Caleb the Farmer

Once upon a time there was a boy who lived on a farm with his family. His name was Caleb. His grandparent's had lived on it. His great grandparent's had lived on it. His great great\grandparent's had lived on it. Caleb knew that it was his responsibility to take care of the cattle after his father was gone. Even though the only education that required was what he learned growing up, he still went to college. He majored in Animal Science with a double major in Horticulture, and a minor in Biochemistry. Often friends would ask, "what do you want to do with that?" He always responded, "I don't know." He had some ideas about the great things he could achieve in life, but at the same time, his heart was drawn to the land he had grown up on. Many people wondered why he wanted to stay in his hometown when he was so brillant and could accomplish so much. He eventually learned that no matter how much money you could make or how famous you could be, what's important is that you do something you love. He returned home to help out his parents and raised his own children on the farm he had grown to love.

Children's Books of Awareness

I did a random search of literature on the internet and found that there are many books out there for children that teach them awareness in multiple social topics. Most of these books aren't targetted at any particular social topic but the subject of the book is such that reading the book could turn into a teachable moment for other real world issues. For instance, the website listed below suggested that reading "Eliza and the Dragonfly" by Susie Caldwell Rinehart to teach about nature and bring in Earth Day. This books apparently takes the reader through the life cycle of a dragonfly. The website also suggested "Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism" by Laurie Lears to teach children about autism during National Autism Awareness Month. There were also books that discussed Passover as well as Children's Cookbooks. I like the idea of sharing books like these with children because they're not just a story about a child's relationship with their parents or a child's inner creativity, they're educational about a social issue important to society.

Sendak's Moon

I leanred (although I'm not sure how reliable it is) that Sendak was "sickly" as a child. The website that I was researched off of said that the moon that is in most of his pictures in most of his books represents his mother (in reality) always there looking out for him when he was a young boy: "The moon is his mother peaking out the window at him when he was a child to be sure that he was alright!" The website I found this at was: http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/sendak.htm. That site has referenced this information to a Berkeley website, so I'm pretty sure it's legitimate. But I just thought this was interesting and felt the need to share. This is an interest additional piece of information to the fact that the moon gets bigger and bigger as the night goes on and the boy character becomes "more wild."

Seussville

I spent quite a good deal of time on the official Seuss website, www.seussville.com, to learn more about it and eventually write a review. I found the website very entertaining and think a child would be even more so entertained. In the "Playground" section of the website, there are interactive games that are simply pure fun or have an educational purpose as well (for example, the Fox in Socks game teaches reading and simple vocabulary). There is also a biography of Dr. Seuss, which helps explain a lot about how he came up with his creatures, the color choice, his story line inspirations, etc. It was fun to read about him and his mischevious childhood. The colors were the same as his books, basic and simple, appealling to children. The music was enchanting, although after too many plays it would probably become repetitive. I think the website would be very appropriate for young and old readers alike.

Peter Rabbit

After discussing Peter Rabbit in class today, I realized that there's a few metaphorical references in relation to the Christian religion. First of all, the garden that Peter Rabbit enters could be taken as the Garden of Eden in the beginning of the Bible. Secondly, Peter's temptation is what causes him to take food, much like Adam and Eve's temptation. However, instead of a spiritual God, the farmer represents his punishment. Also slightly relevant but a little bit of a stretch is Peter's undressing. It is as though when he entered the garden, he was pure and whole in God's eyes, and therefore covered up. However, as he commits sin and does wrong, he is unclothed and in front of God, which parrallels the Scriptures in an opposite manner. Lastly, he has to work to find his way back home, which is similiar to the Christian faith in that we're welcome home (to recieve God's gift of Jesus and eventually enter Heaven) we just have to find it and accept it, like Peter accepts his mother's special treatment.

The Story of Rob Roy

The Story of Rob Roy, written by David Ross, is a book my family picked up while we lived overseas in Scotland. It is the story of Rob Roy MacGregor, a famous Scottish hero. He lived as a cow herder in the seventeenth century, often preforming acts of Robin Hood, robbing the rich to aid the poor. What I found difficult about this book was the organization of content. It hopped from talking about a story of Rob Roy in his twenties in the first chapter to telling of his youth in chapters two and three, and then spoke of him at an older age in the next few chapters. Also integrated through the tales of his life is Scottish history with several dukes, lords, kings, and queens. The royal lineage was hard enough to follow, especially in trying to connect it to Rob Roy. The vocabulary and sentence structure were simplistic enough for a piece of children's literature, but the flow and organization of information was hard for me to piece together, nevermind a young reader.

Number The Stars

I really enjoyed reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. I've read it twice before but it has been awhile (at least two years). What I loved was the way Lowry's writing still kept me on my toes even though I already knew the ending. I vaguely remembered there was a casket but not actually a funeral but I was still completely forgetful of why. I was kept on the edge of my seat, as it were, as to what exactly was in the coffin. Secondly, I remembered that at some point Annemarie, the main character, would have to make a fearful errand but I really couldn't remember what it was or how it was that she managed. It was particularly pleasent for it to still be an unfamiliar story and I think a lot of that is owed to Lowry's skillfull writing.

The Life of Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry was born in 1937 and grew up traveling all around America, and even to Tokyo, because of her father's position in the military as a dentist. Her older sister died at a young age and she married young-after one year in college. With her husband she had four children in four and a half years, all the while travelling around the United States, living in six different states. I think it is evident that many of her novels reflect her experiences from her youth. She even claims that "A Summer to Die" is a retelling of the of her sister and how she is missed in their family.

One thing I found particularly interesting about Lowry is her choice of theme in all her works: "the importance of human connections." After reading about this, I've realized going through "The Giver" that her whole story is about human connections- the way children relate to one another in their age group, the way the family unit relates, the way the nurturer relates to newchildren, the way a brother relates to his sister. In her autobiography, she comments that in "The Giver" she built on that common theme and shows, "the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment." Once the reader is aware of her aim, it is especially easy to find.

