Start 'Em Young

I was looking through the New York Times a couple days ago and stumbled upon this article on new childrens' books that have been recently published. I became very interested by their controversial story lines.

The first book is based off of the 60s song "Blowin' In The Wind" by Bob Dylan, illustrated by Jon J. Muth. The book is based around the civil rights movement and has interesting lyrics such as "Yes, ’n’ how many times must the cannonballs fly / Before they’re forever banned?”. It covers a very important topic that many children read about yet gives them a new perspective on it. I definitely don't think a very young child would be able to understand the material so I think this would be best for a middle school aged child. Although the text is not difficult, the abstract ideas from it would be hard to grasp at a young age.

Another book that they mentioned in the article that I found interesting was "Which side are you on?" which covers the topic of unions. The story is about a young wife whose husband is receiving death treats from people in his town because he is trying to organize a union for the coal mine that he works at. This would be a very relevant topic for children of elementary school to learn about, especially in Michigan. Many parents are Union workers for the Auto industry and other skill trades that are prevalent in MI. This book shows a different side of the Union "world" that many don't see or neglect to see.

I think these books will be very important to introduce young children to new topics. Why not start your children young and teach them about societies issues? Maybe then they will become passionate about something enough to take a stand and make a change in the world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/books/review/protest-songs-for-young-dissenters.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Childrens%20Books&st=cse

What does style have to do with it?

After reading The Book Thief, I realized how important the style of writing is. Whenever I read books I always look for books that will keep me interested. An obvious factor to my interest is the content of the novel. Everyone wants to read novels that are about things they are interested in, but that isn't always the case. For school, you rarely read books that are of your personal interest. This year I have had to read many different types of novels for my classes. Most of these novels are very dry and contain very boring content. I have realized that if the style of the reader is unique or interesting it makes the novel easier to read. The style of writing can make a book a fast read, or it can be very dense and make the book seem like it never ends. For my IAH class I had to read a book called Madame Bovary which was very slow. The content of the book wasn't awful, but the book was very slow and far too descriptive. It took me a long time to finish the book because the reading was so dense and dry that I would have to reread a lot of the important parts. I also had to read a book called The Picture Of Dorian Gray. On the other hand, this book was a quick read and was written so that the reader could easily understand the story. I wasn't necessarily interested in the story itself, but the fact that I was able to read the book and understand it made me want to keep reading. I didn't realize how important style was in a book until I read The Book Thief. This book is completely different than most books. The book is over 500 pages and looks to be very intimidating. But, once I started reading I realized that the book was an easy read. The content was interesting, but so was the style. I liked the layout of the pages, and how the words were. I was able to read the pages fast, and I ended up reading the book two times faster than I thought I could. The style was unique, and kept me turning the pages.

Do you like Death?

Death as the narrator for Markus Zusak's The Book Thief was an interesting choice, but I think he did it successfully. I actually think it was a key element in making The Book Thief what it was. So many children's books are written in first-person or omniscient, but Zusak uniquely used first-person and omniscient. He expertly incorporates an expert on humankind - Death. This narrator is important because Liesel was, at times, too naive to describe the terrors of the world around her, and because Death could see all people allowing for a more dynamic story.

Liesel’s age make Death a very appropriate narrator. Such a young child could not convey the evils of war – the separation of families, the destruction of a culture, the genocide of innocent people – but Death can.

The strong representations of human feelings of loss make Death an even more appropriate narrator. The author seemingly chose this narrator to give a unique perspective and possibly lighten the shadow of inevitable death; he validates this narrator through using strong and natural emotions. It first appears to the reader that Death will be a harsh and evil narrator, but by allowing death to describe mankind’s emotions and even empathize, the reader becomes more comfortable with the narrator.

Zusak made a risky choice by allowing Death to be the narrator, but I personally think it paid off to make a dynamic and interesting novel.

Happily Ever After?

As I have begun my Application Assignment, I have started to take a closer look at the messages Disney Princesses send to young girls. When I was growing up, I was the little girl that dressed up as Cinderella, and owned all of the VHS tapes with worn out cases from being taken off the shelf so many times. When you watch the movies at face they value they seem like entertaining films with a catchy soundtrack. However when you take a closer look you see the messages they send by the scenes they portray and the roles in which they cast their princesses.

In the book Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein, she discusses the idea that little girls think that in order to get their happily ever after, they must be a princess. They must be beautiful, they must love to wear pink, and most importantly they must win the love of a prince in order to achieve happiness. In an MSNBC article, Orenstein wrote, "What was the first thing that culture told her about being a girl? Not that she was competent, strong, creative, or smart but that every little girl wants — or should want — to be the Fairest of Them All."

Orentstein's research really spurred my interest and caught my attention. Did I subject myself to these ideals without even realizing it? It made me reflect on if this has in fact influenced the way we think. Older Disney movies like Cinderella cast her in a submissive, house maid role, until a man comes along and rescues her. I hoped that maybe this was because they were made in the 50s when society was still completely male dominated. However even "new-age" Disney movies like Mulan, which was created long after women's rights were established sends messages such as, "she is a woman, she will never be worth anything," and "you will teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence."

Have we really made as many strides towards equality as we think we have? Are we setting little girls up to feel like they need to be submissive, housewives in order to be happy by submersing them in this culture? Or are there ways that we can fix this problem and still allow them to enjoy these classic films?

HISTORICAL fiction or historical FICTION?

In class, and in our assigned readings, we have been covering books with the genre of Historical Fiction. The controversy? How historically accurate does the book have to be? My first take on the matter was that it has to be as close to accurate as possible, research done, facts triple checked, and allow readers to get an accurate feel of what truly happened during the era the book takes place. Yet then I realized, the word fiction, following right after historical. If we wanted 100% accurate should we not just read a nonfiction book? How much should we critique a book if it has more fiction than fact but gets children reading it?

