Icebergs and Glaciers by Seymour Simon

1. Bibliography:

Simon, Seymour. 1987. Icebergs and Glaciers. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. ISBN: 0688061869

2. Summary:

In this book, Seymour Simon begins with a simple snowflake and ends up with a glacier. Through simple paragraphs and detailed pictures, the reader discovers how a snowflake is one crystal that when joined together with many other snowflakes can create snow, which creates ice, which forms blocks of ice known as glaciers. After learning about the formation, the reader then finds out what happens with a glacier's movement, type, changes.

3. Analysis:

The book is twenty years old. In the last twenty years, much news has been made about global warming and the melting of ice caps and glaciers around the globe. With this new trend, a book written twenty years ago is outdated and archaic. However, this does not render the book totally useless. Its easily understandable text makes the book a great explanation for how glaciers are formed while Its simple sentences like "All glaciers move in both ways" are short sentences designed to keep scientific (and often complex) ideas simple for early students to not only read but also understand.

The pictures are vivid for the 1980s, but today's children are used to bolder and clearer pictures with the technology we have today. However, the choice of keeping the background all white adds to the glacier look as do the block letters, which give the feel of the blocks of ice.

Overall, while the book is clear, well-written, and informative ,the information presented is just outdated. In fact, I checked this book out from the library where I teach, and it's interesting to note that the book has only been checked out twice since 1990 according to the stamps in the back of the book. One of these dates in the last 17 years is the date when I checked it out! Perhaps this is a book that could be revised with today's facts and pictures from our new technology.

4. Reviews:

School Library Journal: "This one would almost be worth adding to collections for the spectacular illustrations alone, but Simon's lively and informative text makes the book even more impressive." Jonathan Betz-Zall, Sno-Isle Regional Library System, Marysville, Wash.

5. Connections:

Because of the book's age, I don't know if it would be currently useful. However, if a class was discussing global warming and glaciers today, it would be interesting to compare it to the knowledge shared in this book to see how things have changed in twenty years.

The Tarantula Scientist

1. Bibliography:

Montgomery, Sy. 2004. The Tarantula Scientist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0618147993

2. Summary:

In this book, Sy Montgomery follows scientist Sam Marshall as he travels to French Guiana's rainforest on a quest to find out more about tarantulas. The book begins with Sam's quest to find the tarantulas, analyze their habits and living conditions, and ends with his return to the lab to study his findings. Readers not only learn about the research involved but also about tarantulas.

3. Analysis:

Sam Marshall is one out of four or five scientists world-wide who study tarantulas, so this book is an important tool for learning more about tarantulas and the study of them. Sy Montgomery 's challenge is to take detailed scientific research and to make it understandable (and interesting) to kids. She systematically does this in a few simple ways. First, the font is fun. It's not typical font for what kids would see as a "science" textbook. Its thin but sometimes crooked letters almost look like spiders' legs, which sets the feel of the book. Second, the difficult words are accompanied by a phonetic spelling so that kids are not daunted by words such as arachnologist ("ar-rack-NAWL-o-gist"). That is a helpful took to a kid who has not clue how to say the word (and spellcheck has no suggestion for its spelling). The third way is that difficult concepts for younger kids like how the animals are divided into kingdoms, which are further divided, are compared to things like separating clothes--fancy from play, etc. This helps kids relate a harder concept to something they do in their own room.

Because the book follows Sam on an expedition into the rainforest and includes many quotes from the scientist himself, the book clearly demonstrates the passion Sam feels, which gets the reader interested as well when he cracks jokes like, "If life gives you worms, make spider bait," as he is trying to entice a spider out of her burrow. When there's a quote from Sam, saying, "She's a regular eight-legged Martha Stewart," the reader laughs and knows exactly what the spider is like, which connects the text to the reader.

Instead of organizing the book in chronological order of Sam's expedition or by topic, the book seems to jump around from telling about the tarantulas, back to the jungle, then to the research, and then to different types of tarantulas. Comprehension of the facts in the book would be aided by better organization. I could see this book being used as a source for a science paper or science fair project, and better organized (and labeled) chapters would aide in finding specific information.

The pictures are fabulous. The photographer, Nic Bishop, captures the tarantulas in their natural habitat. He captured some wonderful shots of the tarantulas shedding their skin and kicking up dirt in anger. These vivid pictures add to the written description of Sam's findings.

4. Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews: "Bishop's phenomenal photos show spiders mating, shedding their skin, even leaping through the air. It's enough to make Miss Muffet fall in love." (Nonfiction. 8-14)

School Library Journal: "Informative, yes, but even more important, this is a vivid look at an enthusiastic scientist energetically and happily at work, both in the field and in the lab, questioning, examining, testing, and making connections. A treat, even for arachnophobes." -Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

5. Connections:

This would be a fabulous book to have in a science classroom. The pictures are great visuals to go along with science lessons. Also, since the pictures are all taken in the natural habitat, students would get to see exactly how the spider lives.

Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George

1. Bibliography:
George, Kristine O' Connell. Ill. by Lauren Stringer. 2005. Fold Me a Poem. New York: Harcourt Inc. ISBN: 0152025014

2. Summary:
In this collection of short (some are haiku but not all) poems, Kristine George uses origami foldings as inspiration for poems. A young boy creates origami animals throughout the day. The boy's vivid imaginations takes readers to a place where pieces of paper can become anything a creative mind wishes them to be.

