Frances Hodgson Burnett

I thought before we talk about The Secret Garden, I could review the author to see what her background was like.
Frances Hodgon Burnett was born in 1849 in Manchester, England. Her father died when she was four, forcing her mother to run the family business. They were very poor. When Frances reached her teen years, she felt a responsibility to support her family. So she started writing short stories and selling them for money.
Her romantic life was less successful than her novels. She was married and divorced twice, both husbands treating her badly. One of them, Stephen Townsend blackmailed her into marrying him. He was also her agent, and 10 years younger. After watching her 15-year old son die of teburculosis, she went into a depression. Critics wrote about her messy life and finally went out of the spotlight in her older years. She died at age 74, in 1924.
The three books that she owes her success to are: "Little Lord Fauntleroy", "A little Princess," and "The Secret Garden."
http://www.northern.edu/hastingw/secretgarden.htm

I'm not sure exactly what Burnett's childhood was like, but I am assuming the Secret Garden has something to do with it, or with the high class English society. I have seen the movie but I am excited to read the book. The last book I will read in this class, sad but it feels so good!!

The Stinky Cheese Man

Before we discuss this book in class, I want to say some things about what I noticed in this book...

First, I noticed how the narrator, a small elf looking man, involves the reader through the entire book. For example, with the hen, or forgetting the table of contents, or criticizing the giant's tale for being stupid. I think this helps the reader to really feel a part of the stories as a whole, even if they are all different. And at the end, it also feels like the narrator and the reader are kind of a team, making sure the giant is asleep so he won't know the book is about to finish.

Second, I noticed how the authors used the text. Sometimes the text is normal, then its HUGE, then it is teeny tiny. I think they use the big text to show sarcasm or to be funny. For example, the ugly duckling's text is big. But all it says it that he was just an ugly duckling and The End. Because he is mocking the original tale, I find it amusing. (Or the Title Page) The text on Jack's Bean Problem is getting squished because the giant's foot is coming down. It gives the allusion that the bean stalk is squished. Or the text on Jack's story, where is starts big and gets really small. The repetition is where the text starts getting small. I think the variations with the text also helps the reader stay interested and alert.

Third, and most obvious is how the authors make fun of the original fairy tales, calling them "Faily Stupid Tales." The most obvious is the Stinky Cheese Man as the Gingerbread Man. But instead of wanting the little gingerbread cookie, everyone thinks the cheese man is revolting and wants nothing to do with him. Another is "Little Red Running Shorts" or "Cinderumpelstiltskin." I think these give a funny, new perspective on the fairy tales and what some people think of them. It broadens children's imagination on what could've happend in the original stories. Also the pictures are all dimented versions of animals. LIke the cow, the fox, or the hen.

There are more little things, but these are the biggens that I noticed in this book. I am interested in what Mrs. Robinson says about this book, because I found it rather amusing and stupid, which might be the whole point. =)

Snot Stew

"Snot Stew" was my last outside reading book! This was a very cute book, about cats who leave their momma to live in the world, only some people find them and take them in. A sister and a brother cat end up in the Burke's "barn" and explore the life of these things called "people." The children of the family start playing these games...basically fighting with each other. And the cats want to play too, so they start mimicing the humans. There is a game called "Snot Stew" where the boy and girl start fighting over what is theirs saying ..."Its mine", "is not" "is too" isnot" istoo" "snot" "stew." SO the cats start playing too. But this game goes too far and before long, the game becomes reality for the boy cat. It comes to bit him in the butt when the dogs gets him and it sends him racing for the vets office. In the end, the cats make up and decide never to play "snot stew" ever again.

This book was interesting because it stereotypes male and female roles, even in cats. The male is the proud one of never thinks he can be caught by the dog, so he keeps teasing him, even when his sister warns him. The girl cat is the one who is timid, shy, and cautious. And it is also interesting how the cats wanted to mimic the humans. Or how they understand certain human behavior. It reminds me of my dogs, because I always wonder what they are thinking. Or if they get into mischeif on purpose.
OVerall, this was a very cute book that I would recommend for any cat lover!!

Where the Wild Things Are

I guess this book was more of a boy thing, but I found what the Author DID with the book was pretty amazing. How the pictures got bigger then smaller. And how Max is basically a wild thing, until he comes to the realization that he misses home just being a little boy.

Another interesting thing about this book was how the conflict between mother and child was central to the story. I dont know about you, but when I was that little; I knew better than to be mad at my parents. But I did have that imagination that ran rampent sometimes. Unlike Max, I used to invision myself as a polar bear, (you know, like the coca cola bear) or a bird so I could fly around the yard, or in a fairy tale with my barbies!! I know I know, coming back to reality stinks, but I'm glad to come back, because I think that once we really ARE that thing we want to be; its not the same as just being ourselves. And I think that is what Max learns, there is no other place that Momma is gonna take care of you!! But I am really enjoying how these Authors are giving children room for imagination and to think outside the worldly box that adults try to portray. I am getting the idea that in a classroom is the same thing, that as teachers we should give that to our students. We should give them room for imagination, and not condemn them if something is not the way "we pictured it." To just let them have that would probably benefit them more than we know.

Chocolate Fever

Chocolate Fever was another one of my outside reading books! I liked this book very much, because I do'nt know about you, but chocolate is one of my biggest weaknesses. I am a sucker for chocolate! But this little boy, Henry Green, ate chocolate for every meal, and he like it dark, sweet, anything!! But one day he developed brown dots all over his body, which were full of pure chocolate! It made him feel sick and look ugly. So he ran away from the doctors, from his parents, and the mean bully's on the schoolyard. He ended up on a truck with Mac, driving to no where! They came upon a candy shop where the owner taught Henry a lesson. We can't always have what we want. Because too much of something can make us sick, and have Chocolate Fever. When Henry got home and was cured of his disease, Henry had the will power to reject chocolate syrup for his pancakes. It was a new Henry!!
But I also noticed at the end of the book...Henry decides to try cinnoman on his pancakes. He also think about putting the cinnoman on everything else..getting a little carried away. In this thought, he wondered if there was such a thing as Cinnoman Fever? But the last line, the author just says "What do you think?" I loved this because just like "The Cat in the Hat" it leaves this open for children's imagination to take place. They can believe there is such a thing as Cinnoman Fever, or they can choose to say there is no such thing! The important thing is, they have a choice. But we also learn that we can't always have what we want all the time.