In the MacLeod article, she talks about how history is written by the “winners,” which is of course true. This makes our history already slightly inaccurate to begin with. Also, every author is different; they have different thoughts on subject matter, ideas, opinions and imagination. Can it not be up to the author to have the freedom to write how they want and choose what to include? MacLeod gives examples of historically inaccurate books, such as the Laura Ingalls series and “The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.” She discusses that the women in these books have inaccurate roles and are doing what men rather than women would have done in that era. Why not let the main character be a heroine on an adventure? Children can still learn about the jobs, lifestyle, and daily tasks people in that time did, but now there are books that girls can enjoy and do not let all the men have all the fun. We know before the mid 1900’s when women’s rights were put in place, our role in society was submissive, unjust, and unequal. All historical fiction books would be based around men and the oppressed role of women in each book would be, I believe, not fun for young girls to read and get into the plot. Why not let a woman be a pirate in a book or two if it still teaches us about a part of history? Now I believe that our standards for the genre cannot prevent creativity from running wild, which is what writing is all about. Every author is different making each book different and one more accurate than another. Just choose wisely if need be, letting a more accurate books be taught in the classroom and another as a joy read or just make sure there are discussions happening throughout the book. Also, the point of books it to produce a good product to get people to read, learn and question, so why can the reader not decipher for themselves the fact from fiction in the book? If they cannot, I think we have more to worry about than the book’s accuracy but rather what they are being taught in their classes.

An Alternative to an alternative?: What isn't radical enough?

I was inspired by our class session on Folklore and Folk Tales to purchase a book of alternative princess stories. While searching through Amazon.com if found, Don’t Kiss the Frog: Princess Stories with Attitude. For a nominal fee, it came to my door about a week later. Spoiler alert: I am glad I didn’t pay too much.

What first drew me to the book was its title. “Don’t Kiss the Frog”? Love it. The title alone made the feminist inside of me giggle with delight. Hell no, let’s not kiss that frog, we don’t need men! Chyeah! The first part of the title is so clever and humorous; I can see why I was drawn to this book.

However, the second part of the title is quite far from the overall theme of the book in its entirety. “Princess Stories with Attitude”. Attitude? What is that even? This book certainly does not define it very well. Maybe if attitude is not acting 100% like a stereotypical princess, well-mannered, graceful and poised, then these princess might possess some attitude, but over all, there was nothing extremely alternative about these princesses.

Another hang up I have about the book is this: there are no princesses of color. None. Not one. Just about every girl under the age of nine (and several still today) that I have encountered, no matter what their race, has expressed some desire of wanting to be a princess, if they are not already adamantly convinced that they are actual princesses themselves. So why not feature more than one race? Don’t “princesses with attitude” come in all different shapes, sizes and colors?

Presenting “attitude” or, “fighting what is considered normal” in this way, is a large injustice for those of us who want more realistic representations of women, and all people, in literature. The princesses of this story do nothing “attitude” worthy at all, really. All though their stories are unconventional, they are not really working to change the representation of girls in literature.

It’s easy to play to convention, to stereotypes, to norms. But is that really, truly the kind of outlook we want to present to the future? This “alternative” left me wanting for an alternative, any suggestions? Also, where do you draw the line between too "radical" and not radical enough?

Learning or Lying?

In class we have been talking about historical fiction and how it is set in the past and telling the reader about that time in history. Historical fiction, in my opinion, is written to teach readers about history but also make it interesting by putting it into a story format. Is historical fiction really teaching us readers though or lying to us instead?

The Mcleod article was all about historical fiction and gave multiple examples of historical fiction stories. This article also tells the reader how every single one of those examples has mistaken events within the story. For example, in the story Sarah, Plain and Tall the author writes about the women staying with a widowed man being the only woman in the house; in the time period of the story that would be totally unacceptable. There is at least one example of something that the author is lying about in every story pointed out in this article.

I do not understand how stories like this can be considered historical fiction when they are not teaching history at all but rather misleading the reader to believe something is acceptable in history that is not at all. I believe that if an author is going to write a historical fiction book, they need to get the facts straight and include them no matter how violent they are. By lying they are only giving the reader a fake interpretation of how history used to be; an author should not lie to a reader, they should inform them.

Free to read

Reading the pages in "A Family of Readers" it was talking about leaving kids alone to be with a book and the opportunities people should give kids to read, learn, and explore in literature and not be forced to talk about it. I thought it made a really interesting point when they said the kids who should be reading the quote on quote debatable books are the ones who are afraid to be seen with them. The teacher to combat this, made no sign out sheet or anything so kids would feel free to take and read without feeling embarrassed. I thought this was such a good idea because if students are looking to books for help and may be embarrassed about reading them, the last things educators want to do is encourage this feeling of embarrassment. By implementing this kind of library, it allows kids to learn about the difficult or questionable things in their lives or that their friends are dealing without the embarrassment of adults getting too involved. However, I think it is important for them to know the older people around are willing to help or refer them to someone to help them so they are not trying to deal with things alone.

My favorite part of the reading was when Janet McDonald said, "closed legs are good, but an open mind is better" (p. 300). I thought this was hilarious but also a really good lesson for me to learn because everyone has their own opinions and convictions, but regardless of what we believe, it is important for everyone to have an open mind and be interested in learning and growing as people. I really admired this author for taking unbiased opinions and allowing readers to decide what is right for themselves. Including author's like her in our future classroom libraries will be such a good idea because then we won't be instilling our own views but allowing our students the opportunities to be exposed to different situations and decide for themselves.

Goosebumps!

Halloween is approaching really fast. My roommates and I went through all of our old Halloween movies and had a marathon. Well, along this long list of cheesy movies with bad acting and poor special effects, I came across Goosebumps! Then I went through and found all my old Goosebumps books. I reminisced being scared to death of The Haunted Mask and One Day at Horrorland but at the same time loving the stories. Looking back, I realize how ridiculous these stories were. Then I thought about the chapter we read in the Family of Readers about scary stories and how they scare children but teach them how to deal with their fear. This is what Goosebumps did for me.

