0990870804