The Cat in the Hat

I have always loved Dr. Suess books! Along with every other child in America. There's something he brings to every book that is original, funny, and with life lesson importance. My favorite part about this book "The Cat in the Hat" was the fact that the fish is the voice of authority throughout. And it is totally ironic because fish are those pets who stay in one corner for thier few weeks of life and no one really cares about it...the poor things. And it really is a miracle that his fragile little life is saved at the end of the book. But I liked this aspect because it gives children an "out of the ordinary" experience with creatures that don't do much of anything at all.
I went fishing today on Lake Somerville and we caught 8 fish! And I have to be honest, after watching Finding Nemo, I am alittle pretentious about killing and eating these creatures. It's not like they can fight back, even though they flop around until its too hard to breathe. You know they have no control over the situation, it is so sad and pathetic. But thats why the irony caught me today as we were fishing, that because these fish are so helpless, it makes the authority fish in the book so much more interesting!! And I really like how Suess gives children that imagination factor that anything can happen!

Picture Books

Chapter 4 Definitions of Picture Books
1. Picture Books- They convey message through a series of pictures with only a small amount of text. The Illustrations are as important as the text conveying the message.
2. PIcture Storybooks- Picture books with plot. Text and illustrations equally convey the story line.
3. Illustrated Books- for older children. Illustrations are extensions of the text and may add to the story, but not necessarily to convey its meaning.

Picture Storybooks (chapter 7)

Storytelling Elements

• Plots- simple and fast-paced. Rely on repetitive patterns.
• Characters- identified by clearly outlined traits.
• Character motivation is singular.
• Rely on dialogue
• Comic in tone, and have excitement or suspense.
• Protagonists are usually animals or children.

Conventions of Picture-Book Art

• Line- Used to define features and suggest emotional response. Examples: curves and circles suggest warmth and security, while zigzagging lines suggest excitment and rapid movement.
• Space- This is what draws our attention to objects on the page.
• Shape- Help to elicit emotional reactions such as comfort and security or agitation and confusion.
• Color- One of the most emotional artistic elements. Evokes emotional responses or cultural distinctions. Also, black and white is becoming more popular.
• Texture- Gives a flat surface the characteristics of three-dimensional surfaces.
• Composition and Perspective- Composition is the arrangment of details in the picture, or organization of the shapes. Perspective is the vantage point from which we see the objects on the page.

Design and Meaning in Picture Books

• Rhythm and Movement- There is rhythm as we move from page to page. Movement creates a starting and stopping pattern which the text must accomodate.
• Tension- Tension between what the words say and what the illustrations depict results in our interest.
• Page Layout- Pages that are wider than they are tall give more room for narrative illustration. And books that are narrow focus on character and diminish the setting.

Johnny Kellock Died Today

This is another one of my outside reading books. "Johnny Kellock Died Today" is about a little girl Rosalie, who ambitiously tries to find out where her cousin Johnny has dissappeared to. I was expecting him to die or something, but he does not. In reality, Johnny has just gone away from home due to an abusive father to try and find a better life for himself elsewhere. Rosalie's father, Norman, knows all along about Johnny's disappearance, but keeps money for Johnny incase he needs it.
The "Gravedigger" is a neighbor named David, who got his nickname from his job in the cemetary at night. Rumor has it that his mother died and he dug her up once. But once David is hired for summer help by Rosalie's father, he becomes Rosalie's sidekick in helping her find her cousin. As their relationship grows, she finds out that his mother drowned and he is not weird afterall, just a normal kid trying to deal with regular life issues like herself. Once Rosalie hears her cousin went missing, they embark on a series of journeys to the Ship Yard and elsewhere to find Johnny.

The book deals with issues coming from Rosalie being as young as she is. She tries to understand why the older people like her parents, don't tell her about things she feels she is old enough to understand, such as Johnny's decision to leave home. She calls it "sugar coating" the issue. They try to tell her everything is ok when she knows it is not. David is there to help her deal with the issues, and I even think a little romance is blooming. By the end of the book, the family comes together and finds that Johnny's birth certificate says "Johnny Kellock Died Today." This is not true because Johnny calls home that day. He just put it there so people would stop looking for him. Rosalie confronts her parents about telling her why he left, and they sort things out together.
This book was not my favorite of all, but it does paint a very good picture of issues little children can face, and how it can affect their lives. And they do want to feel a part of what is going on in life.

I love picture books!! I am very excited to study some of these picture books. While my parents were down for parents weekend, I showed them some of the books we are going to study and my mom was telling me how I read them when I was very young and so forth. Some of them I had no idea I read, but most of them I do remember! Some of my favorite picture books were:

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
The Rainbow Fish
Any Dr. Suess book
How Do I love you?

And so many more!! That last one is a tear-jerker. Every time I read it, I still cry. But anyway, I have such enjoyed the books we read in this class. I get really geeked up about most of them, which is strange but really fun at the same time. I am excited about reading the picture books. And it is always a plus that they are not very long!! Yay!

Lois Lowry

The Giver must have been a hard book to sit down and configure. To think about and exquisitly put together every detail to portray what to say to the readers. So I decided to research the Brilliant mind behind the book, Lois Lowry. She says that in every book she writes, there is a central theme that ties it together; that is connection to people, to each other, and the importance of being interdependent on the people around us.
What better way to say how much we need eachother than to picture a world where they DIDN'T need each other. They had no idea what it was like to depend on another human being, or feel anything for one another. That's not even imaginable in the life we live in today... at least for me.
Lois had a son who was a pilot for the U.S. Air Force, but died in the cockpit of an airplane during war. Even though it was devastating, it encouraged her to convey the importance of caring and upholding the interaction between ourselves and the environment. I completely agree with Lois Lowry. I believe her novel, The Giver, gave me a deeper sense of wanting to belong and love the people around me. This has a fabulous story and message and I think I will keep this book with me for a long long time. =)
(This information came from www.loislowry.com/bio.html)