It was cool to look back at these childhood favorites and remember all the memories I have of reading these books under my sheets at night with a flashlight. Not even because it was past my bedtime but because my brother told me that it was the best way to read scary stories. Then I realized he just said that so I would go to bed scared. I can't wait to re-watch the movies and see what I remembered the most.

10 Banned Books that May Surprise You...from Christian Science Monitor

I was intrigued by our discussion on banned books the other week in class, so I did a little internet sleuthing to learn a bit more. I found this article on the Christian Science Monitor and thought it might be of interest:
10 Banned Books that May Surprise You

The list includes: James and the Giant Peach, Where's Waldo, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Harriet the Spy, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The dictionary (yes--the dictionary), Grimm's Fairy Tales, A Light in the Attic (Shel Silverstein poems), and A Wrinkle in Time.

Yes, this list is pretty surprising. But even more surprising are the reasons behind the bans. Tom Sawyer and Harriet the Spy were both banned because the protagonists weren't good examples for children. Though both books contain valuable moral lessons and are excellent examples of children's lit, the fact that some of the characters can be a bit naughty (spying on your friends, bending the rules) is enough to get them taken away from school and public libraries. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble--an animal realism picture book--was banned because it depicted pigs in police uniforms. This could've been a harmless choice by the illustrator, but even if it was purposeful, what's the big deal? God forbid we encourage students to question or mock authority in any way. Even the dictionary has been banned before because it includes sexual definitions. Like it or not, parents, the words "penis," "sex" and "vagina" do exist in the English language, and sheltering your kids from the entire vocabulary probably won't prevent them from learning them.

I understand the need for children to read developmentally appropriate material--but removing valuable learning tools from entire libraries is not the way to make it happen. Parents, instead of spending their time whining about what books exist in the world, should instead focus their efforts on encouraging their children to read what they think is appropriate, and not ruin it for the rest of us.

So, what do you guys think? Are there any books on this list that really surprised or angered you? Or do you think banning books is OK?

Business Side of Stories

This weekend I went to a Camp Kesem National Conference in Indiana. I am co-chair of MSU's chapter and every year there is a conference between all the schools that have Camp Kesem. If you don't know what we are, we send kids whose parents have/have had cancer to camp for free for a week in the summer. We're responsible for raising $40,000- 60,000 every year and also are the counselors at the camp. Well, while I was at the conference we were talking about getting donations from huge corporations that are nationally known. One girl from Wisconsin told everyone about how much she loved American Girl stories. She did a little research and found out that the lady in charge of the American Girl Corp. was from a town over. She wrote her a powerful letter explaining how much American Girl stories have done for her growing up and how amazing it would be if the company could help out their chapter of Camp Kesem. The lady ended up giving over $2,000 and they keep in touch every few months. She actively participates in promoting CK Wisconsin.

This made me realize how influential children's literature can be even when you're a college student trying to raise money for a group you're in. Because these stories affected her life so much, she was able to persuade the owner into donating and becoming involved in Camp Kesem. I thought about what kind of books have influenced my life and how I could develop a relationship with the author now. It was interesting to see the business side of what literature could possibly do for you.

PreK boys and Disney stories?

At work I was in the PreK classroom and before we could go to the Village and play I had to keep them occupied with something because the Village had to many kids in it. So, a girl in my class brought read along Disney books. I brought them out and but the CD in and the kids sat in a circle to listen. Once the boys in the classroom say it was The Little Mermaid the started complaining that they did not want to listen to it. I told them they had to and it would be okay and over soon and then we could go play. So I started the story.
Once I started the story the boys loved it. There were trying to guess what was going to happen and got really into it especially when the story got the the climax. I was surprised at how into the book the boys were, I think it was mostly because it was a read along story. Having all of the different voices and sounds in the background help keep their attention and make it a more exciting book. Does this mean it is this easy to get boys interested in Princess books/stories? I believe this answer is no. I only think the boys listened to the book because of the CD reading it and they were being good so they could go to the Village. But I do think the read along books are a good idea the make kids more interested in books. They are interesting and like movies without the film but make the kids analyze the pictures!

Realistic Fiction vs. Historical Fiction. Uhhh, is there a difference?

Realistic Fiction is realistic in the sense that the setting, characters, and events are plausible. Yet these stories are fiction because the characters and events didn't really happen.

Historical Fiction tells the story of history. It not only presents facts or researches a time and place, but also weaves the facts into a fictional story. It is different from Contemporary Realistic Fiction in that the stories in historical fiction are set in the past rather than the present.

But when we explore these two genres, there are striking similarities. They both have plots that are a believable problem solved in realistic, culturally grounded ways. They both have settings that are vivid and realistic, and that support the events of the story. They both have characters that are credible, lacking in stereotypes, multidimensional, and change and develop over time. They both have style in which dialogue and the thoughts of the characters sound natural and that has dialect and diction that doesn't overwhelm the reader. And finally, they both have themes that are applicable to children's lives.

So what really is the difference between Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction? Well, it all has to do with the timing of when the book was written. For example, the book Bud, Not Buddy is written about a boy growing up during the Great Depression in 1939 in Flint, Michigan. Now, if the book had been written during this time period, it would be considered Realistic Fiction, because it was in the present. But now the Great Depression is considered history because it happened so long ago, so this story is now considered Historical Fiction.

So when deciphering the different between Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction, just think about the time in which the story is set.

Marketing to Children

I am very interested on how publishing companies are marketing their books to children. I was looking online for different ways and outlets that they used. Almost every article I could find, in summery, said the best way to market books to kids is through the school. Even though this is very valid because in schools teachers are talking to children about different books, I still see many other opportunities that publishing companies are missing out on.

