The Doll People by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin

I would’ve waited in line for hours to buy this series when I was a child if it had been around then!  Many of the stories I wrote as a child revolved around this same topic…dolls coming alive when humans aren’t looking.  Needless to say, I loved the book!  To be more accurate, I love the idea the plot is based on in this book.  The doll family and their house are over a hundred years old and have become a family heirloom to the Palmers, a human family whose house they live in.  Annabelle Doll, the main character, is a spunky and brave eight year old who feels that there is something missing in her life. Auntie Sarah doll has been missing for over fifty years. When Annabelle finds her aunt’s journal, she becomes staunchly determined to learn of her aunt’s whereabouts.  When the Funcrafts, a modern, plastic family, move in, Annabelle makes a friend that will help her find her aunt and help Annabelle feel content with her doll existence.  The book includes some great illustrations that help the plot along.  Although the plot is there, as well as some character development, the writing in this book is nothing spectacular.  I think the main benefits of this book is that, to certain children, the topic could really spark some real desire to read!  I personally can’t wait to read the others in the series.
           Because the writing is not top notch, I would not use this book as an assigned reading for the whole class.  Rather, I would recommend this series book to certain students who I feel would really enjoy it.  I would encourage students to write from their own imaginations about dolls or other objects that may have secret lives when humans aren’t looking.  I think this is an important exercise for students because it is extremely satisfying to the mind and it allows students to look at everyday objects in new, innovative ways.   This would also be a good book for a group of students to act out scenes from.  We have enough information about the characters that students could really get into the parts and create fun costumes.  I believe group exercises such as this one are great because they encourage effective social skills and cooperation, as well as provide students with practice speaking in front of a group.  This is also a good book to use for a discussion of family and friendship.  Students can ponder questions, such as what would life be like if you where stuck in your house with your family for eternity?  I think this discussion is important because it allows students to think about their family members in new ways.

Year Published: 2003          Illustrator: Brian Selznick

The Misfits by James Howe

The Misfits, by James Howe, is a powerful story that touches on a darker side of childhood, bullying and name-calling.  Everyone at some point or another has been called a hurtful name and probably called someone else some hurtful name as well.  This book tackles this issue head on from the perspective of realistic characters who tell all about experiencing this bullying first hand.  The word choice and word positioning in this book is incredibly clever and helps the reader fall in love with the characters.  For instance, Bobby begins to see Killer Man in a different light and describes this as “I can’t see him as 100% cranky anymore, or 100% terrible, or 100% anything except maybe 100% human and I’m not so sure I like that.  Because when you get down to it, thinking of somebody as 100% human seriously gets in the way of hating them” (Howe, 46).  For the most part I found the plot engaging and well thought out.  I really liked how the subplots played into the main theme, such as Killer Man being a victim of name calling as a child and it having long term consequences on his adult life.  What I didn’t like about the plot was how a lot of the rising action consisted of road blocks from the teacher and principal.  I found the teacher and principal very annoying characters and feel it would’ve been better if the Gang of Five experienced more obstacles from peers since that was the theme of the book.  Every page contained amazing character descriptions making it easy to see their development throughout the book.  We get some many amazing details about each character, so much so that I truly feel that, as a reader, I know these fictional people very well.  Even though the book touches on heavy topics, the characters are extremely resilient and they have each other, thus, the mood of the book is not down-hearted at all, rather it is very uplifting and hopeful. 
            Now for the tough part.  Would I use this book in my classroom?  And if so, how would I use it?  As hard as this is to say because it is such a phenomenal book, I honestly don’t think I would teach this book in my classroom.  I base this decision on my belief that if a teacher uses this book in his or her middle school classroom, parent’s should be informed due some of the words.  And, if parents are notified, it is very possible that a few would be uncomfortable with the book and it could spark quite a bit of controversy.  I think there are other books and ways to teach about bullying that aren’t as controversial.  I am all for using controversial books in high school, but I believe parents need to be notified if they are being used with younger students.  That being, as much as I liked this book I’m not sure if high schoolers would appreciate it because the writing itself is geared toward middle schoolers.  If a teacher does think his or her high school class would like it, I hope that this book would be considered as an option for topics such as bullying, issues relating to homosexuality and other minorities, and the long term consequences of stigmatizing labels.  If I end up teaching middle schoolers someday, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this book to certain students that I feel are mature, would enjoy it, and take something positive and meaningful away from it but I just wouldn’t use it for the whole class.     
            I do, however, think the No-Name week is an excellent idea and I feel that all schools can benefit from an anti-bullying campaign.  I believe teachers need to have a zero tolerance policy for bullying and name calling.  I also think teachers need to model for their students and encourage their students to value diversity and their own personal uniqueness.  One activity I would use to develop a sense of community involves having every student tape a blank sheet of paper to their backs.  Then, everyone walks around and their peers write messages about that person’s strengths on their back.  Once a climate of acceptance and understanding has been created in the classroom over time, activities in which students share their work, particularly their writing and art, are great ways for students to get to know each other r and learn to value each others’ differences.  
Year Published: 2001          Awards:

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Wow!  Reading The Giver, by Lois Lowry, as a sixth grader and when you are twenty-four makes a world of difference and allows for very different analyses of the text.  However, one interpretation is still the same…I knew it was a good book then and I still hold the same belief today!  Although this book is considered science fiction, the plot is very believable as well as thought-provoking.  I love books where you don’t quite get the full picture until the middle of the story.  Actually, finding out the whole story is really the climax of the plot.  It is a pretty short book and moves very quickly, but it tackles huge questions, such as is there such a thing as a perfect society? And, if given the choice, would you choose a life without pain if it meant giving up the joys as well?  The ending is open to the reader’s interpretation because there is textual evidence to support a variety of opinions on what happens to Jonas and Gabriel.  Although we get to know Jonas pretty well, in my opinion, not a lot of time was devoted to character development in this book.  We aren’t given many details about how the characters look, sound, or what they believe.  Part of this is because, due to the nature of the community, the character’s have few idiosyncratic traits that give us an overall picture of who they are.  However, nothing seems to be lost from not having much character development because the setting is much more important.  The setting is really everything in this story because the plot is based on a unique environment.  Lowry did not disappointment in creating a realistic, utopian setting.  Great book!
            I would love to use The Giver in my classroom someday because I believe it appeals to any audiences’ tastes and interests.   Using this book is a great way to introduce the concept of a utopia.  It is important that students learn what a utopia is because it helps them realize that there are a variety of ways our society could be structured and some people disagree with our current way and have visions of a better society.  I would have students write about their own visions of a perfect society and/or have them draw pictures or make a model of it.  I would then have students decide how much they would be willing to give up in order to obtain this perfect society.  Would they give up their education? Their family?  Their freedom?  I think this type of activity helps students consider their values and priorities.  This book would also be a great one for students to write their own stories about what happened before this story, such as what led to this society, and what happens after.  I think this is a good exercise because it will empower students to create characters who make big changes that influence the world.  I would also use this book to discuss memories.  This is an interesting topic because memories are something we often take for granted.  I would want the kids to ponder the following questions: What are you favorite memories?  What are your least favorite memories?  Which memories would you have a hard time parting with?  How can memories influence politics and the world?  If you were the Giver, what memories/ history of the world would you be sure to pass along?  Lastly, I think a fun activity for this book would be having a mock ceremony of twelve in which the teacher randomly selects occupations for his/her students.  Students could then discuss or journal about their feelings associated with the ceremony.  How do you feel about your assigned occupation?  I think activities like this are important because it forges a connection to the characters and what they are going through and allows the book to come alive for awhile.
Year Published:  1993          Awards: Newbery Medal

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, is a beautiful combination of science fiction, coming-of-age, mystery, and young love.  It is the story of a 12-year-old girl from New York City, Miranda, who has many questions about her life and the world around her.  Why won’t her best friend, Sal, talk to her anymore?  Why was Sal randomly punched on the street?  Who is leaving her creepy notes?  Why doesn’t her mom wake-up early and make her breakfast like her friends’ parents and why does she never clean?  Is time travel possible or is it just a magical phenomenon that only occurs in her favorite book? In the beginning, the plot is confusing and it remains mysterious throughout, but as the story moves forward, the compelling plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats.  Although the ending was wrapped up neatly, I am still a little confused about some aspects of the story.  This is definitely one of those books that would be a great re- read to catch all the clues that point to the answer to the mystery.  The character development by Stead was phenomenon!  Some of her character descriptions could be used as models for how to “show” and not “tell.”  Although the plot is based on science fiction, which some students may not enjoy, the character development really makes this book accessible to everyone because the characters are easy to relate to.  I personally fell in love with Miranda’s mom; she is intelligent, eccentric, a game show buff, philanthropist, and an office supply thief!  The setting of the book is Miranda’s neighborhood and the specific venues she visits throughout the story, including her apartment, her school, Jimmy’s Sandwich Shop, Belle’s Market, and the route in-between these places, become very familiar to the reader.  It was so well done that by the end of the book I could visualize the neighborhood from a bird’s eye view and could maneuver it with my mind.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I feel it would be great to recommend to any student.  It definitely isn’t surprising to me that it won the Newbery Medal.      

