Poetry Book Review: African Acrostics

Poetry

Title: African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways

Author: Avis Harley

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Copyright date: July 1, 2009

Number of Pages: 38 pages

Awards: N/A

Reading Level: Independent Reader Jr. "I am a Reader"

Generally appropriate for 4th Grade to 7th Grade

These books are appropriate for the independent reader who can retain and understand more elaborate and sophisticated story elements.

Lexile: 910L

Genre: Children’s Literature, Fiction, Poetry

Summary:

Each of these 18 inventive acrostic poems features a different African animal. Acrostic poems spell out a word using the initial letters of each line, but Harley's poems go far beyond this simple form. While some poems spell out the animal's name, others spell out more subtle descriptions. The rhino's poem spells out "beauty in the beast," while the giraffe's poem is called "cloud friends." Some poems also spell out a different word using the last letter of each line (a double acrostic); there is even a quintuple acrostic with five hidden words arranged vertically. Finding the hidden word is a fun game, but here it brings surprises and insights into the poet's imagery and descriptions.

Academic Purpose:

The main poetry theme of this book is acrostic poems. To implement this book into the classroom, I would use this book as an extra resource to a lesson about acrostic poems. After teaching the students about acrostic poems and how they can make them, I would read this book aloud to them. I would ask probing questions about each poem, such as how was this poem made, what is the secret word, how did the author go about writing this certain poem, and what was the message they wanted to portray. I would read this book to the class, then I would have each student pick a topic, it can be food, animals, sports, etc. and have them create their own acrostic poem. This book gives students a great insight of how acrostic poems can be written.

Rating System:

Categories:	5 Stars	3 Stars	1 Star	Comments
Style and Language	The book anticipates readers’ questions and uses great word choice for the age targeted. It has linear progression and communicates its point clearly.	The book follows a linear progression, with some unclear points. The word choice is okay.	The book is confusing as it doesn’t follow a linear progression at all. The vocabulary in the book is either too simple or too complex for the age group targeted.	This book uses great word choice for the age targeted. There is many vocabulary words such as, agleam, tawny, and colossal. The books style and language creates a great book for independent readers. This book communicates its point clearly of acrostic poems. 5 stars
Plot and Character Development	The plot is in depth and helps to create a picture in the reader’s mind. The plot is organized having a beginning, middle, and end. The character development is strong.	The plot is okay. The book is organized with a beginning, middle, and end. The characters are well developed.	The book is confusing and doesn’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end.	This book doesn’t really have a plot. It is an ABC book as well as a poetry book. But, it is not organized with a beginning, middle, and end because they don't use all the letters. There are no characters, just animals. 1 stars
Interest	The book holds real life situations which draw the reader in. The word choice and story hold the reader’s attention. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book holds little interest and draws the reader in sometimes. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book is very boring and doesn’t hold the reader’s attention. The book is not suitable for the age group targeted.	This book is suitable for the age targeted.  It is a poetry book that teaches about acrostic poems and informational facts about animals. The illustrations in this book will definitely interest the readers. The illustrations are colorful and almost feel like you are in the picture with the animals. 5 stars
Educational Value	The book is relatable to education. The book can be integrated into other content areas.	The book is relatable to education. The book may need further resources to help connect it to other content areas.	The book is not relatable to education whatsoever. The book is not appropriate to be integrated into other content areas.	This book is relatable to education. This book teaches acrostic poems. A teacher could use this book during an acrostic poem lesson.       5 star

Picture Book Review: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Picture Book

Title: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Author: Laura Numeroff

Publisher: HarperCollins

Copyright date: November 20, 1985

Number of Pages: 40

Awards: Alabama Children's Choice Book Award, K–1 (1986–87), California Young Reader Medal (1988), Colorado Children's Book Award (1988), Georgia Children’s Picture Story Book Award (1988), Nevada Young Readers’ Award (1988–89), Buckeye Children’s Book Award, K–2 (Ohio) (1989), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award (1994), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award (1994), Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Classic Award (1994)

Reading Level: Reader Jr. "I can do it"

Generally appropriate for 1st Grade to 3rd Grade. These books are appropriate for the fluent reader who is able to grasp and follow a simple story. The equal balance of text and white space creates an environment that won't intimidate a developing reader.

Lexile: 660L

Genre: Children’s Literature, Fiction, Fantasy

Summary:

This is a story about a boy and a mouse.  The mouse wants a cookie and when the boy gives him a cookie it leads to a long list of other things the mouse will want to have. The cause and effect pattern continues with the mouse continually asking the boy for more and more items after he has received the items he requests. At the end of the book when the mouse asks for another glass of milk, will he ask for a cookie or something else to go with it?
Academic Purpose:

The main elements of this book are making predictions and cause and effect relationships. The book begins by stating, "If you give a mouse a cookie," which then leads to, "he's going to ask for a glass of milk." This is the result of cause and effect, which simply is the reason something happens, and the effect is what happens as a result. The whole book demonstrates what happens when the mouse receives a cookie, milk, straw, napkin, etc. The book is a great way to teach young children about making predictions while reading a story.

Since learning about cause and effect relationships is a standard students need to learn and become proficient in, I would use this book in a cause and effect lesson. I would gather my students at the carpet and explain what cause and effect relationships are. Then, I would read the book to the students. Then, I would have the students play a cause and effect (Give a Mouse a Cookie) board game to practice the skills they just learned.

