Batchelder Book: Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak

Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak

 Bibliographic Information:

Tak, B. Dumon (2008). Soldier Bear. Translated by Watkinson, L. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Historical Fiction. Ages 10-15.

Response:

I really enjoyed this book of adventure as it represents joy, companionship, and life itself. It is about a group of Iran soldiers during World War II who take in a bear and make him a real soldier. He enlists in the war and becomes a private for the Polish army

As I read a little more about the background of the story I read that Dumon actually incorporates actual facts from World War II into the story. Voytek actually was a Syrian bear who was of importance in the war, part of the Polish army, because he was on the emblem.

Soldier Bear becomes sort of a distraction for them as he brings them light in such a dark time. I liked how Soldier Bear took such a serious situation and made it a little better for what it actually was. The little bear Voytek really helps to change the lifestyle for these soldiers. He takes away a lot of the hardship for them, and simply helps them get through such a tough time. Though the terror of the war is still talked about in the book, it is not the story’s main focus. This is all thanks to Voytek. Once Voytek becomes a fellow soldier, the story focuses on friendship and humor.

Critique:

Soldier Bear takes place during World War II in Iran. It is a written in 3^rd person, in the style of a chapter book which I believe is a little more for older kids. I think it would appeal to 4^th graders or above, because I am not so sure kids of the younger grades would really get an understanding of the story. The plot is not necessarily a problem though the book is centered around the war. I would say the plot and main purpose of the story is Voytek coming into the lives of the Polish soldiers and changing them for the better. He brings them so much joy and companionship, which is what I believe the theme of the story actually is.

Lesson:

This book can teach about a few things. It can teach about the importance of companionship and friendship, and how something can come out of something bad. It can also teach about events during World War II and the Polish army.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is something, or who is someone that can always make light of things for you? What does it or what do they do to make things better?
2. What does Voytek represent to the Polish soldiers?

Activity:

Students will explain the theme to the story and why it is important for everyone to have. They will explain what it means to them.

Other Resources:

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=28798&a=1

http://wars.mrdonn.org/WW2.html

https://www.teachervision.com/world-war-2/teacher-resources/6680.html

Multicultural/Global Literature: Wonder by R.J. Polacio

Wonder by R.J. Polacio

Bibliographic Information:

Polacio, R. (2012). Wonder. New York: Random House Children’s Books.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction. 9-13 years old.

Response:

After beginning to read this book, I could not seem to put it down. It is so amazing to me, that a book for such young children can attract and inspire me at my age. Not that I’m old, but I am at a much different stage in my life then young Auggie. It is a fun and inspiring read and I would love to read more by R.J. Polacio.

The book has various valuable lessons that all kids should be taught. It even taught me a few things as I read it, or perhaps it just made those things a little more important to me right now. It is about how this little boy lives with looking different then all the other kids. The poor kid went through multiple surgeries after being born and was home schooled until the 5^th grade when his parent decided to enroll him into middle school. His mother pushed a little harder than his father, but they both knew it was the best for him.

I would most definitely use this book in the classroom as a teaching tool for my future students. I would even purchase enough copies for my entire classroom. I could go on and on about how great this book is. Not only will it teach you, but it captures you to the point where you don’t want to stop reading. Auggie is shy, yet charismatic. Going through his life with him in the book, really opens your eyes to how important people make appearance and perception to be. It also shows how strong a person can actually be with the help of true friends.

Critique:

The setting in this novel varies as he goes from his home to his middle school Beecher Prep and other places as well as he goes through the young years of his life all taking place in Manhattan. The book is primarily told through Auggie’s eyes with his point of view and opinions about things, making it a narrative. It’s his perspective of how other people look and act with him as well as how they look at him. The plot is how he doesn’t necessarily cope with the way he looks, but just learns to deal with it. It’s hard but once he meets some good friends, it gets a whole lot easier. Though mainly told by Auggie, Polacio used a different style of a narrative by switching around who tells it, so the reader can get different perspectives. I loved and enjoyed the theme of the book. What I got out of it was that both strength and friendship is important and ultimately essential. Without them you will not get through as much as you would with them.

Lesson:

I think the main lesson in this book to be taught is strength. Students should be taught that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel, and that everything happens for a reason. The reason may not be obvious or realized right away, but they will eventually make sense of the matter. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is your best friend, and why are they your best friend? What do you enjoy about them?
2. Do you think everything happens for a reason? Do you think ever bad or good time comes with a lesson? Why or why not?

Activity:

I will have students write a short essay on what true friendship is to them. They will explain the three important qualities they look for in a friend or three important qualities their friends have.

Other Resources:

Pinterest is awesome!

http://www.pinterest.com/love2teach4th/wonder-by-r-j-palacio/

Wonder Student Packet available to purchase

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wonder-Common-Core-Unit-Student-Packet-489976

Lessons to teach along with the book

http://rjpalacio.com/for-teachers.html

Caldecott Book: Smoky Night by Eve Bunting

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting

Bibliographic Information:

Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. San Diego: Harcourt Brace. Contemporary Realistic Fiction. 5-8                         years old.

