Ms. Tointigh's Book Blog

Title:  Knuffle Bunny Genre:  Realistic Fiction Author /  Illustrator:  Mo Willems Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : PreK-1st Summary  This is the story of a poor girl Trixie who loses her favorite stuffed rabbit on the way to the laundromat.  She is trying to convey to her father wat is wrong however it all comes out as gibberish. She tries and tries and finally she gets lucky when her dad understands the words Knuffle Bunny.  After he figures out what is wrong he now has to track down the bunny.  Thank goodness after retracing their steps they are able to find knuffle bunny! Evaluation I think this story would be really good to use as a teaching moment to students about retracing their steps.  It teaches them to be able to encode and store long term information by practicing the reflection that happens when thinking about what you have previously done.  And once they learn that then they will be able to reflect even if it...

Title:   Martin's Big Words Genre:  Nonfiction Author : Doreen Rappaport Illustrator:  Bryan Collier Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 3rd-8th Summary This book is a biography about Martin Luther King Jr.  He is unarguably one of the most iconic African American leaders that has been.  A lot of his teachings and preaching still ring true in todays society.   This biography goes through his life and his accomplishments all the way up into his death. Evaluation I think this book is a very useful book for students.  It is full facts about Martin Luther King Jr.'s life all in one package which makes it easier to digest.  I think if I were teaching middle school level I would definitely find a way to incorporate this in one of my lessons.  It uses parts of his speeches and also gives the context of the time that he is talking in that help to justify his words.  I think I would have students identify different rhetorical app...

  Title:   Snowflake Bentley Genre: Non Fiction Author : Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrator:  Mary Azarian Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 4th-6th Summary This story is a biography about the man nicknamed snowflake Bentley because he was the first man to photograph actual individual snow crystals.  willy had always been fascinated by snow and one day he notices how beautiful the individual crystal were.  He spent three winters trying to draw each crystal but they melted so quickly.  when he was sixteen he begged his family for a camera in order to effectively capture the crystal and share them with others.  At the age of seventeen Willy finally received his wish and got the most expensive camera out on the market from his parents.  The first images were busts and nothing more than shadows but he would not give up.  He worked through very storm and finally during the second winter he figured out how to photograph snowflakes!...

Title:   Mr. Wuffles Genre:  Science Fiction / Fantasy Author /  Illustrator: David Wiesner Major Awards:  Caldecott Award  Age group : 1st-5th Summary This graphic novel follows a day in the life of a house cat named Mr. Wuffles.  In Mr. Wuffles house there's a whole space ship full of little green men, they even speak their own language made only of symbols.  Mr. Wuffles attempts to play with these aliens as he's not interested in any other normal cat toys and definitely not interested in his owner.  The only thing he's interested in is a small silver spaceship that houses these small little aliens.  Then the story cuts to the aliens developing a plan that will help launch their spaceship back into the atmosphere.  They work along side the insects such as ants and lady bugs and when the time comes they get Mr. Wuffles to jump on a platform that launches them out the window and back into the atmosphere.  Then Mr. Wuffles is left al...

  Title:   The Thanksgiving Story Genre:  Historical Fiction Author : Alice Dalgliesh Illustrator:  Helen Sewell Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 2nd-4th Summary This is a story of the origin of Thanksgiving and how it became a tradition.  The story starts off with a bunch of pilgrims setting sail on the Mayflower to find the new land.  The boat have very crowded and dirty conditions.  So they are more than exciting to finally be off the boat.  Unfortunately worse challenges come to light.  The pilgrims face thirst and hunger and sickness if they cannot find shelter and food.  Luckily they are found by native people of the land they have just arrived on.  The natives give them food and show them how to farm that way they can survive the new land.  And then harvest day arrives both groups get together to celebrate all the food and growth that has happened and that is what we know today as Thanksgiving. Evaluation ...

Title:   Ox-Cart Man Genre:  Historical Fiction Author : Donald Hall Illustrator:  Barbara Cooney Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 1st-4th Summary This story follows a farm families throughout the year.  Specifically the father of the family and how he journey's ten whole days with his ox into the harbor market.  He is carrying all the goodies that his family has collected over the past year using his ox and cart.  when he get to the market one by one he sells all the goodies and then the cart and then the ox and last the ox's yoke and harness.  The father then buys in the market a kettle for his wife, a needle for his daughter, a knife for his son, and a bag of peppermint candy for the whole family to share.  Now the father returns home on foot where he gives out the gifts to his family and then the story takes us through the year again in cyclic form until right before it is time for the father to head on back to the market. Evalu...