Children spend on average 7 hours in schools a day and are influenced solely on what their teacher preaches. But when they are home they are expose to so many more outlets that are teaching them. One is the Internet. Many children go online and play educational games and use social networking sites. These sites should start to market new books that are available based on what the child is looking at. If a child is playing a racing game, then the site could advertise a book on NASCAR or a book based on the movie Cars. These kind of tactics would be able to specifically reach children based on topics they already interested in.

Reading for Pleasure?

During high school I lost my love for reading because I was constantly forced to read books that were not of my interest. I would read them because I had to, and begin to forget how I enjoyed reading. I began to look at reading like a chore, and only read when I absolutely had to. The year before I came to college I began to enjoy reading again. I had alot of free time and found myself reading a good book whenever I was just hanging out. I realize that whenever I don't have other things going on I pick up reading again. This year I have many books to read for my classes, and have no time to read books for my personal enjoyment. I can only hope that I don't begin to dislike reading as I did before, because it really is an enjoyable thing to do. This made me wonder if kids in school feel the same way. When there just simply not enough time to sit down and read a book you begin to forget how nice it really is. I think that teachers should incorporate books that would interest there students into lessons early on. If children were about to read books that they enjoy, as well as learn from them, then they would enjoy reading alot more. Bud, Not Buddy is a good book for children because it teaches children about history and it also allows them to enjoy the story. They story draws on many different emotions which would keep a kid interested. I really liked the style of writing in the book also. If a kid was reading this book they would be able to put themselves in Bud's shoes and imagine his journey. Even though it was a children's book I found myself reading more for pleasure than a chore. I used the book as a break from my other homework because I found myself wanting to keep turning the pages. The more a child enjoys a book the more they will learn from it.

Banned Books?!

In the Joy of Children’s Literature textbook by Denise Johnson, one of the chapters discusses the Top 15 Banned/Challenged Books. I found this list extremely interesting because 9 of those books I was actually required to read in school or a teacher read the book aloud to the class! A few of these books were Of Mice and Men, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Giver, and Harry Potter.

I remember some of my teachers saying that a few of these books were controversial, and I know that in high school one of my classmates was not allowed to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because her mom did not want her too, but I never knew there were so many issues nation and worldwide about these books.

After thinking about it, I feel like maybe these books are on the Top Banned/Challenged Books list because they are required in many schools. When you think about it, someone could essentially find something controversial in almost any book! Maybe the fact that more children are required to read these books though means that parents become more involved and this leads to the banning of many of these books. Just an idea!

Bud: Helpful or Not?

Is Bud, Not Buddy a helpful book for young children to read? I believe it is. I believe that this book is a good book for all ages to read and learn from. It teaches the reader how life was different in the Great Depression.

Bud, Not Buddy shows how blacks were mistreated during this time. There are multiple parts in the book where this is shown. One time Bud was abused because he is a black boy. This teaches the reader how much things have changed between white and black people.

Also, in the book people in the upper economic class have a lot more authority and disrespect the lower class. The upper class doesn't care about the lower class at all. For example, Bud tried to get some food at the mission but the line was closer. He begged the worker to let him get food and he wouldn't let him. He had food and money at home and did not care that Bud didn't have anything.

I believe that Bud, Not Buddy is a helpful book for all ages. It informs the reader about how things used to be and how unfair people were treated. This book is a great historical fiction book, it not only teaches but is interesting at the same time.

Banning Books

Since we are talking about realistic fiction this week I thought it would be interesting to do some research about books containing controversial topics. A major benefit of good realistic fiction is that it reflects and confirms the everyday situations of our lives. Life is full of ups and downs therefore realistic fiction is too. I believe the controversial realistic fiction books can be the most beneficial to readers as they might help readers in difficult situations to not feel as alone in the world. Controversial topics such as death, divorce, moral choices, abuse, sexuality, and poverty are often not talked about in real life conversations with children. Literature might be some children's only way to learn about how to deal with tough situations. If these controversial books are banned how are children to learn about how to deal in real life controversial situations?

After searching around online for information about banned books I came across several websites and articles that talked about Judy Blume as a controversial realistic fiction author. I can remember reading her book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret when I was in middle school. I believe it was about a young girl concerned about menstruation and religion. On her website Judy talks about the censorship of her books, and I found what she had to say very true and interesting.

"I felt only that I had to write the most honest books I could. It never occurred to me, at the time, that what I was writing was controversial. Much of it grew out of my own feelings and concerns when I was young." -http://www.judyblume.com/censorship.php

To me, the above quote is what realistic fiction is all about... it should be realistic enough to help readers with all aspects of real life. Below is a letter Judy posted on her site that she received from a young reader:

Dear Judy,
I don't know where I stand in the world. I don't know who I am.
That's why I read, to find myself.
Elizabeth, age 13

I believe this is true for a lot of tween and teen age children, they need somewhere to turn to as a framework for the development of a sense of self and good realistic fiction is a great option in my opinion, no matter how controversial a topic.

The Perfect FairyTale Ending

While growing up, I remember reading children's books that end with the perfect fairytale ending. Someday, I remembing thinking, that could be me. The princess always ended up with the handsome prince, or some sort of ending that was fairly similar to this. I remember reading these books with my sisters, thinking about growing up and having this fairy tale life.
However, as I grew up and got older, throughout my experiences I realized this fairy tale lifestyle was not for everyone. I noticed that most people I knew did not have this type of life and it was only in my childhood books. I continued to get older, gaining more insight and having more experiences, allowing my perception about the fairy tale life to continue to change. I have realized that most of these books allow a happy ending, however, for some people, there may never be a happy ending; you have to make the best of what you have.
As we have been discussing in class, are these fairy tale books giving young children the wrong impression on reality, teaching them to believe that there is a happy ending to every story? I think that these books are good for young children to read. I believe that they should be exposed to these books, however I think they should be exposed to several other books as well. I think children should believe in a happy ending, but allow them to notice that one must make the best of what they have, allowing them to notice that they can achieve their happy ending by making themself happy.