The Giver

I just finished The Giver. I started it yesterday. 2 days. By the time I got half way, the book did not leave my hands. And I must say, the ending I had picked out for the book was not how I pictured it. At first I was angry at the ending, because I felt like much had been left out. Such as: what happend to the Giver, Jonas family, how did the community deal with all the memories? But after I let all my emotions sink in that this book seemed to snarl up inside of me, I think it was a perfect ending. Jonas HAD the courage to save himself and Gabe, and he had it for a long time, maybe even before he became the Reciever. And he had LOVE. The most important thing the Giver gave to Jonas. Because Love was absent from the community, nothing mattered to Jonas anymore. Saving this baby meant the world to him now.
After I was done, putting the book down in stunned silence; I had no idea what to think. I was in a state of pure happiness accompanied with sadness. I was so grateful that Jonas escaped to Elsewhere, saving himself and the baby; but sad for the lost people who knew absolutely nothing! It's like all I wanted to do was be with people who I loved and loved me. I yearned for Love in that moment because I felt wholehearted sadness for the community who had not experienced it. And yes, I may be getting a little too wrapped up in the story because its not real afterall. However, there really ARE people in this world who don't know Love like we do. How blessed are we!! Anyway, seeing as I could go on and on, I think this book was amazing...and seeing as we all endure memories like Jonas recieved, the beauty is that we all go through life together. So help each other out!! =D

The Hobbit

So I FINALLY finished the Hobbit...all 300 and something pages of it. Not gonna lie, I am super proud of myself for actually reading the entire book. That thing could be tedious to read by far! But i really really enjoyed this book! I thought I wouldn't, but I thoroughly did! The adventures and the characters were just so fun to me! The magical elements helped out a whole lot because it made it sort of like a fairy tale but not really...

I'm also glad I read this to put in perspective what the Lord of the Rings Trilogies came from. Its amazing how Tolkien's mind thought this way. What a brilliant man. There is nothing I did not like about this book, and that is pretty amazing, considering I don't really like the darker books with evil in them. But at least it ends happily and I really like Bilbo! =)
Until next time....

Hobbit House

I found this online and thought it was VERY interesting!!....

Rod Rylander lives in a cute little Hobbit House in Costa Rica. It's made out of adobe bricks, earth- materials from the site, and even paper clayche. It is actually in the side of a mountain..and his housing expenses are only $40 a month!! Here is a picture..

The front door is a big round hole that is sort of hidden in the picture..but it looks hard to climb into. I liked this because it gives me somewhat of a visual of Bilbo's Hobbit House. Even though it may not look exactly or anything like this, it is still good to see what a real life Hobbit House looks like. The info came from http://thinkorthwim.com/2007/08/31/rod-rylanders-hobbit-house/

The front door..^^^

The Hobbit

So I guess most of my predictions were wrong... The Hobbit, Bilbo, is not evil; and he is NOTHING like Goblins! Although there are Goblins in the book that resemble MacDonald's goblins very much so! Bilbo is the hero and I actually really like his character. But I was WAS right about evil to be overcome. The ultimate evil that has to be overcome on the dwarves journey is the Dragon Smaug. They do defeat him in the end, although it takes some guts and tremendous amounts of strength and courage. But leave it to Bilbo! He becomes the leader of the pack and a very changed little Hobbit by the end.

Even though this book has a lot of scary things in it, I think it can relate to children more than we think. First, it has got some major adventure going on here. Little boys would probably like that aspect more than girls. But there is also lots of magical elements, such as the Ring. It makes people invisible, and that is just cool! I think we all wish we could have one of those rings every once in a while, I know I would! Also, this thematic issue of Greed and love of wealth and treasure. Children can identify with that, not so much the money aspect, but wanting something very badly.
I have enjoyed The Hobbit more than was expected. Sometimes I can't put it down, and the fact that its long, makes me even more proud of myself! =)

Chasing Redbird

This is one of my outside reading books that I chose to read by Sharon Creech, author of Walk Two Moons. The story is about a young girl, Zinny Taylor, who finds a historical trail that links her to some unanswered questions in her life. The death of her Aunt Jessie and baby Rose haunted her guilty conscience and this finally could prove that it wasn't her fault, and she could find who exactly she is.

The Taylor's were known in their town, because there were so many kids to keep up with. Zinny was the quiet one who was always overlooked and never listened to. Her older sisters thought themselves better because they didn't collect things like stones, fossils, and bottle caps like Zinny. Finally, Zinny got her chance to prove herself in her summer long adventure to clear this 20 mile ancient trail. She camped out at the trail, finding more and more clues, like a madallion and ring, that led her closer to her Aunt Jessie's death. Aunt Jessie was called "Redbird" by her husband, Uncle Nate. After her death, Uncle Nate was always seen chasing his Redbird around, swearing he could see her, but never could catch her. This journey that Zinny partakes in, also chases Redbird because she knows Aunt Jessie is taking care of her and leads her to the final destination...the log cabin. These memories in the log cabin on the trail date back to when baby Rose and Zinny were inseperable and the memories right before Rose's death. She realizes the love Uncle Nate and Aunt Jessie had for Rose and Zinny, and that's all that really mattered. With the madallion, Rose was really calling Aunt Jessie home, and with the ring, Rose calls to Uncle Nate to get ready...

This story has an interesing Bildingsroman- coming of age story. Zinny grows up into the person she was fighting to be. Through her adventure to unlock the secrets of her past, she battles with emotions that let her see who she is. In the end, we see a mature, loving Zinny who stops trying to hide her feelings. She did something incredible to prove she could do it, but came out on the other side with so much more. A new love for her family and blessings from her past.

J.R. Tolkien

Unlike many of my peers that read The Hobbit in high school, I have not. Honestly, I've heard the book title a million times, but rarely heard anything about it. I also didn't know that Tolkien wrote the original Lord of the Rings as the sequel to The Hobbit. He was quite a man! This website I found said that he "created languages and socio-cultural contexts for these languages to develop. He based much of his myth-making on Christian, Celtic and Germanic sources to create his own internally consistent and contained cosmology. It was a process which took Tolkien twenty years." That had to take the man some brains...to create languages out of thin air.

Before reading this book, I have made some predictions about what I think it will be like. First, I think it will be darker than anything else we have read. Basing this judgment from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogies, I much would have prefered if they were 'lighter'. Second, the "Hobbit" in the story reminds me of something we have read before...the Goblins!! From "The Princess and the Goblin" by MacDonald, the hobbit just sounds like it is from a dark and evil place! Also, there has got to be some sort of quest or overcoming good to battle the evil...hence, humans that defeat the Hobbit. Thats all I got...but we'll see if any of these predictions come true when I start reading the book on MOnday!!

