Book Log & Wiki Checklist

Genre / Titles you read 

             I.      Non-fiction/Informational (1 chapter book or photo essay book reflection required on blog)

1)      My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen

          II.      Poetry (1 chapter or picture book reflection required on blog)

1)      Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: and Other Poems  by Jack Prelutsky

3)      Songs of Innocence by William Blake

4)      Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg

5)      Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

6)      Revolting Rhymes by Ronald Dahl

       III.      Modern Fantasy (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)          

1)      I, Jack  by Patricia Finney. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

3)      The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

4)      The Giver by Lois Lowry

5)      A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

       IV.      Historical Fiction (1 reflection required on blog –can be a picture book)     

1)      The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

          V.      Multicultural/Traditional (2 reflections required on blog – one can be a picture book)         

1)      Hiroshima: A Novella by Laurence Yep (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton

3)      Why Mosquitoes Buss in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema

4)      M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton

       VI.      Realistic Fiction (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)

1)      Baby by Patricia MacLachlan. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      So B. It by Sarah Weeks

3)      Frindle by Andrew Clements

4)      Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

5)      Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

    VII.      Picture Books (5 reflections required on blog during the first two weeks of class. There should be a total here of at least six.)

1)      The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting. (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)

2)      –The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg

3)      –So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George

4)      –The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

5)      –Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

6)      – Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

7)      The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

Wiki Checklist

Instructions: Write the number of entries for each category you posted into on the Course Wiki (requirement is two total posts, in two different categories)

____ Social Studies

____ Science

____ Math

____ Music

__1__ Art (Poetry genre) Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: and Other Poems  by Jack Prelutsky

__1__ Reading/Language Arts (Multicultural/Traditional Literature genre) Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton

____ Physical Education

____ Other

Her Stories

Hamilton, V. (1995). Her stories. New York: The Blue Sky Press.


      Her Stories consists of African American Folktales, Fairy Tales and True Tales.  This multicultural literature book is told by Virginia Hamilton, whom is a Newbery Medalist.  The vibrant paintings by Leo and Diane Dillon, whom are Caldecott Award winners, include drama and mystery as well as warmth and beauty of the people in the tales.
     Her Stories won a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, as well as a Coretta Scott King Award.  The tales inside this multicultural/traditional literature book helps us understand the joys, fears and wishes as individuals in African American history.  These tales introduce a wide range of folktales, fairy tales and legendary women through the true tales section. 
     The young adult book is heavy binded with an oversized format.  Each page is a lot bigger than the text and illustration presented.  At the end of the book, there is a page that is labeled "Useful Sources".  This page would be very helpful in finding out more information on each tale. 
     This young adult multicultural/traditional literature book would be a great resource in my classroom for many activities.  The students in my 5th grade Reading/Writing class can use this book as a reference to a research report for Writing, as well as just reading the book for their own leisure for Book-It minutes.  This book would also be great for integrating Social Studies in my classroom.  I recommend reading Her Stories to all teachers in this program. tlg

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

Aardema, V. (1975). Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. New York: The Dial Press.

     Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a West African Tale retold by Verna Aaredema.  The illustrators in this picture book are Leo and Diane Dillon.  This multicultural picture book won a Caldecott Medal in 1976.
     In this multicultural children's book, the King Lion calls a meeting because of an accident that had occurred.  The whole reason why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears is made known at the meeting.
     The genre of this children's book is a West African Tale, which is also a folktale.  A tale is a story that has been passed down from years and years ago.  In this multicultural children's book, Marcia VanDuinen heard the story first; however, Verna Aardema retold the folktale. 
     The illustrations in the children's book are primitive and folk.  The pages in this picture book are vibrant and enhance the story.  Each page is filled top to bottom and left to right with colorful illustrations that engages readers throughout the whole book.
     Although this book is on 4th grade reading level, I can use this in my 5th grade Reading/Writing class to teach many skills through reading aloud.  I can use this multicultural read aloud to teach cause and effect, drawing conclusions, making inferences, plot, character and setting, and theme.  Each of these skills are in my standards to teach and I now know that this book is a great resource to pull out of my own classroom library to help when teaching these skills.  tlg