Do you cuddle your kindle???

When you look around a classroom on almost any college campus, instead of seeing attentive faces and students furiously writing notes, you’ll see the shining backs of computers and hear the faint click of computer keys. And yet, I can remember when computers were a luxury item, not something that almost everyone over the age of 6 relies on to get through the day. Think back to when we were in elementary school though, instead of that thousand-dollar computer, what was in your backpack? Pencils, crayons, scented markers, and BOOKS!

If you were to ask a second grader today if he or she could find something on Google, I’m sure that they could complete the task with relative ease. If you asked that same second grader to instruct you on how to use the Dewey Decimal System in a library, on the other hand, you might be more likely to be greeted with a blank stare. I can remember curling up with my favorite book in front of a fire and getting lost in my own head. Now we just grab the latest Kindle and download whatever “book” we think might hold our attention for more than an hour. This is obviously a slight exaggeration, but I think you can see where this is headed.

With the emergence of the laptop, the tablet, and items such as the Kindle, the need (and maybe even the demand) for real books is diminishing. Will our children ever own a book, or will they be carrying their Kindle to class in order to discuss last night’s reading of Tom Sawyer? While we can obviously still read the words of the authors we have grown to love, I think that some of the magic, some of the wonder, of reading is going to be lost when the day comes that books are simply collectors items. Falling asleep with a computer on your chest is not nearly as satisfying as clutching your favorite book as you struggle to read just one more page before you’ll let yourself close your eyes. I think it’s almost a certainty that books will become a thing of the past, I only hope that children will still get to experience the relaxing joy of holding onto a musty book with a cracked spine as they nod off to sleep.

American Girl: Much More than Historical Fiction

My sister and I grew up on American Girl. The books, the dolls, spending hours and hours on their website, my afternoons were FILLED with imaginative play and dress up with my American Girl Doll, Samantha.

But, looking back, American Girl was a much larger part of my development than just play. I had a set of different books from other genres that were American Girl products that fostered my imagination and creativity and helped me to learn about myself and my growth and development.

Not only that but I LOVE American Girl Books because just about every race is represented. Not just with the dolls, even though I believe there is a disproportionate amount of Caucasian characters, but also within the book’s illustrations. I think it promotes a culture of “American Girls” that is not defined by race. Every girl is an American Girl, and I appreciate that notion. Books like “The Care and Keeping of You” and the Amelia series featured girls of all shapes, sizes and colors.

I may just be sentimental, and I am certainly open to the opinions of others. Is anyone else familiar with the American Girl Series or the company?

Just for Laughs

While reading this weeks assigned reading from A Family of Readers, "What's So Funny, Mr. Scieszka?" I came across a quote that really stood out to me. In the section the author says, "Why is tragedy seen as being more substantial than comedy? Why do we believe sadness is a more valid and a deeper emotion than happiness? Why is it that funny stuff never wins the awards?" (pg. 165). This quote really stuck out to me because it really got me thinking about society's view of tragedy being better than humor. This can be seen in many aspects, such as the "serious" movies always winning the Academy Awards and the controversial novels being the ones that make the New York Times Bestsellers List. I think that comedy is just as important as tragedy and that it helps kids and people everywhere learn to laugh at life and enjoy the funny moments.

In high school most of the books we read for English classes were always books that had a serious quality, raised controversial issues, and got people into heated debates. While all of these books were thought provoking and interesting reads, it would have been nice to incorporate a comedy into the English lesson plans. Incorporating comedy and humor novels into lesson plans would expose students to an even wider range of genres. If reluctant readers are given the chance to read a different genre other than the "classics", they might find that they enjoy different genres and learn to love reading. Also, I think comedy books help students escape from their everyday lives and become lost in a funny story. Especially when sad and tragic events are occurring all over the world and in local communities, it's nice to sit down and have a good laugh from a book. I know that for me, whenever I'm going through a stressful time, sitting down and having a good laugh always improves my mood. Another interesting topic that was mentioned in the quote was the fact that comedies rarely win the prestigious Academy Awards. I think this is because society thinks that in order for a movie or novel to be considered profound it needs to be serious and tragic. I think that comedy is just as substantial as tragedy because it brings the viewer or reader along the journey and allows them to escape and have a good laugh.

I love books that make me laugh and movies that make me walk out with a great feeling. The power of comedy and humor is that it makes readers and viewers feel good about themselves and gives them a chance to step back from their everyday lives and become lost in a good joke. Just like the old saying "Laughter is the best medicine".

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Where do authors come up with their inspirations for children's alphabet books? I find all the different alphabet books unique and interesting. For example the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." The author uses a combination on beats and syllables to really make the book fun to read. Whether your reading to independently or reading aloud, you find yourself singing along.

Here's the book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QdN-HYp46c

I would be interested to know whether alphabet books are more effect when they are interactive (textured pages and examples) or written with prose (song). I think that the books like Chicka Chicka Boom Boom could help children memorize the alphabet because it's so catchy. I think parents should focus on books that do help kids memorize because their minds are like sponges at an early age and they should take advantage of their brains development.

How to love reading?

One of the most important skills that a child needs to develop as they grow up is the ability to comprehend what they are reading. I know first hand how frustrating it is to read a book and not understand what you are reading. When I was in elementary I would hate anything that had to do with reading because I had such a hard time understanding whatever I was reading, whether it was a book or even instructions for a science experiment. To this day I still hate reading because I was scarred as a child and because I still have trouble comprehending.

