Lisa Myers 4/25/11 Nonfiction Annotations

SOCIAL STUDIES Title: Pete for President Author: Daisy Alberto Summary This is a short, fiction trade book about two best friends running for third grade president. Throughout the story, the two boys practice campaigning strategies, debates, and how our government works to elect a president. Text Features of Note y y y y Illustrations that support the text Big font Did you know? squares on each page with facts about past presidents, the White House, and the US government Making connections page in the back

Age and How it Would Be Used/Read This book is appropriate for 2nd to 3rd grade readers, based on the content. I would most likely use it in a third grade classroom because the characters are in third grade. I think this would be a great introduction and exposure for students to understand how a democracy works. Before reading this book, I would have the class talk about the President of the United States, what their role is, past presidents, and how we decide who the president is. I would then read the book to the class, and have a discussion afterwards and prompt, if you were president of our classroom For an older class, perhaps 4th or 5th grade, the book could be read

before having real class elections. I would do this only for 4th or 5th grade, though, because I think that before that age, the process of campaigning and elections would not be as meaningful.

SCIENCE

Title: Rainforests Author: Rose Pipes Summary This book covers all major aspects of rainforests in kid-friendly language. The book is divided into chapters to show what rainforests are, where they are, and how they are in danger. It also features the Amazon Rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest, the Congo Rainforest, Australian Rainforests, Northern Rainforests, and the Borneo Rainforest. Text Features of note y y y y y y y y y y Map on the first page of where rainforests are located Great photographs Picture captions Bolded words for vocabulary Glossary in the back Subheadings Chapters Index Big print Table of Contents

Age and How it Would be Used/Read I would use this in a 3rd or 4th grade classroom based on content and the formatting of the book. It is also great for this age because of the vocabulary words that are highlighted. I would use this as a read-aloud book as an introductory piece or as a way to have discussion. I would probably choose one or two rainforests to focus on, and read from there. If I decided to have the students do projects on rainforests at the end of the unit, I would have this book available for them to look at for pictures and facts.

MATH Title: Ten Little Hippos: A Counting Book Author: Bobette McCarthy Summary This book is similar to Five Little Monkeys. It is about ten hippos that are rollerblading on stage for a show. In each act, one falls off, and they are then left with a new number of hippos on the stage. Text Features of Note y y y Good illustrations Hippos are always in a line and easy to count Big print students can read along Written numbers on each page, there is a new number on the stage as the hippos fall off .

Age and How It Would be Used/Read This book is best for grades K-1. It is very simple text, repetitive, and a simple math concept. I would use it when learning numbers, practicing counting, or beginning to learn subtraction. I would use it as a mediated read aloud or a shared reading activity. This book could be read multiple times, and even have activities to go along with it. For example, the teacher could pick 10 volunteers and have them stand at the front of the room. The rest of the class could read along with the teacher and as each hippo rolls off stage, one student falls down. The class then counts the remaining students in the row. This could also be a great book for kids to read independently.

Traditional Literature Annotation The Elves and the Shoemaker By Jim LaMarche 2003

Chronicle Books LLC Traditional Literature Folklore Summary Retold from the Brother s Grimm, this is the story of the shoemaker who wakes up each morning to find that the leather he leaves out on his worktable has been turned into beautiful shoes. He and his wife decide to stay up one evening to find out who has been bringing them such great fortune, when they discover it is the tiny elves. To repay them for their kindness, the shoemaker and his wife make clothes and shoes for the little elves to wear. Personal Response I love the idea of people helping each other, even if they are strangers. I really enjoy this story. I think the elves are wonderfully imaginative and I like the secrecy of them tiptoeing into the shoemaker s shop in the middle of the night. This book in particular has beautiful illustrations. They look so realistic, and are extremely detailed, bright and fill the page with color. I think they support the text very well, which helps the reader make a better connection with the story. Reading this book made me want a pair of my own wooden shoes made by elves, because each customer made them seem so special. Strengths I like how this story really stays true to the original folktale. I have read versions of other folktales that try to be modernized, and lose some of the original ideas of the story. I also think that the language is used well, with similes and great descriptions. Like I mentioned before, I also think that the illustrations are exceptional. They are beautiful. The artist captures the clothing, architecture, and culture of Germany (in the past) so well through his drawings. Weaknesses I don t see any weaknesses that stand out to me in this book. I think that before reading this with a younger audience, it would be important for the students to understand what a shoemaker does, and how shoes were made before factories. It also might be helpful for students to have had exposure to other characters as elves, so that they could make some connections to the shoemaker elves.

Uses in the classroom: This book could be used for many things in the classroom. First, for older students, it could be a great example during a unit on folklore. Older students may have already read The Elves and the Shoemaker, so rereading it with Folklore in mind could support their understanding of the genre. Another thing that I noticed about this book is that it has a lot of expression. For a younger audience, it could be used to show readers expression in text. (Pride, surprise, joy, curiosity, excitement). The teacher could point out words that the reader should look for when recognizing emotion and expression. ( I wonder.. , exclamation points, ellipses, etc) There are a few similes in this book that could be great to help students understand the concept (as smooth as butter). After reading, students could make inferences about why the elves decided to make the shoes, when they weren t expecting anything in return. They could also make predictions about where the elves will go after they leave the shoemaker s workshop.