Response:

I really enjoyed this book, and after reading it, it became one of my new favorites. I hope that more children are exposed to this book and are really taught in depth about what the book is about. Even if it is a book for very young kids, I am not sure if they would really catch on to the background of the story. They either never heard of the Los Angeles riots because they have never been exposed to it or they just might not be able to wrap their heads around what the actual conflict is. The book contains so many lessons and I think that it can go along with various units in different subjects.

I especially liked the illustrations of the book as it is a Caldecott winner. They were just different and not usually what you would see drawn for a children’s book. Colors were not very bright and there were heavy black outlines on all of it. None of the people drawn were for proportioned, sort of imperfect like the story being told. Though you should not “judge a book by its cover,” you could tell this story was not going to be a light, happy, fun one. The title itself kind of gives away that there was going to be some unfortunate event.

Like I said before, this story has become a new favorite of mine. I would actually go out and purchase it for my future students or kids. Since the background story happened when I was only about two years old when I lived in Los Angeles, I feel like more kids and students should be expose to it 

Critique:

I like the fact that the story is being told through the eyes of a child in the style of a narrative. He is sort of naive because only seems to be about 8 years old. He only somewhat understands what is actually going on because I’m sure his mother does not want him to know the truth of the matter just yet. The simple setting varies from the apartment building, the city, and the shelter, but as I read about the story being written I learned that the actual setting was Los Angeles during the 1994 riots. The characters were the little boy, his mother, people of the neighborhood, and the cats who had both small but significant part. During this time there was still a sense of racism and when the fire brought the neighbors of different cultures together, the people were taught by the cats of two different owners. Also the theme of the story, the cats showed how even though they didn’t know each other before they can rely on each other no matter where they came from. 

Lessons:

A lesson that can be taught with this story is simply about an important and terrible event in history. It can teach racism and how it can be overcome. It can teach people how to stop judging each other based in their skin or color or where they are from. I as a future teacher will definitely utilize this book. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think the little boy and his mother will not go into Mrs. Kim’s store even if it is so close?
2. Have you ever experienced any type of discrimination for being who you are? 

Activity:

Students will write a short paragraph about the time when they were most afraid. Include the setting, feelings, other people involved, their age, and cause.

Other Resources:

http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/smoky.htm

http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywords=eve+bunting+smoky+night

http://newmandiaz.weebly.com/lesson-plans-and-activities.html

 

 

Touchstone Book: Madeline

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

Bibliographic Information:

Bemelmans, L. (1939). Madeline. New York: The Viking Press. Contemporary Realistic Fiction. 5-10 years old.

Response:

As I looked through the list of Touchstone books, Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans immediately stuck out to me. I automatically thought about how I knew that story because it was a favorite of mine as child. I instantly reminisced on my childhood mornings, and how I watched the little girl in the yellow dress on Disney Channel almost every day. I also could never get of enough of the movie which I saw numerous times. 

Then I remembered, I actually never read the book. When I went to my city library, I realized that there were various Madeline stories. For the most part, I knew the stories because of the cartoon, but I still wanted to find the original Madeline book. I wanted to know how the rebellious little girl, that I wanted to be, started out. I wanted to live without a fear or care in the world.

I finally came across the book and as I started to read it, I realized that the book was actually the introduction of the movie. The main conflict in the book where Madeline has to get her appendix taken out is also the main conflict in the movie. There are various similarities between the two. Both brought me back to very memorable and happy time of my childhood. 

Critique:

The book was straight to the point with all its literary elements. It was easy to identify them because Bemelmans points them out. The story opens up with the exact setting being “an old house in Paris.” Bemelmans style was very rhythmic and fun. The lines rhymed and the beginning of some sentences matched. It is a bit predictable, but for a child’s reading level I think that is more than okay. Since Madeline is a children’s book, I think the author purposely wrote it as if the point of view was of a child so that it was easy to understand. I did not think any of it was too complex for a five year old to read. The plot was also pointed out when Miss Clavel said “something is not right.” The reader would automatically know that the problem of the story was coming. As far of the theme of the story, I think it would be just to be your own person. Madeline always stuck to herself, her own personality, her own opinions. 

Lesson:

One of the lessons that can be taught with this book is simply exposing children at a young age to another place in the world. Students will discuss places they want to visit. Another lesson could be to start teaching students to be their own person at a young age. Have them develop their own creativity and own goals, like Madeline does.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your biggest fear and how can you overcome it?
2. What is something you are not afraid of that others may be? Why are you not afraid of it?

Activity:

Students will draw a picture of a time when they were scared or in trouble. On the bottom of the picture, they will describe how they overcame it. 

Links:

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/homeschool-lesson-plans/five-in-a-row/madeline/

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/lesson-plans-grades-1-2/98771-second-grade-madeline-activities/

http://gatheringbooks.org/2012/03/17/perfect-picture-book-madeline/