It's a Book

It's a Book is written by Lane Smith and is a New York Times bestseller.

 

 

This book made me laugh out loud!  It is a great conversation between a monkey and a jackass about just what a book is.  The jackass is very much plugged in and wants to understand a book the way he understands tweeting, texting, and computer skills.  The monkey is very patient and lets him know that it does nothing that technology can do as because "It's a book."  Such a simple message, yet very profound.  I would like to share this book at the beginning of class this year with my 6th graders and see if they can get the underlying message that the jackass learned about the value of a book in a digital world.

 

Smith, L. (2010). It's a book . New York: Roaring Brook.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is written by J.K. Rowling and is an A.L.A. Notable Book as well as a challenged book.

 

 

  This final installment in the Harry Potter Series is definitely my favorite.  While I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series, this book for me was the best one for the balance it has in all of the elements present in the previous six books.  After my latest and fourth read of the book, I have come to apprciate the complexity in the characters and their relationships with one another.  The serious nature of their quest for the horcruxes consumes them but still leaves room for things like  feelings of jealousy and questions of loyalty between the characters.  Each time Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to move locations or make a new discovery, the writing takes me to the actual place and time, and it is like I am there to experience the joy and pain of it all.  The feeling of revenge lays thick in the air of the book as the deaths of many key people in Harry's life must be avenged by "the one" and he must face Voldemort in a final battle.  Each time I read the book, my pulse quickens as I get involved in the story and even comment loudly about the choices Harry makes, good and bad.  I find myself in this world of descriptive writing and creative vocabulary and get lost in the words on the pages.  This entire series is one that I will read over and over again, and I think the final book, with a little humor and sarcasm, adventure, and magic is the perfect end to a fantastic journey.

 

Rowling, J. K., & GrandPré, M. (2007). Harry Potter and the deathly hallows . New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

A Tale Dark and Grimm

A Tale Dark and Grimm is written by Adam Gidwitz and is a New York Times Bestseller.

The title says it all for this book as the tale is definitely dark and Grimm as in the Grimm Fairy Tales.  Anyone who has read a Grimm tale knows that it is nothing like a typical fairy tale.  This particular tale has a twist to it as it takes the story of Hansel and Gretel and basically follows them through their own story as well as crossing over into some of the other Grimm tales.  Their lack of trust from being betrayed by their parents gives them the fuel they need to keep on going in the face of danger and death.  The narrator's asides and conversations give a humorous twist to the book and keep the reader involved.  As I was reading, I could not help but think about students that I know who would love this book.  There was of course plenty of symbolism in the story as well as lessons that could be learned, and it was fun to go through the stories and see if I was correct in my assumptions as I followed the characters throught their adventures.

Gidwitz, A., Grimm, J., & Grimm, W. (2010). A tale dark and Grimm . New York: Dutton.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is written by Tom Angleberger and is on the Master List for the Texas Bluebonnet Nominees for 2011-2012.

 

 

 

     This was a very cute book which would make you think right away is some kind of mystery.  While it was not a mystery, it was a fun read as the story is told from several characters' points of view.  I enjoy books like that because I feel that they have a lot of voice in the writing.  This book really had a lot of voice and interactions with the characters.  It is definitley a book I think that upper elementary boys would enjoy as it has that kind of humor, and you can really get into the mind of how a boy that age would be thinking.  The Origami Yoda is a central figure that is kind of controversial, but it reminded me of cootie-catchers or fortune tellers the my friends and I played with at that age.  The Origami Yoda gave its advice the same way that a cootie catcher gave its advice, and the kids could choose to take it or not.  What was really interesting about this book was the characters.  As a teacher of 6th graders, it made me chuckle when I read some of the conversations the characters had with one another, as they sounded very much like conversations I hear in the classroom, in the halls, and on the playground. 

 

Angleberger, T., & Rosenstock, J. L. (2010). The strange case of Origami Yoda . New York: Amulet Books.

Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise is written by Jennifer L. Holm, and it is a 2011-2012 Bluebonnet Nominee and a Newbery Award Honor book for 2011.

     This book is an enjoyable read that transported me back in time and place to old Key West after the Great Depression where the main character, and 11 year old girl named Turtle, is sent to live with her cousins and aunt while her mother seeks out a job as a housekeeper in the Northeast.  Having never met her family before, Turtle experiences them for the first time without her mother, whom is the only person she has ever been with in her life.  While her outlook on life is a little more realistic than her mother's, she learns that this small community of family members can be home even without her mother there.  I really connected with this character in a few ways.  When I was ten, my mother decided we should move from my hometown, and where my immediate family lived, to a small town in Northeast Texas where she spent her childhood summers visiting her grandparents.  Much like Turtle, I walked into a small community where everybody knew of me and my family, but I knew nothing of them.  The culture shock I felt moving from a large city to a small town was mirrored in Turlte's experiences in Key West.  I will definitley recommend this book to my students for many reasons, but I love the way it ended.  A bit of a twist made what seemed like a neat and happy ending a little more messy than expected.

 

Holm, J. L. (2010). Turtle in paradise . New York: Random House.

 

Blue Lipstick

Blue Lipstick is a book of concrete poems written by John Grandits, and is a 2008 A.L.A. Notable Children's Book.

This is one of my most favorite poetry books ever!  I read it every time I see it in the library, and I even read some of them aloud for a reading camp wearing blue lipstick.  They are funny, and the young girl, Jessie, who has created them truly has the mind of a pre-teen girl.  The words and pictures created from them remind me so much of my daughters as pre-teens and some of the more sarcastic elements are phrases that I have also echoed aloud.  It is a fun read and a great book for concrete poetry examples, although a few of the poems are likely to result in quite a few giggles. 

Grandits, J. (2007). Blue lipstick: concrete poems. New York: Clarion Books.

The Uglified Ducky

The Uglified Ducky is written by Willy Claflin and illustrated by James Stimson.  It is the 2011 Bluebonnet Award winner.

This super-fun story is a great one to read out loud or with the CD that comes along with it.  It is a classic re-telling of Anderson's the Ugly Duckling with a bit of a twist that makes it comical and entertaining.  Listening to the audio and reading the story brought me back to a time when my two daughters were beginning to put their own ideas into words, and they would say things that sounded just right and made perfect sense to them.  Of course, we still laugh about the phrases today, and some of the words used in the story are very close to the ones they used many years ago.  When I read parts of it out loud to my seventeen year old, she said that it reminded her of the stories I would tell her about phrases they used. Of course, I love the lesson that it teaches and even older elementary kids could get an entertaining kick out of hearing this valuable lesson again.  The glossary and warning at the beginning of the book were a lot of fun to read through as well.  It would be a fun way to start a traditional literature unit!

Claflin, W., Stimson, J., & Andersen, H. C. (2008). The uglified ducky . Atlanta, Ga.: August House LittleFolk.

How Rocket Learned to Read

How Rocket Learned to Read is written and illustrated by Tad Hills and is a New York Times bestselling picture book.

This book was such fun to read and had a fabulous use of vocabulary, particularly the adjectives.  Reading the story reminded me of a few things in my life that I could make a connection to the text.  The yellow bird that outwits the dog was a reminder of sometimes how a teacher must first attract a student, especially a reluctant one, to a given topic before it can be taught.  The way Rocket went around spelling things was another connection I could make.  It reminded me of the time I was learning how to read.  I would walk around speling things the same way Rocket did, and I can remember loving the way the word "something" sounded when it was spelled.  S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G was a word that I would practice all the time, and I even made a song out of it.  Its underlying message really spoke to me.  In learning something new, you definitely have to walk before you can run.

Hills, T. (2010). How Rocket learned to read . New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Martin's Big Words

Martin's Big Words was written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier.  It is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, a Caldecott Honor Book, an A.L.A. Notable Children's Book Award winner, and an Orbus Pictus Award winner.

