"Woolbur" by Leslie Helakoski

What a cute and unique book!  Woolbur teaches children about being true to themself.  A sheep is the main character of this book.  He likes to run with the dogs, card and dye his own wool, ride on the spinning wheel and weave his forelock.  I thought this book was really interesting and the illustrations captured my attention as I turned each page.  I liked that the author decided to convey Woolbur's personality through dialogue.  The reader learns about each character simply through their dialogue with other characters in the book.  The book reminded me of a miniless I read about for Block that was about using dialogue to convey character traits. I think it would complement that lesson very well!  The names in this book are written as if a sheep were saying them out loud.  For example, Maa, Paa and Grandpaa all have an extra "a" at the end because that is how sheep would say their names.  Overall, this book was really well written and kept my interest the entire time.  I was laughing while reading it and loved looking at the bright and colorful illustrations!

"Born Yesterday: The Diary of a Young Journalist" by James Solheim

This was such a cute book!  It was hilarious because it voices the thoughts an infant might posess if he/she were able to have complex thoughts and write them down.  The baby keeps a journal and writes down his thoughts on many firsts that he sees in the world, many of which include his sister.  My favorite part is when the baby writes, "Kindergarteners get to study advanced subjects like pasta art, Friendship Corner, and the hardest one of all: sitting still for a full minute with hands folded."  The journal entries made me think about my days in kindergarten and the things I did with my younger brother after he was born.  This book is very unique because it's told from the point of view of the baby.  It is rare to see a book written in journal form that has complex thoughts by a baby.  The style of writing the author chose to write this book in makes it hilarious.  It's interesting that a few of the journal entries include lists that are bulleted.  A teacher could use this book to show students how to write a journal.  Students may not know that lists are a form of writing that they can use to express their ideas.

"The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka

This is one of my favorite books from when I was younger!  I really enjoyed going back and rereading it for my blog.  I like that the author decided to twist the story a little so that the wolf doesn't look bad.  Scieszka has a very interesting writing style; he uses a lot of sarcasm.  I like that his style of writing is very distinct.  I always know when I'm reading a book by him without looking at the author.  I think this would be an interesting book to read to students, paired with the original three little pigs story, to teach point of view in writing.  Students would be able to participate activly in a discussion about the differences between Scieszka's version and the original.  Students may also be interested in writing about whether they believe the wolf really was good or bad.  Each version of the story persuades readers in different ways.  It would be interesting to share what the students believe and why they side with either the wolf or the pigs!

"Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully" by Julianne Moore

I loved this book!  Although the story line is pretty unrealistic it still reminded me of days in elementary school when we would play dodgeball.  I always hated that game!  The "dodgeball bully" in this book exists in all games of dodgeball -- the one kid who is really good and stays in the entire game.  The author really made me think back to days when I was in elementary school.  I remember hating rainy days when we couldn't go outside for recess!  The pictures in this book were interesting; my favorite was the one of Freckleface Strawberry pretending to be an alien monster.  It showed Strawberry in the front with her legs bent and her arms raised in the air, and the monster was behind her in a similar position.  The inclusion of an actual monster in a similar position helped me picture what Strawberry was trying to act like.  I liked that this book was about a different aspect of school.  It focused on Early Bird, the program for children whose parents work early in the morning.  I was never one who had to go to school early but those who do would enjoy relating to this book!  I am not sure how much educational value this book had but I definitely enjoyed reading it just for fun!  It's probably not one I would have in my classroom, though.

"The Best Story" by Eileen Spinelli

This was a cute book that I think many teachers would enjoy reading to their students.  It's about a girl who decides to enter a contest to write the "best" story.  She consults her family and friends and they all tell her different things that make up a good story.  Because the girl doesn't believe the story is ever "just right" she rewrites it so that it comes from her own heart.  I think this book sends a good message to students -- that there isn't one thing that makes a good book.  A good book is one that you are proud of and that comes from your heart.  I really enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me of when I was younger and I entered different writing contests.  My favorite stories that I wrote were ones that I was able to choose the toipc and the words and pictures just poured out.  After I got started it was difficult to stop writing!

Glogster

Here's my glog!

Haley's Glog: Kevin Henkes

"Olive's Ocean" by Kevin Henkes

This was a great book about two girls named Olive Barstow and Martha Boyle.  Although you never actually talk to Olive in the story, the reader gets a good sense of who she was.  I loved this book and found it very difficult to actually put it down once I started reading.  The chapters are very short so it turns into a quick read.  I liked the combination of suspense, drama and romance all wrapped into one book.  I think it is meant more for female readers but I could see boys enjoying it too.  The message was clear and simple, making this an enjoyable book to read.  In the classroom it would be interesting to use this book and lead discussions based on morals, death, honesty and imagery.  I liked that Henkes incorporated popular childhood milestones and realities, just like he does in his children's picture books.  This is probably a novel for upper elementary-aged students because of its reading level and because it has some profanity and sexual references.  I think that overall this is a great book about adolesents and dealing with situations that often arise throughout childhood.  I loved this book!

"Wemberly Worried" by Kevin Henkes

This book does a great job of dealing with a normal childhood habit: worrying.  Many children worry about various things: their parents leaving, strange noises, starting a new school; and they all have the comforts that help them get past their worrying.  I think this book does a great job of showing how many children worry about their first day of school, but that it will turn out good in the end.  They aren't the only one who is worrying!  I liked the page in the book that was full of Wemberly's worries.  They were all written in a different size of font and they got bigger as the concerns held more importance.  Many of Henkes' books highlight habits that children face throughout their early years.  This one looked at starting school -- one of the biggest moments of children's lives.  I remember when I was little I was always so scared to start a new school year.  I usually was just worried about what friends were in my class and if my teacher was nice or not.  This book really made me look back and relate to my past as a child, and I think many other readers would find themselves doing the same thing as they read.  Overall this is a great book that really portrays the feelings of children.

"Owen" by Kevin Henkes

This was a cute story about a mouse named Owen who doesn't want to give up his treasured blanket.  I think that anyone who remembers their treasured childhood item could relate to and enjoy this book.  Many of Henkes' books involve mice as main characters.  This is one that especially captures a milestone childhood moment.  Owen received the Caldecott Honor Award.  I think it deserved the award because of its cute and uplifting story, colorful illustrations and useful message to children.  Parents could read this book to their children when they're trying to get rid of their blanket or other item that is inseperable with their child.  My favorite part of this book were the little things that show what Owen is saying in the illustrations.  They are cute and add a personal touch to the rest of the story!

"Lilly's Big Day" by Kevin Henkes

This was an adorable picture book.  It is the story of Lilly, a mouse, who has dreamed of bring a flower girl.  When she finds out her teacher is getting married, she is asked to be the flower girl's assistant.  Originally crushed, she ends up thoroughly enjoying her responsibility and becomes friends with the flower girl.  This book had colorful pictures and the topic really caught my interest.  It doesn't seem to me like there are many books out there about little girls wanting to be flower girls.  Although this is not typical of all girls when they're children, I think it would appeal to those who do have that dream.  Henkes placed the text in a unique way on each page.  Whether it was lines separated and placed all over the page, or just a simple paragraph, the text caught my eye and focused my attention more on the story line.  Overall this unique children's book was cute and I really enjoyed reading it!