Title:   Godilocks and the Three Bears Genre:  Traditional Literature Author /  Illustrator:  James Marshall Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : Kinder-2nd Summary This is a classic retelling of the story of Goldilocks and the three bears.  She finds herself at the bears cottage and helps herself to their porridge, and their chairs, and finally to their beds.  The bears return home to find their house in disarray, they are unable to enjoy their porridge or sit properly and then they find a girl sleeping in Baby bears bed.  Goldilocks awakens with a fright and before the bears can say anything she bolts out of there. Evaluation This story is such a classic tale that is told across elementary classroom everywhere.  I think an interesting thing this story uses  is repetition in order to really get across the meaning of big, medium, and small.  I think that size would be a great unit of study that this story could be told in....

  Title:   Last Stop on Market Street Genre:  Realistic Fiction Author : Matt De La Pena Illustrator: Christian Robinson Major Awards:  Caldecott Award & Newberry Award Age group : 1st-4th Summary This story follow CJ and his Nana on a day in their lives.  CJ is constantly comparing himself to others on the street and asking his grandma things like why they don't have a car or why he can't have a bike.  The two of them load the bus and even here CJ is comparing himself to the older boys on the back that have headphones and music players.  His Nana tells him to ask the guitarist on the bus to play a song, and he does.  So in that moment CJ is taken into his imagination with bright colors and is relaxed because of the guitarist singing and playing.  Finally the bus driver calls out "last stop on Market street" and CJ and his nana get off the bus.  He asks his nana why the graffitied area they're in is so dirty.  And his nana says ...

  Title:   Lon Po Po Genre:  Traditional Literature Author/ Illustrator:  Ed Young Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 1st-3rdth Summary This story is a retelling of the famous tale Little Red Riding Hood from China.  The story has three sisters named Shang, Tao, and Paotze who are left home alone by their mother who goes to run their grandmother some items.  A cunning wolf in the forest watches the mom leave the children their and makes its plan.  The wolf dresses up like the  children's Po Po and gets the children to let her in the house.  Things seem normal until "PoPo" suggests they all go to sleep.  The children feels how hairy the wolf's paw are and then the oldest Shang catches a glimpses of the wolf's reflective eyes.  She is the most clever and tells the wolf about a Gingko nut and how its so tender and tastes as soft as baby's flesh.  This excites the wolf so the children go outside and climb the tree to p...

  Title:   Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears Genre:  Traditional Literature Author:  Verna Aardema Illustrator : Leo and Diane Dillon Age group : 1st-4th Summary This story is the origin story of why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears.  It all started in West African when a Mosquito told an iguana such a huge lie that the iguana did not want to listen to it and plugged his ears so he did not have to hear it.  The iguana goes about his day and then the snake tries to tell him good morning and when the iguana does not answer the snake he assumes he's plotting mischief on him.  So that causes the snake to hide and the nearest hiding place is the rabbit hole so the snake enters.  as the snake enters the rabbit becomes frightened and takes off running in broad daylight.  The cow sees the rabbit running in broad daylight and sound the alarm for danger.  This alarm is heard by the monkey who begins running away from the supposed danger an...

Title:   Anansi the Spider Genre:  Traditional Literature Author/ Illustrator:  Gerald McDermott Major Awards: Caldecott Award Age group : 1st-3rdth Summary This is the story of Anansi the spider and his six sons.  Anansi's sons are named, See Trouble, road builder, River Drinker, Game Skinner, Stone Thrower, and last Cushion.  Their names were indicative of their jobs and what they do in life.  One time Anansi traveled so far and fell into trouble.  Thankfully his first born See Trouble alerted the rest of the brothers.  Then road Builder built the road to get there so all six sons traveled it.  Here they saw a huge river which River Drinker fixed promptly.  There was a fish left flopping about and Anansi was inside the fish so Game Skinner freed him.  But just as Game Skinner freed his father a huge falcon swooped Anansi away! Stone Thrower came to save the day and pelted the bird with a stone but Anansi was now free falling from ...