Exam 2

Since we just took a test over the second section of the semester...I thought I would do a little re-cap, by reflecting on my favorite parts! The Novels!! I loved the novels. Theres something about little girl books that makes me feel all giddy. =D
First, "The Princess and the Goblin" was my favorite out of them. The fact that it has a Christian background and kind of hidden metaphors is really cool. Coming from a christian background myself, I found it really interesting to go deeper. I liked to look at other ways of looking at how it applied to my own faith. And unfortunately, I am way too much like Lootie. And how Irene grows up and trusts Grandmother is a neat thing to see how she developes.
Second, "Alice in Wonderland" kind of threw me for a loop at first because I was only used to the film version. But as we studied the book, I grew to like it more and more. The variables that Lewil Carrol portrays such as identity, politics, education, and much more; leave me laughing and I don't know why! He turns so many things on its head, literally, that I can't get over how creative it was and how it become SUCH a huge classic! I really had a blast with these novels. Looking forward to our last ones!

Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses"

When I Read Stevenson's collection of poems, my initial reaction was "snooze-fest!" I felt poemed-out...my poem reading has been exhausted and I'm tired of reading the same thing over and over again. But when I got to class, and Mrs. Robinson talked about how much went into these verses from his childhood; I was taken back. I realized that this wasn't just a collection of the same thing said in different words on a page, this was his life, that he rejoiced in even though he was such a sickly little kid. And it's something Stevenson knew that adults in general would like to take back from our own past.
So I went back and read some of the poems that I had earlier mistakenly skipped because of little importance in my brain; and I actually really enjoyed them! When I take time to think about the significance and what it meant in Stevenson's life and people around him, I can enjoy the same things. I miss my childhood....

Happy Easter!!!

In light of Easter and our Poetry discussions..I found a poem online about Easter. And what a wonderful holiday it is ! Something to really get excited about...we have a Savior who would die for us, and a Father who would raise him from the dead. Well, here is the poem..its called "Easter Holiday."

Easter Holiday

Easter holiday, is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ!

Jesus Christ, The Son of God, bled and died for us in a sacrifice.

This Spring day's celebrated, generally in the month of April.

All of the bright and pretty colors, of the Easter outfits with frills.

Women and children will wear their Easter bonnets.

In the Spring, you'll hear the various musical sonnets.

April will bring many rain showers.

That'll bring us various beautiful flowers.

One special flower for this day is the Easter Lily.

It's color is white, and yet snowy & milky.

The birds will sing their songs of praise.

As we begin to feel the warmth of the sun's rays.

As we say "Goodbye" to the winter's gloom,

The flowers and trees have already begun to bloom.

All of life's beauty, The Lord created, for us all to share.

Spring breezes begin to flow, sending fragrances through the air.

The winter's thawing will let the rivers, lakes, and streams rise and flow.

The beauty of the Earth will make us all feel aglow!

Farmers and gardeners will start to hoe.

And then they'll begin to sow.

On Sundays, we'll hear the various church bells ring.

Let's be grateful for the LORD, let's rejoice and sing.

If it wasn't for the Lord, we wouldn't have anything!

(http://www.theholidayspot.com/easter/easter_poems1.htm#eastercomes)

Reflection

Out of everything we have studied this semester, I was thinking about what I like the most. And then of course, what I liked the least. My favorite thing has been the fairy tales! Definitly! I love how you can just skip away to this make believe place with make believe people and live your dreams through these stories..and of course the love stories are always something I enjoy! There is no going wrong with fairy tales!
My least favorite has probably been the poetry. Don't get me wrong, I really like some of it, but I just don't like poetry structure, the way I have to read it. I don't like something that isn't straight forward or anything I can relate to.. And most of the time I have to read it 3 times before I even know what its talking about. Its also the sort of thing where sometimes you have to know the Author and some of their background story to understand where the poem is coming from...but that can also brings a unique dynamic that is interesting.
The semester isn't over yet, but this is what I have enjoyed and not enjoyed. I am nervous for the test because of the whole poetry thing, but I think I will be ok. We have more to come, and it is looking promising!

She's All That

I was roaming through the library the other day when I saw a book that was perfect to go along with what we are studying in class! Its called "She's All That- Poems About Girls." This book has the cutest poetry about little girls, older women, even grandma's! They also have many selected about different race girls- African Americans, Indian, etc. So I will share a few of my favorites!!

Gloria

Gloria was perfect

In lots of little ways.

She had at least a million friends

And always got straight "A's"

I think she was the cutest girl

That I have ever met;

The apple of her mother's eye

And every teacher's pet.

But then one day it happened.

The unthinkable, to wit:

Gloria the Perfect

Got a king-sized zit!

Big and red and puffy,

It covered half her brow.

Funny thing about it, though-

I like her better now. - Joyce Armor

Clara Cleech

The poorest juggler ever seen

was clumsy Clara Cleech,

who juggled a bean, a nectarine,

a pumpkin, and a peach.

She juggled a stone, a slide trombone,

a celery stalk, a stick,

a seeded roll, a salad bowl,

a bagal, a boot, a brick.

With relative ease she juggled a cheese,

she juggled a lock, a lime,

yes, Clara juggled all of these

...but just one at a time. -Jack Prelutsky

Perfect Blend

She's a:

Sadness safe-cracker

A down-in-the-dumps hijacker.

A deepest secret keeper,

A talk-for-hours non-sleeper.

An automatic advice dispenser,

A future candidate for Mensa.

An Olympic-qualifying talker,

A hold-head-high-whatever walker.

A listener to all my woes,

A fear-of-God to all my foes.

A promise fulfiller, gossip killer,

Dance-all-nighter, tiredness fighter,

Solid shoulder for things I've told her.

She's my:

Round the bend, got to spend

Quick to lend, own trend

Perfect Blend

Best Friend

(what would I do without her?) -Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters

3 Types

I have to say...Narrative and Lyric were not my favorite genre of Poetry. Most of the time, I have to read these types of poems 3 or 4 times before even getting what it's talking about; which is really frustrating. But I have decided to put together a study guide for the three types of poetry we have talked about in class! Nonsense and Humorous Verse, Narrative, and Lyric Poems.

Nonsense and Humorous Verse:

• Children like these kinds of poems because they are humorous and they tell a story with not a lot of sutlety.
• They have strong rhythm and rhyme
• "Although it is difficult to distinquish between humor and nonsense, one might say that in humor the real is the absurd; whereas in nonsense verse the absurd is real."
• They often have a play on words that causes slap-stick humor.