     This is a beautifully written biographical book about the life and times of Martin Luther King Jr.  It chronicles events from his life where he learned that working toward a goal, no matter how difficult, can be done in a positive way.  Inspired by quotes from King, the story flows through major events in the historical struggle for equal rights for everyone no matter their skin color.  The illustrations are a combination of watercolor pictures and collage that lend themselves perfectly to the symbolism the illustrator had intended.  His metaphor of stained glass windows weaves a perfect story throghout the book.

Rappaport, D., & Collier, B. (2001). Martin's big words: the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale is written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Michael Austin.  It is a 2008 Pura Belpre Honor Award winner for illustrations.

Exposition:  Martina and her grandmother are the main characters along with a host of other animals who are living in Havana, Cuba.

Conflict:  Martina is 21 dyas old and ready to search for a husband, but none seem to live up to her grandmother's standards or her test.

Rising Action:  Martina lets the word get out that the beautiful cockroach is on the lookout for suitors who will be her future husband, but she is worried when her grandmother tells her she must give them a test that will show their true colors.  Animal after animal comes calling, and none of them can pass her grandmother's test.

Climax:  Just when Martina is ready to give up, her grandmother shows her another suitor, Perez,  who has been around all along but has never been noticed.  Martina gets ready to give her the test, and he performs the same test on her instead.

Falling Action:  Martina passes the test and learns that his grandmother taught him about the test as well.

Resolution:  Martina's grandmother and Perez's grandmothers both watch as the two begin a courtshio that will surely lead to a happy marriage.

This adorable tale has amazing acrylic painted illustrations that lend themselves beautifully to the setting of the story.  The little details in the pictures like furniture and household items made from ordinary things like cans, combs, and stamps are created so that they blend in with the life of an insect, but also stand out with their Latin flare and writing.  It was a fun book to read and also can be used to teach figurative language with the way it plays with words. 

Deedy, C. A., & Austin, M. (2007). Martina, the beautiful cockroach: a Cuban folktale. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is written by Suzanne Collins.

Exposition:  Katniss, a sixteen year-old girl, who is the sole provider for her family is the main character and her sister Prim, best friend Gale, and her mother are secondary characters.  District 12 is one of the districts in Panem where the story is set.  Peeta is the boy chosen from District 12 to compete with and against Katniss.

Conflict:  All of the 12-18 year olds in each district have to attend a ceremony called the reaping.  At the reaping, one boy's name and one girl's name is called to be tribute to the Hunger Games.  At first, Prim's name is called but Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place.  The boy chosen was Peeta Mallark, and only one of them can survive all of Panem's Hunger Games. 

Rising Action:  Katniss and Peeta go to the Justice Building to say goodbye to their friends and families then take a train to the Capitol.  At the Capitol, all of the tributes are treated basically like celebrities and given a mentor, who is a previous winner, trained, and prepped for the Hunger Games.  At the start of the games, the tributes take advantage of killings at the Cornucopia which is filled with supplies until the Careers, tributes who have trained for the games, take the supplies for themselves.  Katniss and Peeta find themselves in many battles and just when it seems like Peeta has joined forces with the Careers, he helps Katniss escape being killed.  A  rule change in the game provides a twist where there can now be two winners from a district, so Katniss and Peeta end up helping each other in and out of many tight spots.  When the tributes number only three, they find they must outlive only one other to put an end to the games.  Katniss finally kills the other tribute and they think the games are over.

Climax:  Just when Katniss and Peeta think they have won,  they hear an announcement that now states there can only be one winner.  Torn between winning and making a statement, both competitors decide to kill themselves to put an end to such a controlling game.  As they take poisonous berries, the announcer states there are in fact two winners so the Capitol can maintain some control and keep the districts entertained.

Falling Action:  Katniss and Peeta return to the Capitol and get treatment for their injuries that were sustained.  A ceremony is planned for the winners' announcement and Peeta and Katniss have been seperated until the ceremony.  At the ceremony and following events, they must pretend they were taking the berries because they were in love and could not be apart, but Peeta has developed real feelings for Katniss.     