  Title:   Henry's Freedom Box Genre:  Historical Fiction Author : Ellen Levine Illustrator: Kadir Nelson Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 4th-8th Summary This is a story about a boy named Henry.  He is born into slavery and just as his master is uping in age Henry gains a little ounce of hope that he will be freed.  Unfortunately his master gives Henry to his son because he is such a hardworking, loyal slave to the family.  Henry then grows up still working as a slave for the family and he meets another slave that the family hires and they fall in love.  His new master allows them to be married and have children. Unfortunately the plantation starts losing money and the owner has no choice but to sale Henry's family to other buyers.  henry is heart broken after this takes place because he knows that he will never see his family again.  Henry goes back to working on the plantation afterwards but he grows restless to the point wh...

  Title:   Where the Wild Things are Genre:  Fantasy Author/Illustrator : Maurice Sendak Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : Kinder-3rd Summary This story follows a young boy named Max.  Max is running amok in his house and his other sends him off to his room because of it.  In his room Max cannot believe that his mom sent him to his room, so his walls turn into jungle and suddenly he is transported into a forest with wild monsters and huge trees.  Max then becomes the king of the wild things as they have all conceded that he is the wildest of them all.  They all begin to dance the whole night away when he remembers how much he misses his mom.  The monsters do not want their king to go however Max wants to return home to his mom.  So then he goes home and supper and his mom are both waiting. Evaluation This story is filled with the child-like imagination that all children have experienced.  I think this book could be used to ...

  Title:   This is Not my Hat Genre:  Fantasy Author/Illustrator : Jon Klassen Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : PreK-1st Summary This story follows a sneaky little fish who immediately fesses up to stealing a hat.  He stole this tiny hat from a giant fish while the giant fish was sleeping.  He is telling the readers about his "fool proof" plan as to how he will not get caught.  And with each step of the plan he is giving the illustration shows the big fish listening to the little fish and knowing what his next move will be.  This continues all the way to the end of the story where the giant fish follows the little fish into tall plants and then returns to swim home wearing his hat. Evaluation This story is really made with the illustrations... which would explain why it received the Caldecott medal!  I think how Klassen goes back and forth from the little fish who thinks he's pulling off the biggest heist to the gig fish knowing the...

  Title:   Grandfather's Journey Genre:  Historical Fiction Author/Illustrator : Allen Say Major Awards:  Caldecott Award Age group : 4th-6th Summary                                                                                                                                                This story loosely follows the journey of Say's own grandfather.  His grandfather was born and raised in Japan.  As a young man he journeyed to America where he took in so many sights such as the desert rocks, mountains and seas, the railroad cars, and diverse cultures.  The more he traveled the more he loved se...

Title:   The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales Genre:  Fantasy Author : Jon Scieszka Illustrator: Lane Smith Major Awards:  Caldecott Award  & Texas Bluebonnet Age group : 2nd-4th Summary This picture story book is a collection of fairytales.  These are not just any ordinary fairytales though, these are the fractured fairytales.  This is a specific type of fairytale that has the same characters but is told differently.  Jack the narrator is just trying to write this story and some of the characters are being uncooperative like the giant or the red hen.  Jack just wants to tell everyone's fairly stupid stories.  These fractured fairy tales are not full of the morals that everyone's used to like how the ugly duckling grows up to be a handsome swan, in this story he just grows up to be an ugly duck. Evaluation The humor created by Scieszka is unmatched.  The way that he brings Jack's character to life as something more tha...

  Title:   Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Genre:  Fantasy Author/Illustrator : Mo Willems Major Awards: Caldecott Honor Award Age group : PreK-2nd Summary This picture book begins with a request from the bus driver.  The bus driver asks the reader to watch his bus while he runs a few errands and leaves the reader with one rule: Don't let the pigeon drive the bus.  So then the bus driver leaves and the reader meets the pigeon.  The pigeon then proceeds to beg the readers to let him drive the bus. He attempts to bribe them or say things like "just once around the block."  Then after all his failed attempts the pigeon has a huge temper tantrum and pleads for the reader to let him drive and then the bus driver returns.  The bus driver thanks the reader and says "you didn't let the pigeon drive did you?" And then he drives off.  The reader then sees the pigeon look at a semi truck and start having a daydream about that and forget the bus. Eval...