Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book

 

1. Bibliography

Morales, Y. 2018. Just in case: A trickster tale and Spanish alphabet book. Square Fish. ISBN 978-1250188496

2. Plot Summary

Senor Calvera is excited for Grandma Beetle’s birthday but has forgotten to get her present. Zelmiro the Ghost suggests that the best present to give is the thing that they love the most but he doesn’t know what that is. Together they hunt down to find the best gift by collecting something from every letter of the Spanish alphabet. Rushing to get to the party, Senor Calvera is in an accident that ruins all the gifts but when he arrives he finds out that he has brought the greatest gift to Grandam Beetle. 

3. Critical Analysis

This heartwarming story will have you cheering on the characters to be successful while laughing. The surprise ending will pull at your heartstrings. The book has bright, colorful and detailed illustrations show Mexican culture and traditions that help to bring out the humor of the story.

4. Review Excerpts

Pura Belpre Honor 

Kirkus- “Richly hued and filled with action, the illustrations capture the tale’s humor and Latin flavor perfectly, leading on to an entirely logical, hilarious and heartwarming surprise at the end. As gifted an artist as she is a storyteller, Morales is in top form here.”

School Library Journal- “Part ghost story and part alphabet book, this trickster tale transcends both. Librarians will want to share it for the beautiful language, the spirited artwork, and the rightness of the ending.”

5. Connections

Using the alphabet, create gifts that you would collect for a loved one.

Read other works by Yuyi Morales: Just a Minute, Little Night/Nochecita, and Nino Wrestles the World

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

 

1. Bibliography

Taback, S. 2001. There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. Viking. ISBN: 0670869392

2. Plot Summary

This classic story begins with an old lady who swallows a fly. With each page turn, the old lady begins to swallow more animals, each one getting bigger with the purpose of getting rid of the animal before it. The woman’s adventure comes to an end when she swallows a horse and dies. The story ends with the cautionary moral to never swallow a horse.

3. Critical Analysis

Without even reading the story, I could see kids being interested in the story based from the picture of colorful bugs and flowers to grab their attention right from the start. The illustrations are entertaining as the old lady swallows each animal and you see it in her stomach. The story itself is very dark but you don’t get the sense of it by how it is written. Though the ending doesn’t end well for the old lady, you find yourself laughing, especially when story ends with the moral to not swallow a horse. 

4. Review Excerpts

Caldecott Medal Nominee 1998

Kirkus- “Fortunately, these additions can be easily ignored or inflated according to taste, and full concentration given to the poem itself and the wild, eye-catching artwork: It is good fun to watch the old lady bulge and bloat, and the sheer corniness of the verse continues to be deeply gratifying.”

School Library Journal- “From cover to moral (never swallow a horse), this cleverly illustrated version of an old folk favorite will delight children. Each page is full of details and humorous asides, from the names of different types of birds, to a recipe for spider soup, to the rhyming asides from the spectating animals. As for the old lady, with her toothy grin and round bloodshot eyes, she looks wacky enough to go so far as to swallow a horse.”

5. Connections

Have the students create their own sequence with different animals or items that the old lady could swallow.

Retell the events by gluing the events down in order and create captions.

Watch a live action read aloud of the story that has been turned into a song. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMwO45a7Y6A

The Three Pigs

 

1. Bibliography

Wiesner, D. 2001. The Three pigs. Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-00701-6

2. Plot Summary

The story begins like a retelling of the classic “Three Little Pigs” until the big bad wolf blows the first little pig’s house of straw down but blows the pig out of the story. After the same thing happens to the second and third little pig, the pigs find other nursery rhymes and fairy tales stories. They meet other characters along the way while trying to get back to their own story.

3. Critical Analysis

As the story begins, the reader thinks they are hearing the classic version of the tale, but the story takes a turn in an unknown direction. The words even match the classic story but the illustrations don’t match what is being told. The illustrations lead the reader into the new version. The illustrations are entertaining as you see the pigs hiding behind the “real” story to hide from their fate. The drawings from the other stories also match the genre of their classic tale to show how these characters are invading a new story. The star of the story is the illustrations as they control the direction of the story,

4. Review Excerpts 

Caldecott Medal Winner 2002

Irma Black Award 2002

Kirkus Review: “With this inventive retelling, Caldecott Medalist Wiesner (Tuesday, 1991) plays with literary conventions in a manner not seen since Scieszka’s The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1993).”