Narrative Poems:

• Also called Epics, meaning they are VERY old
• Don't assume the speaker is the author!
• They are mostly Ballads and often sung (4 lines with 8 syllables- second and forth lines rhyme)
• They tell a story, with a setting, characters, events, and a climax

Lyric Poems:

• Not so much tells a story, but depends more on art and music.
• Includes Sonnets
• Authors use poetry to portray experiences of life and how they felt

Poetry

The poems were really fun to read! I would have to say my favorites were "Sick" by Shel Silverstein and "The Spaghetti Nut" by Jack Prelutsky. I know that I faked being sick as a kid because staying home was the funnest thing, and also school was a bore. I remember those commercials like "Dalworth Clean...CALL 2-6-7-8-4-3-3 BECAUSE THE NEXT BEST THING TO DO..IS DALWORTH CLEAN! DING!!" The poems were funny! I think what draws me to this kind of peotry is the cleverness that comes out. It has that play-on-words that gives it a kick and is humorous! I can see why kids like this kind of reading because it tells a story and it keeps their attention. Also it was neat reading the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes from the old days. I had forgotton about those little rhymes that used to put us to sleep. Who knew we would be studying them in college! I'm liking this topic of poetry that we are discussing in class, and I hope it will keep getting interesting!

The Woman Question

After class today, I started thinking about the "woman question" and I really think MacDonald had some fun with this one, and yet he also gave it lots of thought concerning women of his day. Grandmother is of course very magestic and cool all around. She's very powerful, which is contrare to the expectations of the submissive stereotype we often see in books; and that of itself is nice. I like how she ties in with a Godly figure because of her guidance.
Mrs. Peterson is one of my favorites because of this reason. I think if she were alive today, she would be one of those awesome women that right when I open my mouth to speak to her, my entire life story comes out and she does nothing but listen and give the most incredible wisdom. Those women have the affect of crumbling your security walls in 2 seconds. I do'nt know how they do it, honestly..
Queen Goblin cracks me up! MacDonald turns this one on its head but boy its humorous! It seems, though, exactly how it should be. For some reason, there's gotta be that evil creature, and that fact that her character is funny, makes me think it is that much more normal.
And Lootie! O dear Lootie. She is funny but not. One of those hypocritical things where I don't know why she doesn't get some things, but I would probably be her character in the book. MacDonald must have thrown her in to bite us in the butt a little, but also show the person with little faith and what that can do to us.

Every Daughter of the King is a Princess

This morning I woke up with an old song in my head..it might be familiar to you:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. When I feel afraid, and think I've lost my way, still your there right beside me..."

I have NO idea why this song I sung years and years ago was in my head upon waking up, but I thought about how much it goes along with The Princess and the Goblin. At first I thought this book wasn't so good, until Dr. Robinson suggested all the religous allegories and some things started to click; and I'm really getting into it! I started thinking about it, and I realized how true it all is. Really though..everything can be paralleled to something in Christianity. The Goblins=devil; Mountain=struggles; Grandmother=angel/Godly figure; Grandmothers lamp=faith; to name a few. It reminds me of a book called Pilgrim's Progress, where the main charachter "Christian" goes on a journey, which is his Christian walk with God. Everything in it ties into real life, some trials and tribulations Christians go through.
My favorite part of the book, I must say, is how Irene calls her dad King-papa. I love this illustration of Irene and her fathers relationship because I really believe MacDonald wanted to portray how every daughter of our King (God) is a Princess and is loved by him so so much. As a girl, I come to those times in my life when I feel not so pretty and pretty low, but things like this help me realize that is never true. I could probably go on and on about this book and what I've come to understand, but I think I may write one of my research papers on it! =D!!

A part of fantasy is entering a world of the unknown, that's unnatural for the laws of nature as we know them. The movie Dr. Dolittle 3 enters this realm of the unnatural. The Dolittle family can talk to animals and work together with them in ways no one else can understand. At first they are made fun of because no one understands they can talk to animals. As in fantasy, the characters have to be more convinced of the magic because they are worlds never dreamed of. But once everyone accepts that the Dolittle family can talk to animals, they end up saving the day! Like any hero/heroine, they overcome or conquer their identity and rescue the dyer situations. In the movie, Mia (the daughter) is just figuring out who she is, being a normal 17 year old trying to fit in, she has a gift. She chooses to either use it for good or try to hide under a blanket so no one thinks she's a freak. However, in the end, she ends up saving a Ranch and becoming the identity she was made to be; a Dolittle.

Princess and the Goblin

I started reading The Princess and the Goblin and I couldn't help but think of Ella Enchanted. I guess the way that Irene is so assertive reminded me of Ella's strong personality. They both are sort of adventurous and rebellious. For example, when Irene pleads with her nurse to go farther up the mountain only to get in trouble for being out after dark reminded me of how Ella tried so hard to keep from doing what she was told until the curse forced her to obey.
Also, the introduction of Curdie and how fast Irene was taken by him takes me back to Char and Ella's relationship. And there is also the parallel of Irene's nurse to Ella's Mandy. They are both sort of set in a position to look after the little girls. Also, the relationship with the fathers. Ella's father dies when she is very young; however, she adored her father. Irene is much the same way with the King. She loves to cuddle up next to him and find comfort in his arms. I am enjoying this book a lot more than Alice, maybe because there is not so much nonsense, but an actual story line! I am interested in finding out what happends with the Goblins!!

Alice

I think we spend a lot of time trying to reason and make sense of our lives. I know I do. But as I am reading this book, I find that I am frustrated with Alice for trying to make sense of Wonderland. Because as the reader, I already know that Wonderland is made up of nonsense, the nature of it just does not matter. Yet as Alice inturupts and injects her reason into the conversation every five minutes, I find myself wanting to tell her to calm down! However, this is the story of my life half the time. I actually sit and reason with MYSELF about things that just don't matter in life. It sounds silly, but sometimes it takes something really rediculous to make us see how much we actually do the SAME things in everyday life as in Wonderland. We may not be screaming "Off with their heads!" but something pretty darn close. Though it seems everything else has gone crazy, I probably just need to relax and realize that some things are just as they are.

Alice in Wonderland

I actually had some trouble reading and getting into the first part of this book. It threw me off because there was so much detail and I think I was trying to read into the story too much. Going from all of the fairy tales to reading a very popular fantasy, I hadn't realized how different it could be. But once I got reading and started to enjoy the story line, my imagination sort of took over. But what kept my mind on what was actually happening, I had to revert back to the Disney movie style of Alice in Wonderland. As for right now, I think I like the movie better than the book...but like I said, just for now. I'm hoping I can enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed everything else in this class!