Resolution:  Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 and find that their romance facade might be real for more than just a presentation of the Hunger Games.

Literary elements that could be used with this novel are symbolism, flashback, and irony among many others.  What a fun read!

 

Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games . New York: Scholastic Press.

Twilight

Twilight was written by Stephenie Meyer.

Exposition:  This story takes place in Phoenix, Arizona and the dreary climate of a small town called Forks in Washington.  Bella and Edward are the main characters in the novel with their families and Jacob being secondary characters.

Conflict: Bella, a 17 year old girl makes a difficult choice to leave her home in Phoenix with her mother and moves to a place that is at odds with her own desire.  Shortly after her move she meets and falls in love with a vampire named Edward and must again make a choice to live the life she has always pictured for herself or cast all hopes of normalcy to be with the vampire she now loves. Making this choice creates a deep conflict between Bella and Jacob, her best friend who is a descendant of an ancient Indian tribe that has a historical struggle with the “cold ones”.

Rising Action: Though a constant struggle, Bella and Edward seem to be making their relationship work until a small group of nomadic vampires cross their path.  This creates an intense situation due to Bella becoming the immediate target of James, the leader of this nomadic group.

Climax: James tracks Bella and leads Edward and his vampire family through a deadly game of hide and seek working his way back to Phoenix where he intends to kill Bella.  Bella makes a decision to meet James alone at a ballet studio.

Falling Action: Edward and his family arrive in time to prevent Bella’s death and kill James in the process of protecting her. Though he was able to save Bella, Edward wants to keep her from more attacks in the future by removing himself from her life, but realizes that would be to hard on her.

Resolution: Bella and Edward return to Forks.  They attend her high school prom because he does not want her to miss out on any of her human experiences even though she seems to embrace the idea of becoming a vampire at his will.

Two literary elements that would be easy to teach with this novel are mood and the way the setting plays into it and character development as we see the characters grow and change with one another in the novel.

Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight . New York: Little, Brown and Co.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia was written by Katherine Paterson and illustrated by Donna Diamond.  It is a 1978 Newbery Award winner and is on the 100 Challenged Books List.

Exposition:  The story takes place in a small town near Washington during the 1970's.  Jessie Aarons and Leslie Burkes are the main characters, and their families and kids form school are the secondary characters.

Conflict:  Jess and Leslie both struggle to fit in and find their places in the world of 5th grade where the unwritten rules of their school society lead them to create a sanctuary from the outside world.

Rising Action:  Leslie is new in town and does not seem to fit in with the other kids in school.  Jessie befriends her and together they face bullies, their families' expectations, and the culture of the way things have always been in school.  Each of them comes from a different family background which opens their eyes up to how to appreciate another's differences.  Both of them are creative in their own right and escape their troubles in a made up land called Terabithia where they are the rulers and can be themselves without worrying about what anyone else thinks. 

Climax:  One day, Jessie is invited to see some sights in Washington D.C. with a favorite teacher of his and is remiss in not inviting Leslie to come along.  When he returns from what seems like a perfect day, as he feels like  he can be himself with his teacher, he walks into his own nightmare.  Leslie has drowned as a result of an accident while trying to get to Terabithia in Jessie's absence. 

Falling Action:  Jessie must deal with loss for the first time and struggles with his feelings and what people msut be thinking of him.  He wants things to get back to normal as soon as possible, but does not really embrace his normal existence either.

Resolution:  While Jessie will always have the memories of his and Leslie's time together, he has also found that her legacy is what she has left behind for him; a place to escape and a way to cope with all of the pressures in his life.  He makes his way through the stages of grief and finds that he is able to share their world with others as a way of honoring Leslie.

This is a wonderful story that uses figurative language richly.  Similes are one way the author chooses to be descriptive.  The main characters; lives are so vastly different from one another that it leads to a great compare and contrast activity in which students could get to know each other better.