5. Connections

Compare and contrast this version with the classic version of The Three Little Pigs.

Read other versions of the “The Three Little Pigs” such as “The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs”

Read other stories by David Wiesner such as “Flotsam” and “Tuesday.”

Joha Makes A Wish

 

1. Bibliography

Kimmel, E. 2010. Joha makes a wish: A middle eastern tale. Ill. by A. Rayyan. Two Lions/Amazon Publishing. ISBN 978-1477816875

2. Plot Summary 

Joha discovers a wishing stick while on his way to Baghdad. He tries to make some wishes but notices that the opposite things are coming true. His wishes begin to get him in trouble when he wishes a wart on the sultan’s nose to disappear, and the wart begins to grow to look like grapes. While trying to hide from the guards, Joha meets an old man. After explaining the trouble that he is in, the old man tells Joha that he has been holding the wishing stick the wrong way which is why his wishes aren’t coming out right. Trying to redeem himself with the sultan, Joha fixes his nose but, the sultan ends up taking his wishing stick for himself. 

3. Critical Analysis

This story gives insight into the Middle East culture with a humorous tale that will keep the readers guessing what mess will Joha get into next. There are some phrases such as sultan that young readers may not know the meaning of. The illustrations help to show that the sultan is a king by how he is dressed compared to Joha.

4. Review Excerpts 

Goodreads review: “Funny story, appropriately silly illustrations. I do love 'be careful what you wish for' stories, even ones I've heard before. This one resembles others and is esp. great for those less familiar with the different motifs.”

School Library Journal- “The wishing scheme and fulsome pictures promise read-aloud fun.”

5. Connections

Read other stories written by Eric A. Kimmel: The Rooster’s Antlers, Whale of a Tale, and Rattlestiltskin

Students can write about what they would do if they found a wishing stick. 

This Is Not My Hat

 

1.Bibliography

Willems, M. (2003). Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! Hyperion Books for Children. 078681988X

2. Plot Summary

A bus driver has to take a break and his one reminder before he leaves is to not let the pigeon drive the bus. Once the bus driver has left, the pigeon begins to ask to drive the bus. After being told no, the pigeon starts to negotiate, beg and even throw a tantrum to let him drive the bus. Once the bus driver returns, the pigeon finds a new mission when a red truck appears.  

3. Critical Analysis

Mo Willems hooks the reader into the story right from the beginning by making them a character. The bus driver asks us to make sure the pigeon doesn’t drive the bus and the pigeon asks us throughout the book if he can drive the bus. Letting us respond as characters gives the reader an interactive experience that makes the story enjoyable. 

The illustrations could be viewed as simple, but they do convey a lot of emotion. This emotion can especially be seen when the pigeon starts to show his anger and throws a tantrum. You see all the different emotions that he is feeling and can relate to these emotions. The pigeon starts to move in different directions and is sitting up, sitting down, laying down to show his emotions with his beak wide open letting the reader know how angry he is. Readers will be able to relate to this emotion by what they have experienced or seen.

4. Review Excerpt(s)

Kirkus- “Turn the page and readers see a close-up of the pigeon, who spends the next 13 well-paced pages begging, pleading, lying, and bribing his way into their hearts. The words “LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!!!” triple in size and leap from the page as the pigeon loses control, flopping across the bottom of the pages. Readers of all ages will nod with recognition of his helplessness and frustration.”

Caldecott Medal Nominee 2004

Flicker Tale Children’s Book Award 2005

Buckaroo Book Award 2004

5. Connections

• Write a story about a time you were told no when you wanted to do something. 

• Create a prediction of what you think would have happened if the pigeon was allowed to drive the bus. 

• Read the other Pigeon books by Mo Willems

 

1.Bibliography

Willems, M. (2003). Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! Hyperion Books for Children. 078681988X

2. Plot Summary

A bus driver has to take a break and his one reminder before he leaves is to not let the pigeon drive the bus. Once the bus driver has left, the pigeon begins to ask to drive the bus. After being told no, the pigeon starts to negotiate, beg and even throw a tantrum to let him drive the bus. Once the bus driver returns, the pigeon finds a new mission when a red truck appears.  

3. Critical Analysis

Mo Willems hooks the reader into the story right from the beginning by making them a character. The bus driver asks us to make sure the pigeon doesn’t drive the bus and the pigeon asks us throughout the book if he can drive the bus. Letting us respond as characters gives the reader an interactive experience that makes the story enjoyable. 