Fantasy

Fantasyy!! I love fantasy!! The reasons I love fantasy is actually embodied in the definitions of the genre itself. That is why I'm going to create a little study guide from Chapter 10 in the Russell Text.

Fantasy
1. any story of the impossible
2. has any feature that is contrary to the laws of nature as we know them.
3. Roots in traditional folktales
4. original, unusual
5. complex, detailed

Types of Fantasy
1. Animal= animals talk and exhibit human emotions. We learn things about ourselves through their behavior. Somtimes the magic only works if one character remains childlike and innocent; a main theme in fantasies.
(Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit; E.B White's Charlotte's Web)<-- most famous of all animal fantasies.

2. Toy= Stories where toys come to life, and they most likely wish to become human.
(Collodi's Pinocchio; A.A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh)

3. Magical Fantasy and Tall Tales

• Magical= The magic becomes the very subject of the story. Typically set in the modern world, and the characters have to be convinced the magic is real (contrare to fairy tales). The magic is always conditional and operates on a set of rules. (P.L. Traver's Mary Poppins; Lindgren's Pippy Longstocking)
• Tall Tales= exaggeration is taken absurdidly. Charachters are outlandish and quite unbelievable. (Pual Bunyan and his Blue Ox)

4. Enchanted Journeys and Alternative Worlds= protagonists take a journey often to a secondary or alternative world. The journeys usually begin in the real world but by some device they enter the enchanted realm where it is only there that fanciful events occur. Dystopia= a society where people are dehumanized. ( Baum's The Wizard of Oz; Carrol's Alice in Wonderland; Barrie's Peter Pan; Rowling's Harry Potter Series)

5. Heroic and Quest Fantasies= Hero or Heroine engage in a monumental struggle against an all-powerful evil, in which often the fate of the whole society depends on the outcome of the struggle. Other times it can be in a secondary world where dark forces reside. Mostly it has to do with hero's identity. Plot consists of adventures hero has to overcome and this frequently is not accomplished without a significant sacrifice. Humor is absent. (C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Tolkein's Lord of the Rings)

6. Supernatural and Time-Shift Fantasy= Includes ghost and witch stories, mysteries and unexplained occurrences, and time travel. All are set in the primary world. This is one of the most popular of fantasy types. (Casper the Friendly Ghost)

7. Science Fiction and Space Fantasy=

• Science Fiction= focus on life in the future on Earth or another planet. Dramatizes the wonders of technology and seldom contains much humor because its an illusion of reality. Technology is either used for humanity's benefit or destruction. (L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time)
• Space Fantasy= set in the future on distant planets, but are not concerned with scientific or technology acheivments.

Qualities of Fantasy!

1. Original, Fresh, Bold (Ronald Dahl)

2. Believable

• Massing of Detail - lush with description
• Restraining the fantasy - must have limits or they disolve with nonsense.
• Maintaine consistancy - only one way into secondary world or ghost can only be seen by certain people.
• Rooted in reality and human nature - must exhibit human traits, sense of reality.

Final thoughts: Fantasy enables us to see the thousands of possibilites of life through many perspectives. It keeps us hopeful and portrays symbolism that conveys human nature and ideas. It sometimes forces us to be imaginitive and explore new realms of thought.

Is there Fantasy in reality?

Today was one of those days, where I just wanted to run away from the world and hide my entire being for awhile. What a perfect day to slip away to a fantasy world. Whether it be to "never never land" or with the "mad-hatter" I wouldn't mind it once in awhile.

I always thought fantasies were just something we all wanted to come true. Sort of like dreams or wishes that became reality for a short while. But why can't it be? All this talk of fairy tales with magic and spells, happy endings...and now we're talking of worlds where characters get swept away to a place where anything can happen! Richie wrote a modern Cinderella to portray what she would look like realistically. Where is the reality in fantasies? Our dreams maybe?

Makes me think about being young again, because as a youngster we still believe those things can happen. If not, there's still some kind of internal fireworks that burst with exciting thoughts of what we would do if fantasies actually happened today. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy secretly believing...

~Let the Darkness FADE away

let the light return to day

'till all thats left of us is YOU~

(Jeff Berry Band)

THE RAINBOW FISH

To finish off the week, I picked my last picture book called The Rainbow Fish. I loved this book when I was little, mostly because of the pretty illustrations, but there really is a great message here.

Rainbow fish has very pretty and shiny scales but he doesn't want to share them with anyone because they were his prized possessions. When one of the other fish asks to have one, he gets very angry and tells him to go away. No one was admiring him anymore, so the wise octopus said to give away his scales to all his friends to be happy. At first he was hesitant, but when he gave them away, he felt the most joy and he was no longer sad.

This is a great message for children to learn early in life, not to be greedy! The more greed takes over, the more you will be sad and lonely. But if you share with everyone, the happier you will be. If may sound strange to kids because they think everything is thiers, but if we keep teaching them that thats ok, we are getting no where!

~Whats mine is yours~

Mad Gab

So I was playing Mab Gab with friends tonight and it occured to me that it was 11:00 and I needed to post before midnight. But the game gave me an idea.

Mad Gab is a game with phrases on each side of the card, but they are spelled phonetically different than the real words. For example "Use Mel Could" is for "You Smell Good." Its quite fun because the other team has to guess what the phrase is. The faster and more times you say it, you are more likely to get what its saying.

This concept kind of applies to this class. When I was younger and read the fantasy fairy tales once and moved on with my life, I didn't really catch much. But now, reading them more to really dig whats underneath the surface, It clicks. I get what these stories "are really saying" so to speak. For example, the Cinderella tales. I didn't realize this had a message of inferiority of step-mothers and daughters and of beauty and jelousy and anxiousness. But now all the sudden I'm learning the real messages beneath the childish fairy tale. But the good part is, I can still have fun with the tales as I used to, just like the game...its pure fun.

How Do I Love You?

Just thought I would take a moment to recognize Valentine's Day and all it's glory.

" How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

I love you on your very best...

and very worst of days.

I love to see you laughing and dancing in the rain.

And even when you lose your shoes, I love you just the same.

I love to hear you singing.

I love to see you smile.

I love the way you take each day in your own unhurried style.

I'm happy when you're happy,

and I'm sorry when you're sad.

And even though it may not show, I love you when you're bad.

I love the way you act so brave when you fall and hurt your knee.

I love to watch you sleeping, tucked away in dreams.

I love to hear you whisper all your giant plans and schemes.