Ignorance is bliss?

As we were going through the discussion today about "The Giver," several topics flooded my mind. One thing I began to think about was the common phrase "ignorance is bliss." I feel like every character in "The Community" is ignorant. And is there bliss? I believe it's difficult to say. If you're living in that community, where no one knows anything else besides it, I believe that I would be happy, much like all the characters are portrayed in the book. However, having knowledge of color, animals, love, weather, responsibility, etc. I don't feel like I would ever be blissful in that situation but only happy in the position of knowledgable. It is arguable that for one to know of love and joy that one also is familiar with pain and sorrow. However, on any given day I would take the pain and sorrow with the love and joy than be void of all of it. I believe that only because of the pain and fear I experience I know how much more great is the love in my life.

Green Eggs and Ham

As a child, I was never read Dr. Seuss stories, at least not memorably. I've never understood (and actually almost don't like) the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and stories such as "Oh the Places You'll Go," "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," or "Horton Hears a Who." However, I chose to read "Green Eggs and Ham" because one of my friends began reciting it to me and I realized that if she loved it that much as a child, to read it often enough to memorize it, than it must be worth something. I did enjoy it, although I think it's lost some of the sparkle that it had for my friend, probably because she read it at a young age and it was written for that audience. However, one of the things I noticed is that it is somewhat educational. It teaches about animals (the mouse, fox, and goat), modes of transportation (car, train, boat), and also talks about other basic nouns that would help build a child's vocabulary, such as rain, dark, box, house, etc.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Even though we discussed a little bit of Tolkien's life in class, I was intriguied and decided to do some further research on his life. He was born in 1892 under the name John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. When he was a young child, he was bitten by a baboon spider. It's probable that the spider in "The Hobbit" evolved from this childhood memory. Also contributing to his laters works is the exploring that he did as a young child as well as the fact that he learned Latin at a very young age and could read at the age of four- he particularly enjoyed works by George MacDonald. When he was sixteen, he met his future wife but was to see her until he turned 21 because she was Protestant and he was Catholic. When he finally did turn 21, she had become engaged to another man. However, upon his confession of love to her she returned the ring, converted to Catholism, and they wed. Tolkien was a professor at Oxford. While he was there, he was involved in a literary "club" while he was a professor at Oxford called "Inklings." Many other notable authors were involved in this club, including C.S. Lewis, author of "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Mere Christianity."

The Hobbit Wordsearch

I've created a wordsearch that incorporates most of the major characters in the Hobbit and some of the smaller characters.

Gollum

Even though I've read "The Hobbit" before, it was never for a class setting. Especially reading it so closely after reading "The Princess and the Goblin," something new dawned upon me. I've always been familiar with the fact that Tolkien was religious and there are many metaphors of faith and spirituality in his works. For example, in "The Lord of the Rings," there is a character who controls parts of nature through song and claims he has been there since the beginning of Middle Earth. I believe aspects of him represent the Christian God. Likewise, it occured to me that Gollum may represent devolution, much like the goblins in "The Princess and the Goblin." Much like them, he lives in a dark, cold place, alone with his sin-greed. Tolkien may have been trying to represent the result of sin through Gollum. He is somewhat pscyzophrenic, with a slightly good side, which may represent how there is still a little bit of good in all of us.

Ring a Ring o' Roses

Just for fun I did a little research on the nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o' Roses. There are literally a dozen versions to this song, from around the world. It seems as though it has spread, a lot like fairy tales such as Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. However, it is sung to the same tune in most places. It is also believed that today it is sung to the same tune as when it originated, probably in 1790. Around the world the song is also associated with the plagues of Europe, particularly Britain, in the late 1600's. The Opies have given reason to believe that it could possibly be related to the Great Plague, stating, "The invariable sneezing and falling down in modern English versions have given would-be origin finders the opportunity to say that the rhyme dates back to the Great Plague. A rosy rash, they allege, was a symptom of the plague, poises of herbs were carried as protection,sneezing was a final symptom, and “all fall down” was exactly what happened."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_a_Ring_o'_Roses

Charlie Brown's All-Stars

Charlie Brown's All-Stars, by Charles M Schulz is one of the cutest books I've read in a really long time (it is a book, not a cartoon).
It is the story of a bad team who gives their manager (Charlie Brown) a hard time and end up quitting. When the prospect of having real uniforms and real equipment fades, Charlie is more upset than the team but they don't realize how sad he is because of their own frustration towards him. After hearing the full story though, they band together and make him a uniform to show their loyalty and support.
With the moral at the end of loyalty towards friends, it becomes a didactic piece of literature. However, there are somethings in the book that can't possibly be understood by little children. For example, when Charlie is upset about the whole ordeal Linus (a character that walks around with a security blanket) notices that he's down. Charlie responds with, "You are a shrewd judge of human nature, Linus." This line is so ironic, because children typically aren't developed enough to judge human nature, nevermind comment on it,
This book might also be considered a tale about growing up. Linus, the boy that carries the security blanket, has to give it up to be used as fabric for the jersey for Charlie. He "suffered terribly as he saw his security blanket rapidly turned into a manager's uniform." However, the story finishes with Charlie and Linus together standing in the rain-Charlie wearing the blanket-turned-jersey while Linus is holding the corner of it with one hand and sucking on his thumb on the other. I loved the irony in this picture.

Kate Greenaway

I just love Kate Greenaway's work. Especially this picture to left. I just get a certain sense of relaxation from her pictures. I almost feel like I'm the in the yellow dress, or at least, I want to be. I can mentally picture a sunny day (which is why she's using her umbrella) spending it out in some field (the fence) with a precious little child. Perhaps it's because it's an ideal life that I would like to have that I can relate so well. I feel like Kate Greenaway's pictures place me there, for just one moment. Her pictures are very original and creative. She has a lot of talent and I think she uses that to capture the moment that the viewer wants to be in.