Paterson, K., & Diamond, D. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia . New York: Crowell.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball was written and illustraded by Kadir Nelson.  It is the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for writing in 2009, and it also received the illustrating honor for the award in the same year.

  The history of the Negro Baseball League is told from the perspective of players in the league in this vivid recounting of the trials and struggles of a group of men who were not willing to give up on the game they loved.  From racism and prejudice to rugged travel conditions this retrospective told in the first person gives a detailed account of the players who loved the game and their experiences with all of the ins and outs and good and bad of playing in the league.  As a part of America's past, this book could serve as a historical presentation of the events and people that shaped a very big part of the sport of basesball.

 

Teaching literary elements with this book would be more of a challenge, but point of view and symbolism are two that could be easily done.  The illustrations in the book are beautiful oil paintings and add so much to the setting and characters and bring them to life.

 

Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.

Dave the Potter

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave was written by Laban Carrick Hill and Illustrated by Bryan Collier.  It is the Coretta Scott King award winner for illustrations in 2011 as well as a Caldecott Honor book form 2011.

    This book is a biographical story book about the life of Dave, a potter, slave, and poet who lived in South Carolina int he early 1800's.  The story is a small part of his life which centers on the pottery itself, and it chronicles how a pot was made from finding the clay, to throwing a pot on the wheel, drying it, ash glazing it and making his mark to let you know who made the pot.  It is very descriptive and the wonderful illustrations add so much to the character and the setting as well.

   Illustrated in watercolor and collage, the pictures tell a story all their own about the life of slaves on a plantation in South Carolina.  The use of real photographic images mixed with watercolor on paper in the collage brings the images to life in a way that will make you take more than one look at the book.  The research the illustrator put into his work about the life of Dave is obviously one of admiration as is obvious in the viewing of the pages.

Hill, L. C., & Collier, B. (2010). Dave the potter: artist, poet, slave. New York: Little, Brown.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a 1968 Newbery Medal winning novel that was written by E.L. Konigsburg.

Exposition:  The story takes place in Greenwich, Conneticut at first where the main characters, Claudia and Jamie Kincaid live with their family.  The story continues in New York City at the Metroplitan Museum, and eventually ends back up in Conneticut where they meet Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Conflict:  Claudia is feeling a bit taken advantage of by her family being that she is the oldest of four and the only daughter.  She decides to run away from home and brings one of her brothers along where they meet up with a mystery about a statue in the museum which may or may not have been sculpted my Michaelangelo.  Their new adventure is to solve the mystery.

Rising Action:  Claudia makes a detailed plan and brings Jamie along with her to runaway and live in the NYC Metropolitan Museum.  They work out and carry out the details which leads them to the museum and live there for several days before the statue of an angel is presented at the museum.  Intrigued by what they read about it in the paper, they begin their own search as to the discovery of its creator; after finding what seems to be clear evidence, they are left feeling rejected after sharing their findings and decide to go to the source of the statue, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Climax:  The kids encounter with Mrs. Frankweiler leads them to a cryptic search in her home for the answer to the statue mystery which is both compelling and relieving to them.

Falling Action:  The kids decide to keep the information they learn a secret in a deal they make with Mrs. Frankweiler.  They tell her every detail about their runaway adventure in exchange for a treasure they will gain in the future if they can keep her secret.

Resolution:  The kids return home to their parents having learned a few lessons and changing their perspective, which Claudia had been looking for in her whole idea to run away.  Their relationship with Mrs. Frankweiler is one that they will continue, and they will eventually be surprised to learn that their own grandfather is her lawyer and will oversee their gaining of the secret they have learned.

I read this book many years ago, so reading it again was fun.  I learned that there are many lessons that could go along with the book historically speaking, but foreshadowing and personification would be great when reading this story as well.  I can also see using Claudia's grammar corrections as mini-lessons in class about prepositions, double negatives, and subject-verb agreement. 

Konigsburg, E. L., & Konigsburg, E. L. (1967). From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, ([1st ed.). New York: Atheneum.