            I could see a variety of learning opportunities with this book.  First, since this is a coming-of-age novel, students could plot Miranda’s growing maturity with scenes where she gained understanding or wisdom.  Second, the character development is phenomenal so activities involving writing or presenting from a specific character’s perspective would work really well with this book.  A couple of examples include journaling from a character’s perspective or a talk show interview from a character’s perspective.  Another activity option for this book is having students create a map of the neighborhood showing where the plot activity transpired.  This book also has many philosophical quotes and messages throughout that could be used for class discussions. For example, Miranda’s mother believes “each of us has a veil between ourselves and the rest of the world…and when the veil lifts, we can see the world as it really is” (Stead, 71).  Lastly, the hero of this story is a homeless man who everyone believes is “crazy.”  Thus, this book would be a great introduction to a discussion of the stereotypes and treatment of the mentally ill in society.
Year Published: 2009          Awards: Newbery Medal Winner (2010)

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting & Ilustrated by David Diaz

Of all the wonderfully illustrated books I’ve seen so far, Smoky Night by Eve Bunting and illustrated by David Diaz, takes the cake.  The collages, along with the other medias used on each page, are truly works of art.  Although the illustrations are abstract, they correspond beautifully with the story created by the words.  If I wrote a children’s book, I would want David Diaz illustrating it!  The plot itself, based on the experience of a child during the Los Angeles riots, is solid and eye opening.  Young children may initially find it hard to relate to the story because they do not have experience with some of the topics that are touched on, such as riots and homeless shelters.  However, many children can relate to loving a pet, and therefore, they can relate to the main character which opens the door for a real learning experience because they are emotionally invested.  This firsthand account of this historical even leaves a lasting impression because it tells about the experience from an innocent child’s perspective and that will not fade as quickly as information gathered from a textbook or lecture. 
            Teachers can use this book to discuss the topic of rioting as well as the importance of getting along with and respecting all people.  For young children, this would be a great book to use for a feeling identification lesson because the children can speculate about what feelings the boy is probably experiencing at different points in the story.  Young children would also find it fun to talk about what lesson the cats taught the humans.  For older children, this book could be used as a discussion starter on the topic of race conflict and its consequences.  Lastly, this book could be used to teach about the art form of collage and could lead to students creating their own collages about a topic or emotionally salient event from their life.  This project has the potential to be turned into a beautiful class book.  
Year Published: 1994          Awards: Caldecott Medal

Mudkins by Stephen Gammell

It’s a dirty book of few words.  That is how I would describe Mudkins by Stephen Gammell. It is the story of an ordinary little girl playing in the rain who embarks on a magical adventure with a creature that is formed out of the mud.  The magical creature is a Mudkin, a cute little being with a baby face.  Only three pages in this book contain words and readers must draw their own conclusions about the plot from the illustrations.  Although the illustrations are a bit abstract and might be hard to decipher for some children, they are truly unique, beautiful, and seem to accurately portray a muddy mess.  My favorite part of the book was the dialog between the little girl and the Mudkin because the Mudkin’s portion of the conversation is just mud splotches.  I like this because, if read aloud, it leaves it open for the use of funny voices that children love so much.  Overall, the brightly splotched pages carry a certain freshness and energy to the reader that is very invigorating.  My only complaint about the book is that he left the main character nameless and did little to develop her character and get us readers attached to her.      
            For teachers, I think the focus with this book should be imagination, imagination, imagination!  The story is not as clear cut as other worldless books, so children will need adequate time with each page to form an opinion as to what is taking place.  That being said, because the story isn’t perfectly laid out for the reader, children’s imaginations can run wild with this story.  Also, because children and mud seem to go hand in hand, this books provides a great opportunity for kids to share or write about their own muddy stories.  
Year Published: 2011          Awards:

Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

I had never heard of the ancient fable of the Blind Mice and Elephant before reading Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young.  Or, maybe I had heard the story but it just wasn’t remarkable enough to remember.  However, when the fable is paired with colorful, paper collage illustrations, such as the ones found in this book, the story truly becomes unforgettable.  It is no surprise this book won a Caldecott Medal; the images of the colorful mice in front of the black background discovering parts of the paper collage elephant is beautiful!  Not only is the story aesthetically appealing, though, but it also has a refreshing, cultural moral at the center of its plot for readers to keep for all time: Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole.
            I believe younger elementary students would get the most from this book.  Children will love looking at the colorful mice and will have a blast predicting what the thing is that the mice are feeling.  As far as lessons goes, this would be a good book to help younger children practice determining the sequence of events in a story.   For an affective and social skills lesson, this story can be used as a lead in to a discussion about how it feels when you disagree with someone and how to handle it.  For older elementary students, this book could be used to introduce and discuss morals or similes.  For any age, I think this book can be used to discuss what it would be like to be without the sense of sight.  I envision putting various objects in paper bags and having students figure out what the object s are using only their sense of touch.  To incorporate writing into this activity, students can make a list of adjectives of the objects they felt.  Just blogging about this activity gets me excited…I can’t wait to use this book with a class someday! J
Year Published: 1992          Awards: Caldecott Medal