Fields of Youth

What a sunny day!
How I so wish
that I could play
in the grass that goes "swish."

The laughter echoes
of children oh so young
skipping in the meadows
where the daises bloom has begun.

The flowing field of tulips
bright yellow, orange, and red
smells like a nectar drip-
if only I had some bread!

Birds in the nearby trees
sing songs of serenity
Their color of radiant blue
matches the sunset hue

David Shannon

David Shannon is the author of many children's picture books that came about from his childhood. When he was a child, the only thing he knew how to write was his name, David, and the word "no." At that age, he wrote books with illustrations of things a little boy shouldn't do and then added the words "David, no!" Reflecting back as an , David Shannon had the idea to essentially recreate these books but with more elaborate pictures and a slightly bigger vocabulary. Creating different scenarios, such as David as a child, David at school, and David getting in trouble, he expanded the series and has been able to write the same books in Spanish as well. A list of his books in the "David" series is printed below with the Spanish equivalent listed in parenthesis:

-No, David (No, David)- A Caldecott Honor Book
-Oh, David (Oh, David)
-David Smells (David Huele)
-Oops! (Huy!)
-David Goes to School (David Va al Colegio)
-David Gets in Trouble (David Se Mete en Lios)

Source:
http://www.scholastic.com/titles/nodavid/davidshannon.htm
http://www.amazon.com

Newbery Award Winners

Just out of curiosity, I visited the American Library Association website to compare the Newbery Medal winners in my lifetime, the past 19 years (since 1989). What I found interesting was that of the eighteen books listed so far, I've only heard of five of them and only read four of those five:

Familiar With: (Books I've read are astericked)
- 1999: Holes by Louis Sachar (Frances Foster) *
-1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins)
-1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry(Houghton)*
-1992: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum)*
-1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Houghton)*

Noticing the dates they were awarded the Newbery Medal (and probably pouplar during that year) I think it's mostly to do with my age that I've read these books and not some of the recent recipients of the award. I find this disappointing. I wish there was more time to leisurly read in life. I feel like I'm missing out on a whole bunch of fun literature. But then I reflect that there's no way anyone could read every book in the world. So I guess we just have to pick and choose, which is unfortunate because there's so much great stuff published.

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #6:
“Oh! Where are my manners! I’ve completely forgotten myself. My name is Sally Mae. Thank you for rescuing me. I don’t know what I would have done,” she said.
“It was my pleasure, Miss Mae. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Michael. I came as quickly as I could and I am thrilled to have saved you.”
His chivalry and prestige made Sally Mae blush. After gathering her bag, she rode with Michael back to her house of gemstone. Her father rushed out to hold her upon her triumphant return.
“Victoria has left, my dear. She grew tired of waiting for you to come home and said she would return in a year,” her father explained.
“Oh, how I don’t want to go with her! I just want to stay and spend the rest of my days here, with you and Michael,” she cried.
Upon hearing her gloomy future, Michael took her hand and knelt down on one knee. “If you truly care to stay here in this humble town, marry me now and we’ll spend the rest of our days happy and content knowing that no harm can come to us. I will love you and your beauty for all the days of my life.”
Overjoyed at the prospect of spending the rest of her life with her knight in shining armor, as it were, she gladly accepted his proposal and they were wed before the end of the month. Upon receiving an invitation, Sally Mae’s mother fired Victoria for not succeeding in educating Sally Mae. However, her mother attended the wedding and took part in all the festivities, content, at least, to not have to worry about her daughter’s future. Sally Mae and Michael lived happily ever after for the rest of their days.

Previously on Sally Mae:
Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple limousine. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake.
“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“No,” protested father, “you can’t take her!” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over threatening Victoria, as hard as he may fight.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Resisting with all her strength, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem herself.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.
When the sun began to rise on the third morning, full and radiant, she grew weary and tired. She had been walking straight for three days and three nights and the company of the birds hadn’t been enough to keep her going. She placed her bag under a tree and laid down on the bank of low river. She was so tired and exhausted she slept through the day and night.
When Sally Mae woke up the next morning, all she could hear was what sounded like rushing water. She looked around terrified and she screamed at the top of her lungs. There had been a thunderstorm at night and the river had risen all around her. She was isolated on an island that was in the middle of the river. With regret at her loss, she undid her bow and cautiously threw it into the water. The current was so strong that it was carried away and disappeared in an instant. Never having learned to swim, she was frightened and panicky. “How will I ever get off this island?” Sally Mae wondered.
One of her bird friends, Nick, flew over to land on her shoulder. “What’s wrong Sally Mae? Can’t you swim across to the bank?” he asked.
“I can’t swim,” she sobbed, “I can only cook and clean. Please help me Nick. I don’t know what I will do!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find help. You just stay put and try to relax.” And off he went. Sally Mae couldn’t do anything else so she sat down on a rock on her little island and began to sing to soothe herself. She sang songs her Daddy had taught her when she was little and pulled out the gemstones in her pocket. Looking at the pretty rocks made her wish to be home again.
Several hours later, she looked up and saw that Nick was flying back to her. “I’ve found someone! I found someone!” he exclaimed. “After Victoria noticed you were missing, she sent out a search team to find you and bring you home. I found one of the policemen and he is on his way,”
Elated, Sally Mae tried to make herself appear presentable. She retied the ribbons in her hair and pinched her cheeks for a hint of color. Flattening out her dress as best she could, she sat and waited for the policeman to arrive. Not too long after, a man appeared at the edge of the river. He rode a horse of white and had on a suit of handsome, pale blue.
“Just a moment, little lady. I’ll cross the river on my horse to you,” he yelled over the noisy current.
When he crossed the high tide, Sally Mae noticed he was very attractive. His dark hair sat perfectly on his head and his eyes of dark green reminded Sally Mae of another gemstone that was imbedded into her home. After climbing on the horse and crossing the river, she sat down with ease, knowing she was safe at last.