I think that if children have trouble comprehending at young age their parents and teachers should read books that they like to them. This way they can enjoy reading and then as their comprehension gets better they will eventually be able to enjoy reading. If a child is showing no interest in reading then the teacher should introduce many different types of literature, not only different genres but also some picture books, chapter books and even poetry. As the adult is reading they should pose questions to the child to make sure they understand the story to keep their interest.

Hopefully the child will enjoy the books when they are read to him/her and then they will be able to enjoy reading on their own later in life.

Bud Budded in my Hometown

Reading Christopher Paul Curtis's Bud, Not Buddy took me far back into my childhood. I read this novel in fourth grade, and I didn't remember much of it. But as I read it again I realized how much I really enjoy this novel - the humor, the story, the setting. It touches on so many valuables lessons and events in history in a way that children can relate to.

For me, the best part of this novel was the setting - Flint, MI - probably because I'm from that area. Reading this in fourth grade I barely related it to my own knowledge of the town, but now I can catch all of the relations to the area. There's a real Hurley hospital that my stepdad used to live near. And in my examination of The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 (my role is Intertextual for this week), I found several more references to the area. Mitchell's, a market Curtis refers to, was a real store that one of my friend's great-grandparents owned. The Watsons watched Channel 12, which is Flint's main news channel. There were so many references that made these pieces interesting to me as a reader.

I think these small references are an effective way to teach children about history and different cultures. It keeps Curtis's writing authentic and engaging when these real-life references are examined. Children, especially from my area, have an opportunity to look closely at their city's cultural and historical roots.

Slam.

After our discussion on poetry and watching the slam videos, I was surprised as to how many people didn't know what slam poetry was or even had an interest in poetry. When people hear the word, they immediately think: boring, confusing or Shakespeare. In my opinion, poetry needs to be focused on more in today's education.

Some may argue that "Poetry will not lead you to a successful career." Isn't rapping a career and poetic? And for the small percentage that make it, they get paid a nice chunk of change. How else are you going to make it to the big leagues if you don't practice and get good? I'm not saying that learning about poetry is important because we can teach people how to become famous rappers but there is a future in it. Who knows, you could be the next Silverstein. I think that poetry is amazing and I especially love slam poetry. My favorite videos have to be by Carrie Rudizinski. My friend showed me some of her performances and I love them. Here's a link of one of her performances from a competition that is pretty cool.

http://youtu.be/L3kzw0YcAgc

Arachnophobia, Claustrophobia, and Metrophobia

Metrophobia: the fear of poetry (its true. its a real phobia, i looked it up...)

I have never been a fan of poetry, it has never moved me to tears, held my interest, and when trying to analyze a difficult poem, I just give up & end up realizing that I have no idea what they are trying to tell me and I feel as if I have lost a few I.Q. points in the process, rather than improving my mind. Now, I might have to reconsider my stance. When we were introduced to Taylor Mali performing slam poetry, I was inspired by his “what teachers make” video and laughed just a little too hard at the “the the impotence of proofreading” performance. I returned home, and have replayed them an embarrassingly large number of times and am still completely amused and moved by his performance.

Because of this, I decided to do some research since this is the first type of poetry that peaked my interest. I was dying to know how and who started it. I was thinking it would be someone like an Eminem with a bad boy personality, but rather it was a man named Marc Smith in 1984 that performed in a Chicago club and is a little less rough around the edges. Now there are National Poetry Slam competitions, started in 1990 where hundreds of poets compete to win the title of being the number one poet. Slam poetry has reached all corners of the earth from Russia, to Ukraine, to Latvia, and Switzerland.

There are endless possibilities with slam poetry and each poet performs and writes differently. Some poets focus on their vocal delivery, depending on rhythm while others go for a more narrative format that does not rhyme or have a beat. Some performing poets change their voices, intonation, or will even speak monotone throughout the whole recitation, while others tap dance, beatbox or add their own choreographed dance to their poems. YouTube here I come.

Like vs. Dislike

Getting kids to read at a young age makes the kids more inclined to enjoy reading when they are older. It is hard to pressure kids into reading books, especially ones that they do not enjoy. If you have the students do book reports in your classroom make sure they are allowed to pick the book. You can pick the genre of book they have to read but make sure you allow them to pick a book that is interesting to them within that genre. Doing this makes the student enjoy reading and feel more in control of what they can read.
If students are read to when they are younger and enjoy reading in school when they are younger, then they will excel in reading when they are older. In many ways this will help the student in further education because if you do not do the readings for class then you do not grasp the whole concept of what you are being taught in your classes.
From personal experience I like the read in elementary school but after that I became more into sports and after school activities that I did not have time to read for fun anymore. So in coming to college I found that it is more of a job to read for all of my classes because I do not enjoy to read like I used too.

Allowing Students to Read Controversial Books is Beneficial

In my middle school, there was a “teen’s corner” that only seventh and eighth grade students were permitted to enter. The books in this corner were of a more mature content than other books. Students were not allowed to check-out the books until they had a permission form explaining why the book was in a restricted section signed by a parent. I feel that this was a good way to allow students to read books that may be considered inappropriate or offensive by some adults. Ultimately the parents had the control over what their child read.

In eighth grade, my class read the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Speak addresses issues with alcohol and date-rape and the emotional consequences of the two. I do not remember exactly but I believe that parents were informed of the book but did not have a permission form to sign. The class used Speak to open discussion on issues such as partying and alcohol. I feel that this discussion was beneficial for students and opened the eyes of many.

Many books of this nature may be banned by some schools. I believe that many books lead to important discussions that are necessary to have with middle and high school students. Banning such books takes away these important discussions. Banning books that are used in classrooms, I believe, is even more of a problem. Allowing discussions between peers on controversial issues leads to beneficial conversations that may help the students. One such book is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. The language and social issues discussed in this book can lead to many interesting and beneficial conversations.