Goal!

Goal! was written by Mina Javaherbin and illustrated by A.G. Ford and is a Bluebonnet Nominee for 2011-2012.

Exposition:  The story takes place in a township of South Arfrica in a street lined with shanty style housing.  The characters are Ajani, Jamal, Hassan, Magubani, Keto, and Badu; a group of young boys whose heroes are their country's futbol team.

Conflict:  The group of boys wants so badly to be able to relax and play soccer, which brings them extreme joy, but must be on the lookout for bullies and other distractions who want to take their joy from them.

Rising Action:  Ajani must retreive water for his family in the evening, but he wants to take some time out to celebrate his reading success with his friends by playing soccer with the federation quality ball he has earned.  The streets are not always a safe place for them due to bullies, so they must be on constant watch for them by taking turns standing on rooftops as a guard.

Climax:  At the height of the game when a goal is being protested, the guard misses the bullies approach, and the boys are scared they will steal their new treasure, the ball, from them.

Falling Action:  One of the boys is able to hide the ball in Ajani's upside-down water pail just in time for the bullies to not see it.  The bullies make fun of the boys and steal their old, plastic ball so the boys pretend to cry out of saddness for the act.  The bullies think they have successfully crippled the boys game and leave.

Resolution:  The six boys are able to resume their game without fear of the bullies immediate attack, but ever on the lookout for them to return in the future.  While they play, they feel happy and as strong as their heroes.

The illustrations in the book are done in oil and play with the light in such a way that draws your eyes to the brightness of the characters in such a dull atmosphere.  The setting's feeling is echoed not only in the detailed pictures, but also in the use of repetition to get the feeling of just how unsettling the streets and alleys of the town are.

Javaherbin, M., & Ford, A. G. (2010). Goal! . Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

The Duchess of Whimsy

The Duchess of Whimsy written by Randall de Seve and illustrated by Peter de Seve is a Texas Bluebonnet Nominee for 2011-2012.

Exposition: The story takes place in the palace of the Duchess of Whimsy during a time when royals threw extravagant parties with lavish guests.  The Duchess of Whimsy, The Earl of Norm, and the Duchess' father are the main characters.

Conflict:  The main problem in the story is the Duchess' father, the King, needs his kingdom and the Earl of Norm's kingdom to be friendly with one another, and he wants his daughter to get to know him better.  She, however, thinks he is too plain and boring for her.

Rising Action:  The Duchess of Whimsy throws lavish celebrations and does everything a bit "over the top".  Most of her guests join in and celebrate with her, but the Earl of Norm represents everything normal and does not seem to enjoy the parties as much as everyone else.  The Earl tries in vain to get the Duchess' attention and the King reminds his daughter that he needs her to get to know the Earl, bit she is not interested.

Climax:  One evening the Duchess wanted to throw another party, but the cook became ill and the guests decided they wanted to try and cook themselves.  When the Duchess saw that the Earl made a grilled cheese sandwich and milk, she was put off at first.  Then she took a bite!

Falling Action:  After falling in love with the sandwich, she got to know the Earl a little more by talking with him.  They both learned things about one other that night.

Resolution:  In the end, they found out they had much more in common than they ever thought and they spent the rest of their days celebrating together.

The illustrations in this story are so entrancing and each time I look at the pages, it is like I see something new.  The drawings definitely help to establish the setting and define the characters through expressionism.  They are elaborate and add to the story in such a creative way.

The Dreamer

The Dreamer written by Pam Munoz Ryan and illustrated by Peter Sis is the 2011 winner of the Pura Belpre award for Latin works of literature.

   The Dreamer is a fiction story that is based on the life of Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda.

Exposition: The story is set in the early 1900's in a small town of Temuco, Chile.  Neftali is the main character, along with his family members; Laurita- his sister, Rodalfo- his brother, Orlando- his uncle, his father and stepmother.

Conflict:  Neftali's speech impediment, small frame, shy personality, and daydreaming qualities are some of the features that his overbearing father cannot understand or forgive and tries to change about him using any means possible.