A Child's Anthology of Poetry

I have absolutely LOVED going through and reading all the various poems in this collection. A few of my particular favorites have been Experiment Degustatory, The Spaghetti Nut, Homework! Oh, Homework, and Sick. I think the reason I like this particular selection is because of the humor.
In Nash's Experiment Degustatory, I find the irony of "tastes like chicken" to be hysterical. Just yesterday I was talking to a friend about Rocky Mountain Oysters and he said that they taste just like fried chicken. Being unknowledgable, I assumed he was referring to seafood. It only took a few seconds for him to see my confusion and explain that Rocky Mountain Oysters are in fact, bull testicles. I just about threw up. And he said they tasted like chicken! GROSS!
I really enjoyed the tongue-twister challenge of The Spaghetti Nut and have actually shared it with several friends seeing who can recite it the fastest. I think the reason I like Homework! Oh, Homework and Sick so much is because I destest homework and school. I don't mind learning, but I just don't enjoy the process. I can sympathize with the character.

Friend's Favorites

Just for fun, I asked around to a couple of my friends which books were their favorites as litte kids. Only two of the five I had ever heard of, which makes me wonder if some of these books are regional. They also gave me their reasons why and I've listed them below.

Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells: This book was liked because it was simply funny. She was getting in trouble for making noise.

The Indoor Noisy Book by Margaret W Brown: Again, a book I've never heard of, my friend liked this book because Muffin the puppy was cute. My friend that liked this also liked the Noisy Nora book, which makes me question if she had a liking for noise.

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina: My friend that liked this book said it was fun because you got to count all the caps on every page. She enjoyed the interactive part of the story.

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff: This was one of my well-liked children's books and I never could figure out why. It was repetitive so you knew what was coming-it wasn't as though it was a surprise or anything. But perhaps that was the point of it, it was repetitive and so it became familiar in a world of growing up and learning new, unfamiliar things as a child.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: This, again, was one of my favorites. I loved it as a bedtime story, as most children do. I cherished the time I had with my father as he put me to bed. One of my friends said it was special to her becase she got to find the white mouse on every page-it became a game.

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #5:

“Don’t worry, I’ll find help. You just stay put and try to relax.” And off he went. Sally Mae couldn’t do anything else so she sat down on a rock on her little island and began to sing to soothe herself. She sang songs her Daddy had taught her when she was little and pulled out the gemstones in her pocket. Looking at the pretty rocks made her wish to be home again.
Several hours later, she looked up and saw that Nick was flying back to her. “I’ve found someone! I found someone!” he exclaimed. “After Victoria noticed you were missing, she sent out a search team to find you and bring you home. I found one of the policemen and he is on his way,”
Elated, Sally Mae tried to make herself appear presentable. She retied the ribbons in her hair and pinched her cheeks for a hint of color. Flattening out her dress as best she could, she sat and waited for the policeman to arrive. Not too long after, a man appeared at the edge of the river. He rode a horse of white and had on a suit of handsome, pale blue.
“Just a moment, little lady. I’ll cross the river on my horse to you,” he yelled over the noisy current.
When he crossed the high tide, Sally Mae noticed he was very attractive. His dark hair sat perfectly on his head and his eyes of dark green reminded Sally Mae of another gemstone that was imbedded into her home. After climbing on the horse and crossing the river, she sat down with ease, knowing she was safe at last.

Previously on Sally Mae:

Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple Rolls Royce. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake. She strode right past Sally Mae and didn’t even recognize her existence.
“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her own house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“She’s my only ray of sunshine,” protested father, “you can’t take her.” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over Victoria, as hard as he may fight. She was powerful and threatening.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Yelling with all her might, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem on her own.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.
When the sun began to rise on the third morning, full and radiant, she grew weary and tired. She had been walking straight for three days and three nights and the company of the birds hadn’t been enough to keep her going. She placed her bag under a tree and laid down on the bank of low river. She was so tired and exhausted she slept through the day and night.
When Sally Mae woke up the next morning, all she could hear was what sounded like rushing water. She looked around terrified and she screamed at the top of her lungs. There had been a thunderstorm at night and the river had risen all around her. She was isolated on an island that was in the middle of the river. With regret at her loss, she undid her bow and cautiously threw it into the water. The current was so strong that it was carried away and disappeared in an instant. Never having learned to swim, she was frightened and panicky. “How will I ever get off this island?” Sally Mae wondered.
One of her bird friends, Nick, flew over to land on her shoulder. “What’s wrong Sally Mae? Can’t you swim across to the bank?” he asked.
“I can’t swim,” she sobbed, “I can only cook and clean. Please help me Nick. I don’t know what I will do!”

The Princess and the Goblin

I have never heard of this book until this english class. Maybe I was out of the loop as a child or my parents sheltered me from it as a child but this is the first of this story that I've ever seen. I really enjoy the read though. It's a slow beginning but it picks up and becomes intriguing.

The grandmother- Very easily noticed for those of the Christian faith, the grandmother symbolizes a God-like figure. I thought she was rather creepy at the beginning and didn't know whether to trust her or not, especially when she told Irene not to tell Lootie about her. However, her gently patience, guiding light, and infinite wisdom reveal her God-like character.

Irene- I believe Irene symbolizes the unbelieving child in all of us, before we're born into our spiritual bodies as believers in Christ. When she finally trusts grandmother and truly believes that she's up in the attic, she begins to represent the believing Christian.

I love the relationship that plays out between Irene and the grandmother. I think that it's so representative of the Christian walk. It shows how we're supposed to trust God even though at times He may not show Himself. Being a believer in Christ the Son, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit myself, I appreciated the hyperbole of the Christian faith.