I love the way you wear your pants with the front part in the back

and the way you walk around sometimes with your head in a sack.

I love to see you deep in a thought.

I love to watch you play.

And though I'm sure you'll never know, I love you more each day.

For if I had a million days and time enough for all the praise, I couldn't tell you all the ways...I love you!"

I had to quote this book because I thought it appropriate on a day like today. This children's book even impacts me today. This message somehow still makes me feel so loved by my mom and dad, and I hope it has the same affect on children. NO matter what, this is what matters; love that is. Because without it, this world would not exist.

Please enjoy Valentine's Day everyone. Give some love.

Ever After

I enjoyed watching this movie in class! I wouldn't have picked Drew Barrymore as Danielle, however. But here is my thought after we had the discussion today in class about all the Renaissance-ness!


Somehow I find it fascinating that Tennant used Leonardo De Vinci as the Fairy Godmother role in this movie! So I did a little bit of research to find out just what Leo was all about. Sure enough, along with being one of the most famous men who ever lived, Leonardo was the very essence of the Renaissance period. His art, genius, inventions, and intellect inspired even different countries!! And for all of this to be symbolic of magic creates a fairy tale in itself! The fact that his mind was so magnificent, that he wrote backwards in his notebook to confuse enemies, no wonder Tennant used him in this film!
So as Danielle is so humanistically passionate, De Vinci's character sort of comes along side her to inspire and flare this aspect in the movie. Her wings are an example of this. He transforms her into this creation that outwardly personifies who she really is, and who the Prince needs to be. As Danielle so urges him to look at everything with meaning, De Vinci really brings this to the light. You know, De Vinci just might be becoming one of my new found heroes. Without the Renaissance or De Vinci's brilliance, who knows what the world would look like today.

I went home this weekend to get away from College Station for a while, and my family and I watched the movie Sydney White! I had no idea what this movie was about but it comes from the fairy tale Snow White. I know we are not talking in class about Snow White anymore, but I wanted to talk about some of the parallels in this movie.
Sydney goes off to college and joins a sorority where the bond of sisterhood is broken and Sydney gets kicked out. She then finds a little cottage at the end of the road where seven dorks live! They each have a different personality; each to go along with the seven dwarfs! There is a sleepy, grumpy, and sneezy! Her ex-sorority president then becomes the "evil witch" and she beats her in the HOT or NOT online game. This becomes the mirror for the "fairest one of all." Sydney then goes on to beat her in a Student Council debate, but not before her Prince Charming (Tyler) rescues her from a deep sleep in the library.. And, of course they live happily ever after with her sorority president stripped of her Kappa priviledges!

I was stunned at how cute this movie was and how clever the producer came up with ideas to parallel the fairy tale! I would definitly suggest this movie to watch to anyone...even kids!! It gives just one more perspective of how this relates to us in real life.

Thoughts on Ella Enchanted

Not a whole lot goes through my brain when I think of Ella Enchanted except that I absolutely LOVED reading this book. I enjoyed it's magical elements, the young unselfish girl, and the romantic love story of Char and Ella of Frell.
The ending was my favorite because it was Ella's unselfishness and great love that lifted her curse. I started to think about myself and what would I do in that situation? And I realized how selfish I am, and how we all probably are. Giving up the love of your life more than once would be the hardest thing for me to do. Ella gives a wonderful example of what we all should be. Unselfish, loving human beings. That is such a simple task in writing, but in reality; this is a challenge. The book helps me put into perspective how unselfish we need to be, not always thinking about us, but other people more than ourselves. In a way, we are cursed as Ella because once we allow ourselves to love unconditionally, something is lifted off of us and we can be happier than we could've imagined before.

THE FOOT BOOK

Dr. Seuss has always been an inspiring and popular children's book writer and I thought I would comment about one of his books that I saw in a different light: The Foot Book. I'm sure everyone is familiar with the "wet foot, dry foot, high foot, low foot" ryhmes, but I thought about what meaning this would have in everyday life. All the different kinds of "feet you meet" is a very legitament point to send to children.

If you can be accepting of everyone's feet, certainly we should be accepting to everyone in general. The sick feet, quick feet, and red feet explains that everyone is different and we can have our flaws (being sickly). This may apply to something such as peoples race, skinny or bigger people, or even animals. If children have an understanding of difference, they will probably tend to be more open to the world around them.

IF YOU GIVE A MOOSE A MUFFIN

If I gave a moose a muffin
he would want to play all day long.
Demanding muffins and jam
sweaters, paper, and thread.

But oh the mess he would make
the glue, paints, needle and thread,
By the end of the day
I was wishing to be dead!

It is hard work playing with a moose
I was so tired by the end of the day.
It almost reminds me of little ones,
mothers should get extra pay!

It was strange
how the moose was so greedy,
it was hard to handle
but I managed as best I could.

In the end
the moose just wants a friend
Like all of us
needing to depend.

He did offer to clean my sheet
the best a moose could do
As much work that it was,
his manners were a bit neat.

And so if you give a moose a muffin
It's not so bad
Playing with no regrets,
as long as you clean up a tad.

If you didn't want to give a moose a muffin,
you could always give a mouse a cookie! =)

Flashback

To wrap up the week, I decided to talk about the conversation I had today with my parents! I have been reading about difficulties in reading for another class, so I asked my mom and dad if I ever had difficulty as a kid. I figured I had some sort of trouble as a child wanting to read, but my mom explained to me that I actually wanted to be a writer/illustrater! She said I never had trouble...so here's a few things I did.

I wanted my mom to read to me every single night.
I liked to sit on the toilet while reading a book and swinging my legs.
I had a stuffed animal named "Mutt." And my mom made it come to life when I said "Do Mutt." So she made up stories and told them to me through mutt while I laughed my head off right before bed.
I started writing a book about the Coca Cola Polar Bear and Illustrated it myself!

There is so much more, but I had no idea half the stuff I entertained myself with when I was young. But knowing this now, and how children can learn to read, this is the kind of stuff we need to promote as teachers. As far as my parents, they did the right thing presenting me with so many opportunities to learn to read. There is so much literature out there that we can utilize for good. All the versions we have learned about for the fairy tales have broadened my horizons in what exactly is out there! This class has turned out to be such a learning experience already, and I hope it continues to be this enlightening!

Cinderella's Never Alone

Cinderella's Never Alone

SO I found this youtube video with Barlow Girl singing Never Alone with Cinderella. I know this isn't the classic version (the first one) but i feel like it gives a good message. A message I think kids would benefit from hearing; they are never alone.