I believe that banning books takes away from an important part of schooling. Numerous controversial books lead to discussions about social issues that may not be happening otherwise. Many challengers admit to not reading the book in its entirety but only reading the passages that they are challenging (The Joys of Children’s Literature, 190). This causes the meaning of the book to be lost and the message presented in the books is lost to generations of students.

A Blog In The Park

When I first heard we had to blog every week for this class, I have to say I was a little bit less than enthused about it. I know Todd explained the benefits and reasoning behind it, but I was still skeptical of the purpose and benefits I would feel. Often times teachers seem to have good ideas and be really excited about things but then it doesn't translate as well to the students. I thought this was going to be the case until I actually participated. Using this blog (once I figured out how to set it up and get it) was so easy and I was able to read many posts put up by other classmates. I enjoyed reading what they had to say on current event issues, classroom readings, and teacher-related topics. I thought I would just log in, make a quick post and move on with my homework but some of the titles really caught my attention and I found myself reading multiple posts. I see the benefits in having students participate in blogging and think that even down in the elementary level it could be extremely productive to have kids use them.

I went back to my elementary school this past year to shadow one of my teachers and help out in his classroom. When I was walking through the hallway I saw the kindergarten room full of kids on computers. We did not have computers until I was in 4th grade so it just caught me off guard to see a classroom like that when they were so young. I know that kids today know how to use computers so early in life. My 6-year-old cousin can find anything on youtube or blank coloring pages in an instant. There are so many productive things that kids can do on computers and I think that blogging is definitely one of them. Even as young as elementary school kids, I know the maturity level is not there as it is with older grades, but as far as participation and getting them to think through lessons and communicate with one another about information or questions that blogs could be so helpful in continuing the classroom discussion. It could spur on class discussion from something they read the night before, or it could help clear up questions that may have arisen during their homework.

The benefits of critical thinking and extending the classroom discussion are the main benefits I find in blogs. People can say things you never may have considered and cause you to read more or research further. As college aged students are using these more in their classrooms, I think we can utilize the benefits and test them out in our own classrooms one day so that they are full of excited and thought provoking discussions during school hours and beyond.

Limerick, Haiku, Who Cares?

Before reading the poetry readings for this week, I was thinking back to my days in elementary and high school when I was forced to read and write poetry. I did not particularly enjoy writing them at all. I could listen to poetry and to people sharing their creativity and emotions, but really did not care to ever participate in it myself. I was never a very good creative writer; I would rather write a research paper any day of the week and when my teacher told me to write a poem, that really sent me over the edge. The different kinds were interesting but I did not appreciate some of styles because I knew I enjoyed the typical rhyming pattern with a generally happy subject. I appreciate song lyrics and love music, but always had the worst time when my teacher encouraged my to go about it that way, in an effort to meet my incapacity.


After reading about the benefits and all of the really cool ways that poetry can be presented in schools from the readings this week, I quickly became a huge fan of poetry. I do not think it was presented in the best way at my school. The readings acknowledged kids who do not like or appreciate poems and gave some neat ways to incorporate it into the every day classroom. Students can learn so much from poetry and really get in touch with their own emotions as well as get to know their classmates so much better. It contributes to their literacy development as well as increasing their appreciation for different kinds of expression. In The Joy of Children's Literature when they said "one, two, or even a few poems every day throughout the curriculum over the course of a school year will make a difference" in regards to developing children's interest and literacy development.

As teachers, Reading and English are both very important subjects in school that we should spend sufficient time on, but working books and poems into the curriculum for all subjects can really enhance our students' learning and make them more well-rounded students. I think it would be a great idea to start and end every day with a poem because it could get their minds going in the morning and give them something to think about as they go on into the evenings. I found a really neat website about a movement called Poetry 180. It is designed for high school students and provides 180 poems so that students can have a poem every day of the school year. I think the benefits are limitless and that even if you are not the greatest at writing poetry as I am, all students can learn to appreciate and hopefully enjoy it, and maybe one day come up with their own that they are proud of.

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

Let's Go On an Adventure!

While I was reading about Adventure in "Family of Readers," I came across something that said Adventure was geared more towards boys. This got me thinking to books I used to read, and how this isn't always true. I was a fan of Mary Kate and Ashley, and they were known for their silly, girly books about parties. Then a new part of their series came out, which was Adventure and Mystery. They are trying to get girls to read other types of books and not just the stereotypical girly books. Which I think is great! Kids need to expand their interest in stories, and try new ones out. Dora the Explorer is another good example of Adventure, geared at young preschoolers. Most apparel with the trademark Dora on them is girls clothing and accessories, whereas her cousin Diego is on boys clothing. Even Little Einstein's is a group of boys and girls that go on adventures together, and is age appropriate for all children. Adventure is a topic that all kids love and enjoy, lots of TV shows will have the line, "Lets go on an adventure!" I will agree that boys are more drawn by nature towards adventure stories, but lots of girls are too!

Learn to Read; Reading to Learn

I read an interesting article the other day about why reading is the number one priority for teachers. The first academic responsibility of educators is to teach children to read well by the third grade. Up to third grade, children learn to read. After third grade, the children read to learn. If students do not learn how to read well, they will not be at the expected level of performance for their grade.

This not only harms the students learning abilities, but also majorly hinders their future in society. If the student does not fully develop their reading skills, they will struggle throughout middle school and high school. Their chances of dropping out are at a much higher rate compared to those with well developed reading skills. The article states, "Now reform-minded educators have realized that this lowest percentile must achieve grade level reading skills by second and third grade if these students are to achieve high academic standards in middle school and high school." The Children's Reading Foundation

With this in mind, I feel that educators in elementary schools should hold a certain level of accountability when they say they will have students reading at or above grade level. Our school systems need to make sure that when they pass a child onto the next grade, he or she is at that level or above it. Parents can also help children reach the level of performance they are supposed to be at. They can spend extra time at home helping them develop their skills. As an old quote in my elementary lunch room said "Kids Today, Leaders Tomorrow". We want to make sure that the future generation is educated to their highest potential since they are the future leaders of the world!