Charlotte's Web

I LOVED reading Charlotte's Web. I was extremely inspired to go out and buy a baby pig after the first few chapters because of the relationship of Fern and Wilbur. I thought it was interesting how at the beginning of the story, Fern is what saved Wilbur from . Because of her refusal to allow him to be killed, instead of Wilbur her dad gives him to her. However, later in the story Fern knows what is going to happen to Wilbur- he'll be slain for winter meat. However, it never once occurs to her to try to save him. Instead, the duty falls to Charlotte. The role of Wilbur's saviour changes from Fern to Charlotte. Along side with less of a role in Wilbur's rescue, Fern becomes increasingly more interested in boys and things other than animals. She spent a majority of her time in the barn during the beginning of the book but by the time the fair rolls into town, her attention has shifted away from animals.

Wilbur's helplessness also struck me. The phrase "ignorance is bliss" seems to fit perfectly for Wilbur. He doesn't know how to spell, stick up for himself, or do any task that's particularly challenging; but he's content with that and just living his life. After finding out that he's going to be butchered, he becomes fearful and frightened. He worries more often and tries hard at tasks that really weren't meant for pigs.

I love the character of Charlotte. Wise, caring, watchful, smart, problem solver- a very motherly figure for the whole barn. She looks out for everyone and knows how to take care of everyone. Ultimately, her was unavoidable but the arrival of her children create a good ending.

Mr. Tickle

Mr. Tickle, by Roger Hargreaves, is one of a collection of 43 "Mr. Men." When I was a child I read these books for fun, as well as the Little Miss collection. What I found interesting upon rereading it was the fact that everything Mr. Tickle did caused trouble and danger. For example, when he tickled the teacher, it was rebellious and disrespectful. I was surprised that this book, which will teach children, included disrespectful acts like that. Mr. Tickle also tickled a policeman, causing a traffic jam, a postman, causing him to drop his mail, a grocer, causing all the fruit to roll away, and others. It was interesting how such a harmless joke became a rebellious prank. What I also thought was interesting were the pictures. Specifically the picture with the teacher. He was wearing a graduation cap. I can't figure out why but am assuming that it is to characterise him as educated and in the education system. I also want to comment on the language. Most of the diction was appropriate for the age level however, the occassional word such as "pandemonium" caused me to think twice. I hardly knew what that word meant and can't think of how I would describe it to a child. It's interesting that Hargreaves would use this term.

Social Issues In Children's Literature

Simply typing in "social issues in children's literature" in a google.com search blank, I was curious to find what would be the most common occuring issue. Ironically enough, gender issues was most frequent in the titles of search findings. I chose a few to read through and found that a lot of them talked about gender issues the way we have already in class. For example, one website spoke of gender issues in children's literature claiming that the is passive, and acted upon, rather than active and doing the action towards people. What this website also stated, which was a new way of hearing it for me. is that children identify with characters in the book. Because of this, s find it hard to identify with themselves in literature because there are limited female characters that are strong and independent. Another website pointed out that gender bias exists in illustrations, language, and content. Which, after reading several works, is not hard to believe.

http://www.kidsource.com/education/gender.issues.L.A.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d135.html

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #4:

When the sun began to rise on the third morning, full and radiant, she grew weary and tired. She had been walking straight for three days and three nights and the company of the birds hadn’t been enough to keep her going. She placed her bag under a tree and laid down on the bank of low river. She was so tired and exhausted she slept through the day and night.
When Sally Mae woke up the next morning, all she could hear was what sounded like rushing water. She looked around terrified and she screamed at the top of her lungs. There had been a thunderstorm at night and the river had risen all around her. She was isolated on an island that was in the middle of the river. With regret at her loss, she undid her bow and cautiously threw it into the water. The current was so strong that it was carried away and disappeared in an instant. Never having learned to swim, she was frightened and panicky. “How will I ever get off this island?” Sally Mae wondered.
One of her bird friends, Nick, flew over to land on her shoulder. “What’s wrong Sally Mae? Can’t you swim across to the bank?” he asked.
“I can’t swim,” she sobbed, “I can only cook and clean. Please help me Nick. I don’t know what I will do!”

Previously on Sally Mae:

Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple Rolls Royce. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake. She strode right past Sally Mae and didn’t even recognize her existence.
“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her own house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“She’s my only ray of sunshine,” protested father, “you can’t take her.” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over Victoria, as hard as he may fight. She was powerful and threatening.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Yelling with all her might, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem on her own.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.

Review of National Children's Literacy Website

After typing into the search blank on Google.com "children learning to read," I stumbled upon this webpage provided by Soho Center's National Children's Literacy Information. One thing I found interesting is several of the tips the page gave in order to help children learn to read. For example, I said to practice language sounds, which is something I had never thought about. It gave suggestions such as asking children to make several rhymes in discover connections in sounds. It also suggested taking words apart by there sounds and putting them back together.

While I realize that for most people this isn't going to be relevant until they have children themselves one day, if they do at all, I personally will have use for this type of information as an education major. Of course I know the typical guidelines such as reading to children every day, having them read to you, teaching the alphabet, etc. but I didn't realize there was a connection between children's ability to read and they're ability to create connections between sounds. This will help me in my future career.

I felt like overall this webpage was informative and relevant. The information was also reliable and of good qualaity, as far as I can tell. I felt like it was a well established society and that they had accurate information. Finally, the layout of the website was easy to read and use, which makes it a lot easier to do reasearch.

Alice in Wonderland Discussion

One of the things I find really interesting as I read through Alice in Wonderland is how it's nothing like what I remember as a child. As a matter of fact, I never read the book when I was young and the only thing I can remember from the movie is a disappearing cat and the queen of hearts being particularly cruel. I didn't like her and was actually afraid of the movie and did not enjoy it at all. As I go through and read the book, I can see why I would have been afraid of it as a young child. Alice is constantly encountering dangerous situations (such as growing too much or shrking too small) and I think that this probably scared me as a little because I was afraid that it would happen to me too. Reflecting on my different lenses of intake between now and then, I'm struggling to understand why any child these days would enjoy that book or movie. Which leads me even further to question what the difference is between children today and two hundred years ago that makes the difference in our creative intake. I think the perception of what's fun and entertaining has just changed so drastically (especially with the invention of new technologies) that children have different likes.