Even though this is a Christian song singing about how God is always with you, it portrays how if you believe something is in your heart, it will never leave you. For little ones, this message can be very uplifting. I believe Cinderella never gives up hope as she sits in ashes and dust keeping after her evil stepmother and sisters. Even when she is doubtful, a fairy comes to her rescue, or a pumpkin, or mice. Above all, her Prince rescues her even when he is not by her side. Because she loves him and he loves her, it gives her hope that they will always be together and therefore, never alone.

Cinderelli, Cinderelli!! *whistles*

I have to say Cinderella has dissappointed me this week. I have never heard the Catskin versions until this class, and quite frankly I'd be ok if I never read them again. The fact of having the father as the villain, yet he "loves her too much" just paints a VERY unpleasant picture in my head. Thankfully she gets away but I feel like the Catskin Cinderella's act very airheaded and naive when it comes to escaping. For example, Donkeyskin wants to escape from her father but when he gets her all the treasure, she is lured right back to accepting his marriage proposal. And what a great help the fairy godmother is too! psh! And what about planting her ring in the cake? I don't know, but I get a manipulative vibe from these Cinderella's.

Strangely, I like the fact Cinderella is passive and waits for her prince to rescue her in the Cinderella versions. I guess it has been engraved in my brain from the Disney movie of Cinderella, that it seems too weird to here it any other way. I like how her good nature and joyful personality in bad times rewards her even greater than she imagined. To me, when I am in a situation where there is nothing I can do to help myself, it always seems hopeful to think that something good will come of it!

Berenstain Bears- TOO MUCH PRESSURE

These books, no doubt, were one of the few series that came alive to me as a kid. I remember this Country Bear Family as if they were real. Their pointy fingernails, grins, and most of all their normal family issues. Things that every family goes through; these bears went through it all. I picked this one specifically because as a college student, my schedule can become too hectic too fast.

"The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Pressure" tells us of two little bear children who want to do soccer, ballet, baseball, horseback riding, and still have time to watch TV and play like the other children. But before they know it, it takes a toll on their stiff little bodies and momma starts to CRY! Something I think every woman does when things get too busy we can barely keep sane. This story struck me because even as young as kindergarten, children are starting to get busy! I remember those days, I wanted to do every activity on the planet. But oh what a sacrifice for family, energy, and sanity. Being too busy makes us unhappy. This story not only relates to children but also adults, teaching us a very valuable lesson. Being happy sometimes just means to sit around with the people we love- doing absolutely nothing.

Hansel and Gretel

Wow. Talk about scary fairy tales. This was one of the few I don't remember reading when I was a kid. The witch house made of candy rings a bell, but the other stuff was new to me!

I wanted to write about Hansel and Gretel because this fairy tale popped out to me..and not in a good way. The amount of cannibalism, death, and scary characters seem to override the beautiful dove's, shiny red shoes, and candy houses.

Not that I am any extreme feminist, but the whole mother/stepmother associated with evil and manipulation seems a bit harsh. Women are usually a child's primary caretaker. What are little boys and girls thinking after reading this story?? Hopefully not..."I just hate my mom." In a few versions, the mother figure does not die, but how quickly the children turn on the mother and live so "happily" with just the father puzzles me. Family is stressed, however, it is not valued. It is also interesting that in most of the versions, it is the mothers idea to get rid of the children, and the father is pressured to consent. It's like the table has turned from the "Man as the head of the house" to the woman, but it is negatively portrayed. But as far as the wife's BRIGHT IDEA to rid the kids because of a famine, it's seems like there could've been another solution.

ON the other hand, I can see how this story would imply adventure on the children's perspective because of the candy house, the huge ogre's, and the magical trees and dove's. And we can't forget; the bad guys always lose!
There are many other things I could mention about this fairy tale, but if one day, Lord willing, I have children of my own; I would be selective with this fairy tale for sure.

Fairy Tale Fantasies

FOR the past couple of days I have been racking my brain trying to "creatively" come up with something to write in my blog for childrens lit. Suprisingly!...I had nothing..and still had nothing until about 12 seconds ago, when my hopeless romantic self had to peek out and say hello.

Reading fairy tales like "Snow White," "Cinderella" and all the other classics with perfect princesses in them, I was suprised to find this subject not brought up as much as I thought. Like any young girl first learning about Bell and the "fairest one in all the land," I formed a version of my very own happily ever after that has stayed with me to this day. It goes something like this...
Once upon a time, there was a good little girl named Emily. She grew up knowing that one day her prince charming would wisk her away with his natural charm and good looks. Never thinking twice, she will accept him and their first kiss will be magical. From that moment on, their life together will be nothing short of bliss and romantic walks.

Well..I guess you figured where I got that idea from?! The moment I read my first happily ever after, I have kept hoping one day he'll come for me. (Which is not looking like any time soon by the way) =) But as much as I know that this imaginary man won't ever be perfect, I personally enjoy with all my heart the excitement of imagining it! Girls are you with me?! My point being, is that we all know that those fairy tale Knights in Shining Armor aren't really REAL, they can be inside my head and that's all I need to keep my hope until the day I really do find my handsome Prince.

Outside Reading List

Book 1: The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Pressure
Author: Stan and Jan Berenstain
Picture Book? Yes
Date: January 27th, 2008

Book2: If you Give a Moose a Muffin
Author: Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond
Picture Book? Yes
Date: Feb. 3, 2008

Book 3: The Foot Book
Author: Dr. Suess
Picture book? Yes
Date: Feb 7, 2008

Book 4: How Do I Love You?
Author: P.K. Hallinan
Picture Book? Yes
Date: Feb 14, 2008

Book 5: The Rainbow Fish
Author: Marcus Pfister
Picture book? Yes
Date: Feb 17, 2008

Book 6: She's All That- Poems About Girls
Author: Selected by Belinda Hollyer
Picture Book? No
Date: March 21, 2008

Book 7: Chasing Redbird
Author: Sharon Creech
Picture Book? No
Date: March 30, 2008

Book 8: Johnny Kellock Died Today
Author: Hadley Dyer
Picture Book? No
Date: April 15, 2008

Book 9: Chocolate Fever
Author: Robert Kimmel Smith
Illustrator: Gioina Fiammenghi
Picture Book? No
Date: April 20, 2008

Book 10: Snot Stew
Author: Bill Wallace, drawings by Lisa McCue
Picture Book? No
Date: April 23, 2008