Biography Annotation Dr. Suess: My First Biography By Carlson, C. Capstone Press 2005 Summary This book covers the very basic work and history of Dr. Suess. It covers his childhood, his first jobs, how he became an author and some facts about him. It also shows the awards he received and some of the ways that Dr. Suess and his characters are remembered today.

Personal Response I can imagine enjoying this book as a child. I love Dr. Suess books, and I realized that I never knew much about him growing up, except that wasn t his real name. I thought it was exciting to see photographs of him, because I always think of The Cat in the Hat when I picture Dr. Suess. When I first started flipping through it, I thought of how great it would be for a first exposure to the format of biographies. I think this is what I liked most about the book, in a teacher s viewpoint. The context of the book, however, lacked to hold my interest very much; just because there is so much more I would like to know about the author. But I do think that children would be intrigued by the information, since they may have just been exposed to him.

Strengths The strengths of this book are definitely the text features. There is a table of contents, a glossary, Internet sites for further learning, an index, and a timeline that continues on each page. It is also great for young readers (grades 1-2) because it has large print, simple sentences, and is only 24 small pages. I think that this type of book is an excellent way to introduce this writing structure to students. Weaknesses Before reading this book with students, I would discuss what we see when we read biographies. I would talk about what a biography is, what an introduction is, a timeline, and major aspects that go into a biography. I would have really liked to see more about the books that Dr. Suess wrote. I think that if they had put some titles or pictures of book covers in the text, students would be able to make better connections to the text.

Uses in the classroom I would use this as an introduction to Biographies, with a 1st or 2nd grade classroom. This is appropriate for that age group because of the simple sentences and big print. The structure is also very clearly written.

In setting up a lesson plan, I would first have students do brainstorming about what a biography is. I would talk about the different facts that go into a biography, and maybe provide an example about somebody they are all familiar with (the principal, etc). I would then read the book Dr Suess with the class. I would have chart paper with all of the topics that go into a biography (life, work, achievements, etc). As I read, I would write the facts into the appropriate categories so that students could see how this book was fulfilling the appropriate topics that go into a biography. I would then have the students find a partner and ask them questions that are similar to the topics we created before reading the book. (The topics could also be brainstormed as a class and be much simpler, like favorites and hobbies, etc). I would then have them write a biography on their partner, and share it with the class.

Fantasy/Science Fiction Annotation

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins 2008 Scholastic Press Science Fiction Summary In futuristic North America, a community called Panem consists of 12 districts. The community revolves around the annual Hunger Games a fight between children ages 12-18 to the death. Each year, one boy and one girl from each district is selected lottery-style to compete. When Katniss s younger sister is chosen, she volunteers herself, without hesitation, to take her sister s place. The interesting thing about the Hunger Games is that it is televised and viewed by the entire community. Using strategy and hunting skills, Katniss must fight to win or die.

Personal Response

I could not put this book down. I read all 400 pages in two days, which shows that it really is a page-turner. When I first began reading, I couldn t believe that children had to fight in these games. I was disgusted, but intrigued. I found myself particularly interested when Katniss went through her makeover series with her stylists. The scene where she was brought out in her first costume, lit on fire, I could actually imagine her powerful presence, like she was a superhero. Something that amazed me throughout the book was Katniss s critical thinking skills. She was always one step ahead of herself, thinking of all possible outcomes of her actions. I know that if I were to be in these games, I wouldn t be able to think the way she did, which would probably cost me my life. The love story between Katniss and Peeta only added to the suspense. I knew from the beginning of the story that Katniss would most likely make it to the end of the Games; how else would the story continue? But there were several times when I didn t think Peeta would survive, which kept me completely hooked. I have already recommended this book to friends.

Strengths A major strength of this story is the originality. The story line is bizarre and almost unthinkable. I also thought the author did a great job throwing in curveballs when the reader (and competitors) were least expecting it. The way this book was written, the reader can feel like they are right there in the arena, watching the games happen. I also think the author chose a good stopping point for the book, so that the reader will be compelled to read on to book II.

Weaknesses I noticed throughout the book that there were a few repetitive phrases in Katniss s thoughts, but I did not find it distracting. Otherwise, I did not find any real weaknesses in this book. One thing to be cautious of, however, is the age and maturity level of the reader. I would not suggest this book for an elementary schoolaged child. If having it available in class, I would prepare the students by warning them that it is quite graphic.