General Study Guide for Children's Literature

1. Who are the main characters (protagonist/antagonist)?
2. What are the characteristics/personality traits of the main protagonist(s)? How does this relate to other works of children's literature? i.e. helpless - occurs in other stories such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, etc.
3. What are the characteristics/personality traits of the main antagonist(s)? How does this relate to other works of children's literature?
4. How does the author use other characters the develop the story and/or personalities of the main characters?
5. Where is the story set? Is the setting important to the plot? Do other setting descriptions, such as weather, contribute to the story?
6. Does the author use diction and vocabulary that applies to children 2-5, 6-10, or 11-15 years of age? What are some examples of words that hints at the audience age?
7. Does the author have a moral/value that they are trying to spread? What value is this? Is this value/moral relative to the time period the author was living in? Is it still relavent today?
8. Are there pictures in this book? How do the pictures contribute to the story?

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #3:

“I’m here to take Sally Mae into the real world and teach her real skills,” she hollered at Daddy. “She needs to learn how to hold her own in real life, not just twiddle her around her own house, picking daisies and stirring soup.”
“She’s my only ray of sunshine,” protested father, “you can’t take her.” But there was no hope; Daddy had no power over Victoria, as hard as he may fight. She was powerful and threatening.
“We will leave in the morning, tell her to pack her bags,” Victoria scowled.
“I don’t want to go. NO! I will not leave!” Sally Mae screamed. Yelling with all her might, she realized it was useless. Sally Mae was going to have to fix this problem on her own.
Pack her bags she did, but not for Victoria. She was going to leave that night and escape out her doomed future. She wanted to be with nature and the birds, not in the world of merchants and business. When the moon was high she crawled out of her window. Chirping to the birds, she explained she needed a new home, one without Victoria. She was going to miss her house made out of beautiful stones, and pulled some off of the window sill to take with her.

Previously from Sally Mae:

Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.
Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple Rolls Royce. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake. She strode right past Sally Mae and didn’t even recognize her existence.

Meet Samantha: An American Girl

What I found most interesting in this book was the way that Samantha, a young girl of nine years, was treated and expected to behave. What hit me most when reading this was how much her ideal behavior could impact young readers. As a young lady of position, she wasn't ever expected to work or make her own living, compared to Nellie, a girl of the same age who has a cough from working long hours in the factories. The author created a nice parrallel between the characters of the two girls- they come from completely different backgrounds but at heart, they are both little girls who are up to mischief and enjoy the company of dolls. Finally, one thing found in this book characteristic of tales such as Hansel and Gretel was the rebellion that was portrayed in child. Samantha snuck out of the house and disrespectfully spoke to her Grandmary, but she went unpunished for her defiance. On the contrary, she was rewarded and given a hug.

Popular Children's Cartoon Characters

For my next journal, I've created a word tile of popular children's cartoon characters. What's interesting to me is that when I was growing up ten to twelve years ago, most of these characters were still in book form, such as the Berenstein Bears, Franklin the Turtle (I also had a stuffed animal that was him), Angelina Ballerina, and Barney and Friends. Now, there are websites and TV shows centered around these characters and many more.

The following is a word bank for the puzzle:
Berenstain Bears
Dora the Explorer
Rolie Polie Olie
Franklin the Turtle
Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
Blue's Clues
Big Comfy Couch
Care Bears
Bob the Builder
Barney and Friends
Angelina Ballerina

The following is a link to the puzzle I created:
http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/code/BuildCrissCross.asp

The following is an image of the cross word:

GrimmFairyTales.com Review

After looking around on their website, I thought that the Brothers Grimm website was peculiar. The opening page portrays the brothers as "grimm"-ugly and monstrous looking. Clicking on the "Featured Story" link, it was possible to flip through an interactive book that contained a children's story. There were many ads and lots of excess writing and I didn't feel like that page was very child friendly. However, I did feel like the "The Brothers Grimm" link contained useful information about the history of the Grimm brothers. I don't think the "Grimms Tales" link was accurate because it only contained two links to stories I had never heard of. If a child was researching the Brothers Grimm, this would be very misleading about what stories they had collected. Lastly, I appreciated that there was a link to fun activities, however, they weren't offered by the GrimmFairyTales website, it was instead a link to another server. Overall, I didn't feel like this website was a very helpful page and wouldn't hold it very reliable.

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment #2


Around the house Sally Mae was a help to her father. She knew how to tend to a garden and fix supper for her father. She commonly took charge of her mother’s duties; her mother was a business woman who traveled around the world selling jewelry and gems much like the ones her house was formed out of. Sally Mae hardly ever saw her mother and relished the few days she had with her.
One fine July morning Sally Mae leaped out of the door with joy at the sight of her mother’s deep purple Rolls Royce. When the chauffeur opened the door, her smile faded and her enchantment disappeared. Her mother’s aide, Victoria, stepped out. Victoria had never liked Sally Mae and only put up with her for her jobs sake. She strode right past Sally Mae and didn’t even recognize her existence.



Previously from Sally Mae:

Once upon a time there lived a girl named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful girl. She had flowing blonde hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.

Tales From The Homeplace

For one of my outside readings, I chose "Tales From the Homeplace" by Harriet Burandt and Shelley Dale.  Burandt is a storyteller and Dale collected her stories and wrote them down.  All of the stories in the book did occur at some point, not necessarily with the same characters but they did happen.  

What I thought was interesting was the historical context of it.  In this book, set on a Texas farm, it is during the Great Depression, so business is hard.  President Roosevelt is referred to several times as well as prohibition.  What was also interesting was other objects that were described that set time plot, such as getting a new and unfamiliar Ford, getting an indoor toilet instead of an outhouse, and a girl's position in life.  That was one of the heavily stressed themes-a girl's place in life.  She was to cook, clean, feed the chickens, and tend to the garden.  Irene, the defiant main character, fought against this status quo and was eventually allowed to drive the wagon all by herself.  Several times in the book she was the heroine, such as killing the rattlesnake, chasing off a panther, and escaping a fugitive.