3. Analysis:
The idea of the origami is catchy. I read the book to two five-year-olds. They immediately started talking about how they made origami at school and wanted me to show them how to make all the different animals presented in the story.
The book follows the creator of the origami throughout his day, starting with the rooster who starts the day off and ending with a mystery noise ("Is someone dancing?") while the boy goes to sleep with an origami animal in his hand. Young readers will recognize the daily habits of waking up, taking a bath, and going to sleep as the same things they do. With that recognition, they will also see how creative the boy is with even the most mundane experiences.
My favorite poem is "Tub," but I could not tell you specifically why. I think it is because the lines "I hope these boats will float. The shore is lined with passengers" grab me because the child is so involved with his pretend world that it follows him everywhere just like a good idea or dream that I have will follow me through the day. The first time I read through the book, I thought it to be boring except for this poem. The second and third read caused me to like the book more as I saw past its simplicity to it's creative meaning.
The illustrations are bright and eye-catching. Kids are drawn to bright colors, and these will grab their attention. The background of each page is pretty bland or monotone, which allows the origami creations to really pop and to stand out as the true part of the book. The first time I read it, I barely read the words because I was intrigued by the colorful designs. The pictures also express the idea that people must be involved in creativity and ideas by showing the boy manipulate the "boring" paper into something beautiful and unique.

4. Reviews:
Publishers Weekly:"This unusual poetry volume is a dazzling celebration of imagination." Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Review:"There are no step diagrams, so this engrossing collaboration is more a motivator than a teaching resource-but Stringer supplies a list of classic titles for beginners at the end, and (librarians: be warned!) the square, brightly colored end papers make tempting, oh so tempting starter sheets." (Picture book/poetry. 6-9)

5. Connections:
This book would be a great introduction to poetry because the short poems are catchy and easy to imitate. They would not be overwhelming to students. In this module, we've learned that many people are intimidated or bored with poetry, so this is a nonthreatening way to start learning about poems.
It could also be used in an art class as an introduction to origami.

Awful Ogre's Awful Day

1. Bibliography:
Prelutsky, Jack. Ill, by Paul O. Zelinsky. 2001. Awful Ogre's Awful Day. New York: Grennwillow Books. ISBN: 0688077781

2. Summary:
This collection of poems introduce readers to Awful Ogre's world. Through the 18 poems, readers are taken from the beginning to the end of Awful Ogre's awful day. Awful Ogre encounters many situations like dancing, eating, writing a letter, and talking to neighbors that readers themselves experience except his day has an "awful" twist.

3. Analysis:
This book is a hit for boys (and those girls) who love gross stuff! The collection starts with a bang in "Awful Ogre Rises." Readers get a clear mental picture of Awful Ogre who is awakened by his rattle snacks. Lines like "My rats attack me as I rise but scatter when I roar" and "I tickle my piranha who rewards me with a bite" give readers a clear picture of this strange Ogre's life. However, the bizarreness of his morning awakening makes the reader want to turn the page.
The book is cleverly written with phrases like "Scream of Wheat" and "You're truly perfection, demure and petite, just fourteen-foot-four from your head to your feet." The final poem "Awful Ogre's Awful Dream" cleverly contradicts the normal view of a great day by having Ogre end his day with a nightmare where "The sun's an orange circle, and the sky's a brilliant blue. Bees are buzzing busily, and roses show their blooms."
The illustrations for this book definitely add to the book. The pictures accompanying the poem "Awful Ogre's Breakfast" perfectly illustrate the poem. As Awful Ogre feasts on Scream of Wheat, the picture shows an open, screaming mouth inside the bowl as Awful Ogre is smiling happily at his meal. The picture for "Awful Ogre Speaks of Stature" is definitely in touch with the young boy readers as the picture shows Awful Ogre's snot dripping out of his nose onto the small elves and gnomes who are calling him grotesque. Talk about payback!
My three-year-old nephew did not want me to read the book to him. He grabbed it and immediately began talking about the pictures, making up his own story! My seven-year-old niece asked me if she could read it on her own. On the sticky note I gave her, she wrote,"I think he's weird, disgusting, and lazy." (The spelling was changed for the blog!)

4. Reviews:

Publishers Weekly: "Prelutsky uncorks his latest collection of light verse, a divinely wretched celebration of subversity. Every detail of Awful Ogre's day offers possibility for gross-outs, from sunup ("I flick aside the lizard/ Clinging grimly to my chin,/ And now I feel I'm ready/ For my morning to begin") to sundown (a sly swat at Goodnight Moon as Awful Ogre drifts off to sleep with "Good night to furtive spiders/ That lurk in murky wells./ Good night to loathsome vermin/ With nauseating smells")."Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

5. Connections:
This book would be a good one to read to the class to get them to enjoy the book. Through out this module, we as students have learned that many people don't enjoy poetry and seem intimidated by it. Reading a fun collection like this is sure to get students, especially boys, engaged in poetry. They may even be inspired to write a poem themselves!