Rating System:

Categories:	5 Stars	3 Stars	1 Star	Comments
Style and Language	The book anticipates readers’ questions and uses great word choice for the age targeted. It has linear progression and communicates its point clearly.	The book follows a linear progression, with some unclear points. The word choice is okay.	The book is confusing as it doesn’t follow a linear progression at all. The vocabulary in the book is either too simple or too complex for the age group targeted.	This book uses great word choice for the age targeted. There is not many vocabulary words. The books style and language creates a great book for young readers, because of its repetition in words and predictability.   5 stars
Plot and Character Development	The plot is in depth and helps to create a picture in the reader’s mind. The plot is organized having a beginning, middle, and end. The character development is strong.	The plot is okay. The book is organized with a beginning, middle, and end. The characters are well developed.	The book is confusing and doesn’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end.	The plot is all about giving a mouse the things he requests. This book doesn’t really have a beginning, middle, or end. This book just has a series of events. The characters in this book, the mouse and the little boy, are very active and creative in the book. The characters keep the readers on their toes, because you never know what will come next. 3 stars
Interest	The book holds real life situations which draw the reader in. The word choice and story hold the reader’s attention. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book holds little interest and draws the reader in sometimes. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book is very boring and doesn’t hold the reader’s attention. The book is not suitable for the age group targeted.	This book is suitable for the age targeted.  It is a story that teaches responsibility, while providing humor at the same time. The illustrations along with the story, are very kid friendly and can easily hold a student’s attention along with get them thinking.   5 stars
Educational Value	The book is relatable to education. The book can be integrated into other content areas.	The book is relatable to education. The book may need further resources to help connect it to other content areas.	The book is not relatable to education whatsoever. The book is not appropriate to be integrated into other content areas.	This book is relatable to education. This book teaches the elements of cause and effect relationships and predictions.         5 star

Picture Book Review: It's Not Easy Being a Bunny

Picture Book

Title: It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny

Author: Marilyn Sadler

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Copyright date: September 12, 1983

Number of Pages: 39

Awards: N/A

Reading Level: Learning to Read Sr. "The Journey Continues"

Generally appropriate for Kindergarten to 2nd Grade

Books at this level are appropriate for the reader starting to decode fluently. This reader has mastered the concepts of print and is ready to experience the story

Lexile: 590L

Genre: Children’s Literature, Fiction

Summary:
The story is about how a bunny named P.J. Funnybunny, and he didn't want to be a bunny anymore. He was sick of eating carrots and having so many brothers and sisters, but most of all he was sick of his really big ears. So P.J. decided to leave home, he wanted to become something else. He went to go live with the bears, but living with the bears didn’t turn out too well. Then, he went to live with the birds, and that was a problem too. P.J. Funnybunny explores many different animals of what he wanted to be. Does he find an animal he would like to be and live with, or does he decide to go back home with his family?
This story has bright, lively illustrations by Roger Bollen, and the concepts in this book makes this a perfect book for very beginning readers. Children will want to read it again and again- and they really can, all by themselves.

Academic Purpose:

I would use this book in the primary classrooms. This book is great for beginning writers and readers, because of its predictability. I would first talk about the book with my students. I would ask them to predict what they think will happen in the book. Then, I would pair my students together and have them read the book together, and try and have them sound out the words on their own.

I would then bring the students together at the carpet, and have them tell me what the story was about and if their predictions were true. I would read the book aloud to the students. Then, I would have a writing prompt slip already made, with the sentence, “I want to be a___________, because____________. I would do an example first then I would want the students to practice with their sounds to create their words. Students would then glue their strip to a piece of paper and they would illustrate their words.
Rating System:

Categories:	5 Stars	3 Stars	1 Star	Comments
Style and Language	The book anticipates readers’ questions and uses great word choice for the age targeted. It has linear progression and communicates its point clearly.	The book follows a linear progression, with some unclear points. The word choice is okay.	The book is confusing as it doesn’t follow a linear progression at all. The vocabulary in the book is either too simple or too complex for the age group targeted.	This book uses great word choice for the age targeted. There is not many vocabulary words. The books style and language creates a great book for young readers, because of its repetition in words and predictability.   5 stars
Plot and Character Development	The plot is in depth and helps to create a picture in the reader’s mind. The plot is organized having a beginning, middle, and end. The character development is strong.	The plot is okay. The book is organized with a beginning, middle, and end. The characters are well developed.	The book is confusing and doesn’t have a clear beginning, middle, or end.	The plot is all about trying to find out who P.J. Funnybunny wants to be, because he doesn’t like being a bunny. The beginning of the book creates a strong picture of who P.J. Funnybunny is. He is a bunny that dislikes what bunnies do and look like. This book has a strong beginning, middle, and end. 5 stars
Interest	The book holds real life situations which draw the reader in. The word choice and story hold the reader’s attention. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book holds little interest and draws the reader in sometimes. The book is suitable for the age group targeted.	The book is very boring and doesn’t hold the reader’s attention. The book is not suitable for the age group targeted.	This book is suitable for the age targeted. Younger children love books about animals, and this book talks about all different kinds of animals to hold a readers’ attention.   3 stars
Educational Value	The book is relatable to education. The book can be integrated into other content areas.	The book is relatable to education. The book may need further resources to help connect it to other content areas.	The book is not relatable to education whatsoever. The book is not appropriate to be integrated into other content areas.	This book has no relatable elements to other content areas. But, this book can be used along with a lesson with beginning writers and readers.       3 star