The Poisonous Mushroom

On Friday I visited The Houston Holocaust Museum.  While there, the docent explained to us about literature in Germany during the Holocaust era.  For example, many of the Jewish books were burned and destroyed.  New books published by the "master" race were produced and distributed.  Specifically, one book that I learned about was "The Poisonous Mushroom."  This book was written for and distributed to German children.  

Here is a clip from the book: "The following tales tell the truth about the Jewish poison-mushroom.  They show the many shapes the Jew assumes  They show the depravity and baseness of the Jewish race.  They show the Jew for what he really is:

The Devil in human form"

What was interesting to me was the use of children's literature as propaganda.  I don't think we realize how much of an influence the books children read have on their lives and future stereotypes.

The following is a link to the image of the cover pages:

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/images/giftpilz/scan1.jpg

Sally Mae and the Flooding River

Installment No. 1:

Once upon a time there lived a named Sally Mae. She grew up in a house made out of gemstones all folded together. Her favorite stone was sapphire because of its deep color and the way it sometimes formed a star. She also loved it because her daddy always told her it matched the color of her eyes.
Sally Mae was a very beautiful . She had flowing hair, which she always wore in braided plaits as was the fashion. She wore a dress every day, all different colors of the rainbow: pink, purple, light blue, and pale green, always with a white ribbon tied around her waist in an overflowing bow. Sally Mae enjoyed spending time outdoors, talking with the birds and chipmunks about where they had traveled to and what they had seen. She also loved smelling the flowers, especially orchids- those were her favorite.

Big Fish & How I Go

The book, Big Fish, by Daniel Wallace has the tagline, "An adventure as big as life itself." The story is in fact about a man's life, and how he is not actually a man, just born that way. He was intended to be a fish, as he ends up becoming. I didn't read this for one of my outside readings, but I was listening to a song the other day titled "How I Go" sung by Yellowcard. I realized that the lyrics almost seem to be written about this book. They are as follows:
~
I could tell you the wildest of tales
My friend the giant and traveling sales
Tell you all the times that I failed
The years all behind me the stories exhaled.

And I'm drying out
Crying out
This isn't how I go

I could tell you of a man not so tall
Who said life's a circus and so we are small
Tell you of a that I saw
I froze in the moment and she changed it all

Hurry now
Lay me down
And let these waters Flow, flow

Son I am not everything
You thought that I would be
But every story I have told
Is part of me

Son I leave you now but you have so much more to do
And every story I have told is part of you
~
His entire life the main character is trying to make it back to the water. In his final days, according to the description in the text, he is drying out like a fish, and as the lyrics of this song suggest. What's also relevant is that the character in the book attempts traveling sales, participates in a circus, meets a that changes his life, and has a giant for a friend.

This song has given me inspiration that there is another outlet of children's literature in music. Being musically inclined, it's neat to realize that I can turn literature for children into a differnet medium but still capture the meaning.

Roald Dahl- Bibliography

After reading about Roald Dahl for half an hour, I've learned that he is a very interesting person. Born and raised most of his life in England, he first began writing at the age of twenty six and published his first book in 1943. It was, surprisingly, written for s, but has been transformed into a common tale for children, James and the Giant Peach. The same year he did publish a picture book The Gremlins. His writing for children didn't really take off until the sixties, when he wrote favorites such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and other tales that are not as common but just as good.

Dahl's personal life is interesting as well. He married an actress, Patricia Neal, and they had five children together, the first dying at the age of seven. His first wife suffered from three strokes that occured one after another while she was pregnant. Fortunatly, he spent time devoted to her recovery and the child was born without complications. Still, one of his stepdaughters died due to a brain tumor. His children had a huge impact in his life and allowed him to tap into the creative side of writing that made him successful.

One last thing that I thought was rather intriguing was his passions. He loved orchids for thier uniqueness but also for the patience and attention they must be given to grow. He also enjoyed paintings by well known artists, including Cezanne. Living in the inventive time of chocolate, he enjoyed eating Caramello's, Aero's, Kit Kat's, Rolo's, and Smarties. Most of these are still common chocolates in Britain today. Lastly, he had a passion for conkers. Apparently, conkers is a game played by children in England. The player uses nuts that are commonly known in the US as chestnuts.

Source: http://www.roalddahl.com/

My Purse

I read a book intended for ages 3 and up and it was very interesting to notice the way the book encourages feminism.  In another class I'm studying diversity found in children's toys.  For example, all girls dolls are girls or attractive, hip men and all boys dolls are G.I. Joes or another fighting, stereotypical masculine male.  I found those same stereotypes in these children's book.  One of my favorite children's books when I was growing up, "My Purse" takes the reader through a day out shopping, buying girlie earrings, a birthday card with a unicorn and rainbow, and walking her through everything she has in her purse, including a mirror, comb, sunglasses, and tissues.

I feel like the main point of this book is to show girls what they're supposed to be like  It encourages a pink and purple loving, make-up wearing purse carrying girl to grow up and play the historical role of a girl.  It's a plain and simple child's book, with no hidden lessons or metaphorical messages.

Sydney White

I watched the modern version of the Snow White fairy tale, a movie called Sydney White with actress Amanda Bynes. The story was about a girl going to college trying to join the same sorority that her mother had been a part of, however the president of the chapter played the role of the evil stepmother, refusing to let her in. Sydney takes shelter in "The Vortex," a house on Greek row that's known for "sucking in losers." The seven "dorks" that live there take on the roles of Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, and Bashful. Sydney eventually runs for president of the school, against Rachel Witchburn, the sorority president who has conquered everything else. Various other illusions, such as Tyler Prince (the boy they're fighting over), a poisoned apple (except it was a virus on an apply computer), and the evil stepsisters, occur in the movie.