Rising Action:  As the story begins, Neftali is a sickly, young boy who lives in the shadow of fear and disapproval of his demanding father.  He has an imagination, small body, and stutter that his father sees as signs of weakness, and he struggles with them on a daily basis.  Always wanting to gain his father's approval, he lives with the demands and tries to conform to what his father wants despite the way his father's cruel words hurt him and leave a lasting impression.  In this coming of age tale, Neftali finds himself challenged at every turn by his father's expectations when he goes on a day trip with him to work, and even on family vacations.  He turns to his older brother for help and advice, but finds only distance growing there since Rodolfo has also had to endure his father in the same manner and must also hide some part of himself away.  The summer vacation he spends with his family brings a closer bond between he and Laurita as he begins to assert his independence and feels himself growing stronger on the inside.  The strength he feels leads him to his writing where he escapes and his talents are showcased.  His uncle picks up on the talent, much to his father's disapproval and gives him a job at his newspaper, which leads to a tragedy and puts further distance between himself and his father.

Climax: The final straw for his father comes when he discovers that Neftali has written an article for a Santiago University publication that decries what his father's work has provided for him.  Neftali continues his uncle's work of speaking out for those who are unable to do so for themselves, and this brings his father to a boiling point where he destroys all of Neftali's writings and notebooks and demands that he stop and become a businessman in college.

Falling Action:  Neftali knows he can no longer bring disgrace to his father and assumes the name Pablo Neruda in his writings.  He goes to college and becomes a famous writer and poet whose writings touched everyone in all walks of life. He was awarded the Noebl Prize for Literature in 1971, and is considered one of the most well read poets of his time.

Literary Qualities:
1. One of the qualities that is supported by the writing is using figurative language.  The book is chock full of similes, metaphors, and poetic comparisons.

2.  Imagery is also found throughout the story.  From the poetic questions and observations that are present throughout the story to the words that are written to appeal to the sense of hearing, imagery is an ever-present quality.


Ryan, P. M., & Sís, P. (2010). The dreamer . New York: Scholastic Press.

Snowflake Bentley

Snowflake Bentley, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian, is a Caldecott Award winner from 1999.  It is told as two stories in one as biographical details are told to support the scenes in the story about the life of Wilson Bentley.

Exposition: The story is set on a family farm in Jericho, Vermont beginning in the 1870's and continues through the life of the main character, Wilson Bentley.  Other characters are his parents and older brother Charlie.

Conflict:  The main problem in the story is the Wilson wants to find a way to chronicle the details of a single snowflake  in print despite a lack of technology and the seeming lack of interest by his family and friends. 

Rising Action: Wilson is a young boy who loves nature and wants to capture the beautiful visions that is provides for all to see and appreciate.  His family helps him by offering support and a very expensive camera that could help him despite the naysayers in his community.  He has to endure harsh conditions and many failed attempts to capture images successfully.

Climax:  Despite the working conditions, Wilson was able to capture beautiful images of snoflakes on film so that he could show the world just how special and unique they really were. 

Falling Action:  Wilson shared photographs he had taken with everyone he could.  His love of nature lent itself to photographing the beauty of it during all seasons, and he eventually became published and well known for his works and expertise.  Although he bacame known as the "Snowflake Man", he spent more money on his passion than he eve made. 

Resolution:  At the age of 66, a book of his works was finally published thanks to help from fellow scientists, and he continued to look for more prizes in nature.  He died about a month after his book was published from symptoms of pneumonia that he developed while walking home six miles in a blizzard to take more pictures.

     This book's illustrations had a very antiqueted feel to them as woodcut images graced the pages.  The idea of two stories in one was supported by the fact that biographical information was printed in a different font and placed into bordered sections that were covered with images of snowflakes. The pictures and coloring of the images are both wonderful and lend themselves well to the story of his life. 

Martin, J. B., & Azarian, M. (1998). Snowflake Bentley . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.