The illustrations could be viewed as simple, but they do convey a lot of emotion. This emotion can especially be seen when the pigeon starts to show his anger and throws a tantrum. You see all the different emotions that he is feeling and can relate to these emotions. The pigeon starts to move in different directions and is sitting up, sitting down, laying down to show his emotions with his beak wide open letting the reader know how angry he is. Readers will be able to relate to this emotion by what they have experienced or seen.

4. Review Excerpt(s)

Kirkus- “Turn the page and readers see a close-up of the pigeon, who spends the next 13 well-paced pages begging, pleading, lying, and bribing his way into their hearts. The words “LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!!!” triple in size and leap from the page as the pigeon loses control, flopping across the bottom of the pages. Readers of all ages will nod with recognition of his helplessness and frustration.”

Caldecott Medal Nominee 2004

Flicker Tale Children’s Book Award 2005

Buckaroo Book Award 2004

5. Connections

• Write a story about a time you were told no when you wanted to do something. 

• Create a prediction of what you think would have happened if the pigeon was allowed to drive the bus. 

• Read the other Pigeon books by Mo Willems

Where the Wild Things Are

 

1.Bibliography

Sendak, M. (2013). Where the wild things are. Harper Collins Publishers. 9780099408390

2. Plot Summary

Max is sent to his room without supper after being mischievous and gets in trouble. He begins to imagine sailing through to an island where the wild things are. He is named king of all wild things where they have a wild rumpus. He began to feel lonely and wanted to be somewhere where he was loved best of all. Once he smells something good to eat, he gives up being king and sails back home to find his supper waiting for him.

3. Critical Analysis

This classic story opens your imagination into a new wild world. Maurice Sendak brings his story to life with descriptive details to help the reader visualize. Max is relatable to children as someone that gets in trouble The big stand out element in the story is Sendak’s illustrations. As Max enters his new world, it starts to grow bigger and bigger. There are even pages while they are having their rumpus dance, that is filled with only detailed illustrations and no words. As Max leaves his new world the pictures begin to get smaller and smaller to where the last page only has text but no illustration.   

4. Review Excerpt(s)

Caldecott Medal 1964

Indies Choice Book Award for Picture Book Hall of Fame 2009

Voted the number one picture book in a survey of School Library Journal Readers in 2012

Good Reads Review- “The illustrations are magical and the text is beyond wonderful. It is one of the most fun and rewarding books for a parent to read to a kid (lots of fun making dancing sounds and monster sounds!) and features joyful plot.”

5. Connections

• Compare and contrast the book and the movie

• Create and describe your own wild thing creature. 

• Read Maurice Sendak’s other works such as In the Night Kitchen, Nutshell Library and Higglety Pigglety Pop!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

1. Bibliography

Selznick, Brian. 2007. The invention of Hugo Cabret. New York, NY: Scholastic. 9780439813785

2. Plot Summary

Hugo Cabret is an orphan that is secretly living in a train station and winding the clocks. In his spare time, Hugo works on a broken automaton who he believes holds a secret. To repair the automaton, Hugo steals toys from a toy store in the station for its parts. The store owner catches him and their lives begin to intertwine as Hugo and the store owner’s goddaughter as they try to solve the mystery of the automaton. The store owner’s past is revealed as George Melies and they both learn that they have more connected to each other than they could have imagined.

3. Critical Analysis

Hugo is a character that you can’t help but root for and feel empathy for. He is determined and willing to take risks to find answers. Although there is a happy ending to the story, Selznick creates an ending that wasn’t expected as the mystery is solved.  The size of the book can look very intimidating until you open it and see the number of illustrations. Brian Selznick’s pencil drawings and frames from black and white movies fill the book more than text. These detailed illustrations provide an understanding and a constant wondering of what will happen next in this emotional mystery.

4. Review Excerpt(s)

Kirkus- “Opening with cinematic immediacy, a series of drawings immerses readers in Hugo’s mysterious world. Exquisitely chosen art sequences are sometimes stopped moments, sometimes moments of intense action and emotion. The book, an homage to early filmmakers as dreammakers, is elegantly designed to resemble the flickering experience of silent film melodramas.”

Caldecott Medal 2008

5. Connections

• Like books: The City of Dreaming Books, The Dreamer, The City of Ember

• Compare and contrast the story with clips from the movie Hugo