I thought this was a very intersting take on the classic Snow White story. It was unique and different in that it was aimed at a teenage audience, not so much a child's audience and the parents reading the stories to them. What I thought was interesting was the choice of Amanda Bynes as the Snow White character- her sense of humor put a twist on the story and created humor throughout the most dreadful parts.

Fairy Tale Crossword

Hansel & Gretel Disscusion Prompt Response

%3Cem%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3Ageorgia%3Bcolor%3A%239999ff%3B%22%3EBecause+we+were+taking+time+to+complete+the+seating+chart%2C+we+never+had+a+chance+to+discuss+Hansel+and+Gretel.++However%2C+I+think+it+is+interesting+that+the+conflict+in+Hansel+and+Gretel+always+occured+between+the+children+% +yet+sly%29+and+the+wicked+inhabitant+of+the+house+in+the+forest%2C+whether+it%27s+an+ogre%2C+ogress%2C+or+wicked+witch.++The+evil+inhabitant+is+always+outsmarted+%28espeically+in+Molly+Whuppie%29+and+the+children%2C+who+aren%27t+supposed+to+have+power+over+elders+but+contrarily%2C+be+respectful%2C+seem+to+get+away+in+the+end+not+only+alive+but+with+pockets+full+or+reward.++%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%0D%0A%3Cem%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3Ageorgia%3Bcolor%3A%239999ff%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%0D%0A%3Cem%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3Ageorgia%3Bcolor%3A%239999ff%3B%22%3EThe+other+type+of+Hansel+and+Gretel%2C+such+as+The+Juniper+Tree%2C+The+Rose+Tree%2C+and+Pippety+Pew%2C+cast+the+mother%2C+or+step+mother%2C+as+the+evil+villan.++Not+only+does+she+strike+down+the+child+and+the+proceed+to+eat+him%2Fher%2C+she+also+convinces+the+father+figure+that+it%27s+alright.++Yet+still%2C+the+child%2C+who+is+ +yet+surprisingly+witty%2C+outsmarts+the+mother%2C+who+should+have+known+better.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%0D%0A%3Cem%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22color%3A%239999ff%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%0D%0A%3Cem%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22color%3A%239999ff%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%0D%0A

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

I+found+this+story+very+humorous.++As+we%27ve+been+reading+several+fversions+of+other+fairy+tales+in+class%2C+I+thought+this+would+be+interesting+to+compare+with+in+terms+of+how+stories+get+manipulated+by+modern+writers.++Scieszda+did+something+very+unique%2C+taking+on+the+story+from+the+wolf%27s+perspective%3B+as+it+turns+out%2C+he+was+actually+framed+for+blowing+down+the+houses%2C+and+really+didn%27t+mean+to.%0D%0AAt+the+beginning+of+the+story%2C+through+the+introduction%2C+we+learn+that+we%27re+hearing+it+from+the+wolf.++With+the+sentence%2C+%22Way+back+in+Once+Upon+a+Time+time...%22+we+get+the+setting+of+a+classic+fairy+tale.+%28Pg+6%29++However%2C+the+reader+already+knows+that+it%27s+going+to+be+different+than+the+classic+tale+so+it+becomes+an+original+clash+between+the+two.%0D%0AI+thought+the+language+of+this+story+was+interesting.++On+page+eight%2C+Scieszka+uses+the+term+%22bright%22+to+describe+intelligence%2C+which+gave+the+story+a+very+modern+tone.++Other+diction%2C+such+as+% +as+a+doornail%22+%28Pg+14%29+and+%22porker%22+%28Pg+21%29+gave+the+idea+that+the+author+not+only+wanted+to+appeal+to+children%2C+but+to+the+parents+or+guardians+who+are+reading+the+book+to+children.++The+sense+of+humor+associated+with+these+words+is+on+a+more+mature+level.%0D%0AI+also+personally+found+the+ending+humorous%2C+that+the+wolf+had+apparently+been+framed.++Another+thing+I+noticed+was+that+after+being+in+prison%2C+and+aging+by+the+looks+of+his+beard%2C+he%27s+still+asking+for+a+cup+of+sugar+for+his+granny%27s+cake%2C+who+is+more+than+likely+ .

Reflection on Fairy Tales

After reading several versions of Little Red Riding Hood, I was shocked at how vulgar and corrupted they were. The Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White that I grew up with did not involve a little stripping or a heart and liver being torn out and eaten.
Because I was so repulsed, and because, as I've recently noticed, I enjoy talking about and reflecting on what I've learned, I read some of the more crude versions of Red Riding Hood such as "The Story of Grandmother" to my friends. The ual inuendos in the latter part surprised my friends and several of them were grossed out. The having an "automatic" and her having "two wolfskin coats...[and] a pigskin travelling case" just about blew me away. My circle of friends definitly did not grow up hearing those versions, and we all felt scarred for hearing them. Our children will definitly be learning censored versions of those stories.

Outside Reading List

Outside Reading List

Book 1: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!
Author: Jon Scieszka
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date: January 25, 2008

Book 2: My Purse
Author: Pam Lentz
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date: February 3, 2008

Book 3: Tales from the Homeplace
Author: Harriet Burandt and Shelley Dale
Picture Book? No
Posting date: February 11, 2008

Book 4: Meet Samantha: An American
Author: Susan S Adler
Picture Book? No
Posting date: February 19, 2008

Book 5: Mr. Tickle
Author : Roger Hargreaves
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date: March 1, 2008

Book 6: Charlotte's Web
Author : E.B. White
Picture Book? No
Posting date: March 3, 2008

Book 7: Charlie Brown's All-Stars
Author: Charles M Schulz
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date: March 27, 2008

Book 8: Green Eggs and Ham
Author: Dr. Seuss
Picture Book? Yes
Posting date: April 6, 2008

Book 9: Number the Stars
Author: Lois Lowry
Picture Book? No
Posting date: April 10, 2008

Book 10: The Story of Rob Roy
Author: David Ross
Picture Book? No
Posting date: April 14, 2008