Use in the classroom: I would gear this book for students in grades 6-8. I think that it would be great book for a book club, or even whole-class, depending on the maturity level. I would use this book to practice making predictions, visualizing, or sequencing. This book is great for discussion, and I think with students in this age range, a teacher could formulate good discussion questions to prompt small groups or the whole class. For example, some good questions could be: What are your opinions of the Hunger Games? How would you feel if you were a citizen in Panem? Would you have volunteered in place of your younger sibling? What were strategies that worked for the competitors in the Games? What did not work? What surprised you during the games? What confused you? Students could also come up with their own questions to ask their peers or the whole class. Historical Fiction Annotation Weedflower By Cynthia Kadohata 2006 Simon & Schuster Children s Publishing Division Summary This is the story of a 12-year-old Japanese girl named Sumiko. Before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Sumiko lived a fairly normal life. She lived on a flower farm with her family and worked happily to tend for her flowers. But when Pearl Harbor was attacked, Sumiko s whole life was swept out from under her. This is the story of a young girl trapped in an internment camp in Arizona, and her emotional struggle with being imprisoned, stripped of her culture and the ultimate boredom her grandfather once spoke of.

Personal Response This book taught me so much about Japanese internment camps. Before reading it, my knowledge about them was very limited. I am almost embarrassed now at how little I knew before. While reading this book, I felt sad, disgusted, surprised and even sometimes a little bit hopeful. It brought a lot of emotion out. Because of this, I think that Cynthia Kadohata was very successful in her writing. I think that the author did a great job in capturing not only the facts about what the Japanese went through, but the emotions that families faced. I was surprised to see that many people made the camps like home taking on jobs, planting gardens, etc. It made me wonder if this is just part of their culture (to make the best of things, or the idea that this cannot be helped ) or if the conditions were mild enough as far as treatment is concerned, that they felt like the camps were actually livable. I would love to have had a book talk on this, because I see so many themes throughout it. There is a strong theme of hope, which I think is symbolized by the flowers. I also saw a lot of Japanese cultural references, which I think would be interesting to discuss and compare those to the values and beliefs of our own cultures. For example, how would Americans have reacted if they were forced into camps like these? Strengths I thought this book does a great job capturing the strong emotions felt by the Japanese during the war. It is very well written and captures the reader s attention. I also really like how the story line did not just revolve around Sumiko s time in the camp there were still friendships formed, successes, etc. When Sumiko finally got

her flowers to bloom, I felt triumphant with her! Weaknesses Something I would definitely prepare students for when reading this book is the vocabulary and content. This is a book that requires a teacher s guidance and support with not necessarily an independent read.

Use in the Classroom

I would use this book for students in grades 6-8. Based on the high-level vocabulary used and the content, I think that the middle school age would be most appropriate for the book. This could be a great read to do as a class when learning about WWII, however, it would require a lot of support. I think that this is where PAR activities really come in hand. To ensure that students can understand the content to their highest ability, there should be preparation activities before reading, assistance activities to do as they read, and reflection activities to further their understanding after they read.

Realistic Fiction Annotation

Ira Sleeps Over By Bernard Waber 1972 New York New York Realistic Fiction Summary This is the story of Ira, who is about to have his first sleepover. He was very excited until his sister teased him for wanting to bring a teddy bear. Ira struggled with the decision of whether to bring the bear or not, and became nervous to sleep away from home. When he and his friend are about to fall asleep though, he notices that his friend has a teddy bear, just like his, that he sleeps with every night. Personal Response I made so many connections with this story. When I was younger, I had a blanket that I not only slept with, but carried around with me everywhere (into elementary school years). I called it my blankie . I remember I would go to sleepovers (very nervous) and store the blanket in the very bottom of my sleeping bag, so that no one would see me get it out at night. When the lights turned off, I would wiggle all the way down to the bottom of the bag, retrieve my blanket, and comfortably fall soundly asleep. I know just how Ira felt when his sister teased him for having a teddy bear, and going through the struggle of not wanting to be made fun of for having it.

Strengths I love the illustrations in this book. They fill the page, and have just the right amount of color. I also think this is a great story line that many children can relate to. I like how the character changes his mind so many times throughout. It is very realistic! I feel like as I read, I could feel the emotions Ira had throughout the story. Weaknesses The only weakness that I can find in this book is that it is a little outdated published in 1972. However, this is not necessarily an awful thing, considering it does not distract from the text or bring up any points that would confuse a reader because of the time period. Uses in the classroom I would use this book in a classroom grades k-2. I think this book is good for that age range because of the content many children this age can relate to the story line. Also, the language in this book is appropriate for that audience. One way I would use this in a classroom is to help students examine different emotions. Throughout the book, Ira s emotions range from happy to scared to excited, and are evident through text and pictures. I would practice this using a mediated read aloud so there would be plenty of opportunities to model and have students practice. Another way this could be used is to practice making connections. I would also do a mediated read aloud to practice this strategy, because this age group likes to tell stories about themselves, and it could be a beneficial way to practice making connections. I would also have this book available in my classroom library so that students could read it during independent reading time.