Love for my girl Judy Blume

Growing up, I was the biggest fan of any and all of the Judy Blume books. It seemed as if her personal library was never-ending; I always found a different book written by her in my town's library whenever I went.

She had a book for me at all stages of my life - mid elementary (when I first started to become an avid reader), middle school, and high school. Her books expressed things that I was going through - she put into words the awkwardness of growing up, and the strangeness/excitement of getting older. I really blame and thank Ms. Blume for helping me find a passion in reading.

And the cool thing is - the majority of her books were written in the 1970s. And I was reading them (and loving them) in the 2000s. I think that is a tremendous feat as an author to produce such timeless books that remain relevant through the ages.

As a future teacher, I hope to introduce books like hers to my students. Maybe not her books exactly, but definitely books that will instill a love of reading in my students.

Did anyone else read any of Judy Blume's books growing up? Do we have a similar author today that has written a plethora of novels like hers?

faceBOOK or a good BOOK?

I have been very frustrated lately with Facebook. It use to be a tool that we as students used to get in touch with one another and for social networking. More often than not these days it's not used as such. Personally I didn't get a Facebook account until I was 17. Even then there was no real reason for me to utilize it as a resource. However I see kids, yes KIDS, on Facebook these days. Children who are in elementary school and middle school.

Technology these days has become so important to the younger generation that I feel having a Facebook is more important than reading a novel, or any sort of book. Kids will never be interested in reading unless they really explore the joys of diving in to a good book. Most children who enjoy reading, do, because they had a good exposure to a book when they were younger. ( http://www.sdkrashen.com/articles/childrens_lit/index.html )

How can we expose children to books these days when its hard to pull kids away from the computer and TV? One idea that a literature program is doing is leaving random children's books at local places for kids to read. (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/02/10/1858895/childrens-literature-conferences.html)

What are some other ways that we can get children interested in reading? What about some sort of novels or books that are accessible on Facebook for the younger generation??

Thoughts, ideas, comments??

Educational TV Programs, Good or Bad?

I was babysitting the other day for a 5 year old little girl and after picking her up at school her mom told me she was allowed to watch a television show. I was shocked by how much television programs for children have changed since I was young. Since my family did not have cable when I was growing up, I can remember watching Seaseme Street, Barney, Arthur, and other shows on PBS. The child I was babysitting for and I watched a show on Nick Jr. called "Wow Wow Wubbzy" about a cartoon character that looks kind of like a squirrel but is totally unrealistic looking and its friends. The main focus of the episodes was social skills. Although the story lines were well-intentioned, and conveyed simple messages about self-awareness, sharing, and responsibility, the images and songs were mind numbing.

This experience got me wondering about if shows that are popular these days are good for children's development I started to think about how they might compare to shows with real people in them, and also how they compare to literature. I have noticed that a lot of the children I have babysat for over the years have been more interested in watching TV shows than playing out side, or playing with their toys.

I noticed that the Nick Jr. channel as well as other children's channels do a wonderful job at creating entertainment that is appealing for children and really draws them in, almost getting them addicted. One show leads right into another which hardly a break, there are no commercials, and if there are breaks in the show they are filled with short clips that often end with "Stay tuned and find out!". As a babysitter it is often hard to get the children away from the TV and engaged in play. I am wondering that even though most of these shows seem to be educational and seems to be teaching positive values, and they really 'good' for children?

DEAR, I want my magazines back.

Yesterday, I was speaking with my Sister-In-Law about the Drop-Everything-And-Read program at her high school. She explained how each week there is a specific time where they stop everything they are doing and read for a 1/2 hour. At first this sounded like a great idea. It would be able to give students to catch up on class reading that they might have not had time to finish the night before, or read a few chapters out of their new Twilight books. I love the idea of giving students the opportunity to read whatever they want for once. But, in her high school, that is not the case. The students are very limited on what they can and can't read during this time. She mentioned that you cannot read any magazines, classroom textbooks, newspapers, comics, picture books or use a Kindles. I was very upset and confused on why the schools would place these restrictions and say they are not appropriate. Their are hundreds of magazines that span every single type of hobby or industry that are great to learn from. Many have very high reading levels and are geared towards an educated person. I don't see how the school would be upset if a kid wanted to read about cars or the engineering field. And same with the comic books. There are more than just the Calvin and Hobs comic strips out on the market. Graphic novels can be just as long and hard to read as any "regular" novel. If the program is in place to teach children to enjoy reading, then why are the schools not letting them read what they enjoy? It seems completely backwards on what the program was originally in place for.

Struggling reading: who is to blame?

I recently started working with a first grader for my TE 301 class. We started out with an assessment on book handling skills. We read a book and he was able to identify the beginning of the book, return sweep, punctuation marks, single words and other things that have to do with concepts of print. I thought that he would be at the right reading level after that assessment. But, when we were closing the session I chose for us to read a Dr. Seuss book. I asked him if he would read, but he did not want to. So, I said that I could start and then he could read a line or two. He agreed to this. He had a difficult time reading. He could read easy words like I, the, and at. But he could not read other words. He also had trouble sounding out words. He sounds them out but not correctly. He really seems to be behind. By first grade he should be able to read and not have so many difficulties. I wonder who is to blame for him not being able to read, it is for sure not his fault. I am curious as to whether or not it is his parent’s fault for not reading to him. I wonder if his parents not read to him as a child or did they care to encourage him to pick up a book and help him along. Also, it would be his teacher’s fault. He may have been that student that was able to squeeze by the grade without the teachers noticing or possibly the teacher did not want to pay special attention to him because they had other things to worry about. Either way, I feel that this child needs to be paid more attention and needs some extra help in order for him to start to read. It is not fair for him to be so behind. At this point, he will continue to be behind in every grade level if he does not get the help he needs now.