Martina the Beautiful Cockroach-A Cuban Folktale

Agra Deedy, C. (2007). Martina the Beautiful Cockroach A Cuban Folktale Atlanta, Georgia: Peachtree Publishers. Martina is looking to be betrothed and is showered with gifts by family members. The grandest gift was advice from her grandmother. Her grandmother explained that there are many possible husbands, but how do you know which one is the right one. After following her grandmothers advice of spilling coffee on them, many seekers showed their true colors and helping her decide they aren’t the right choice. At the end, she meets mouse and he spills the coffee on her shoes and she doesn’t get upset realizing that it’s not only up to her to make a decision on your partner. The illustrator’s choice of using pink, blues, and green palettes sets the romantic mood in the Havana. The beautiful architecture sends the reader to imagine a beautiful night in Havana sipping some coffee. This book can be used as an introductory to folktales. Students can identify all the story elements and explain what makes it a folktale.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet

DePaola, T. (1983). The Legend of the Bluebonnet. New York, New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. The Comanche tribe is enduring a terrible drought and famine that many tribe members have perished. The shaman goes up to the hill to ask for guidance from the spirits. The spirits ask them to sacrifice their prize possessions as a gift. A small girl, She-Who-Is-Alone offers her warrior doll, the only thing she has left from her loved ones that died from famine. The next day, bluebonnets the color of the feathers and Blue Jay, bloomed across the field. The people believed it was a sign of forgiveness and began to live again. The beautiful earth tone colors illustrate the beauty of the Hill Country in Texas. The theme of love and sacrifice are displayed through the illustrations and descriptive text of the girl. This would be a great opportunity to discuss how family members and themselves love and sacrifice for one another. They can also fill out a web and illustrate their examples.

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. New York, New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Max has been misbehaving before dinner time. He exclaimed he would eat his mother up after she called him wild thing. He was sent to his room without supper and he crossed over to "Where the Wild Things" lived. He became their ruler, but he missed being loved. So, he sailed back home where his supper was waiting and was still hot. Sendak sends out a beautiful message behind the lushes vines and tall trees of the wonderful forest where animals live. Even though, this was the perfect setting for Max to act wildly, he missed his mother and the comfort of home. The illustrations started out as one page and as he enjoyed himself in the wild forest, they grew into two pages. This book could be used as a compare/contrast lesson with the movie. Many times, students think the movie is correct, but seeing the details that have been added to the movie will give a better appreciation of the story line.

Mirror Mirror

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror Mirror. New York, New York: Dutton Children's Books. Mirror Mirror is a book of reversed poems. The poems are from fairy tales and telling two sides of the story. The beautiful bright colors in the illustrations show the tale of the two characters. The imagery bestowed by the words in the poem flow through the art work as separated illustrations, yet one setting. This book can help students understand the elements of poetry and identify them through the book such as wordplay and the solutions portrayed in the story. Students can work in a group to compose a reverse poem from a chosen fairy tale.

The Three Pigs

Wiesner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. New York, New York: Clarion Books. The Three Pigs have taken flight on a new adventure in this story. It begins with the same tale of being hunted by the wolf, but instead of being eaten, they are blown out of the story. The three pigs explore in between the white pages and enter other stories. At the end, they scare the wolf away and return to a happy home with new friends. The dialogue creates a wonderful conversation between the pigs and the other characters. It blends with realistic pictures and truly giving the feeling of eaves dropping. The illustrations allow the reader to travel through the different stories with The Three Pigs. This book can be used in a Fairy Tale Unit. Students will be able to compare how it was fractured to the original story of The Three Little Pigs. As an independent assignment, students will be given story elements from various fairy tales and write a fractured tale with the elements.

It's a Book

Smith, L. (2010). It's a Book. New York, New York: Roaring Brook Press. In this story, a monkey is reading a book and jackass asks what he is doing. As monkey explains the book, the jackass tries to compare it to a computer. Jackass continues irritating monkey on the bells and whistles of a computer, until monkey asks him to read a page and he is finally intrigued yet translates the story into a text. Jackass finally takes the book away and refuses to give it back until he is done with it. The text and illustrations are simple. The illustrations build an appreciation for books. The warmth and earth tone of the illustrations makes any reader want to pick up a book a head to a cozy corner and read. Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4BK_2VULCU

This is Not My Hat

Klassen, J. (2012). This is Not My Hat. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. This fish tale is about a small fish that steals a hat from a big fish while he is asleep. He tries to hide where the plants grow big and tall. At the end, the big fish finds him with the help of a crab. The expressions on the eyes tell the story here. The way the big fish squints, glares, twinkle, and shifts gives the reader the sense that he is not too happy with his missing hat. The illustrations shift from one page to two pages depending on the character. This gives the sense of size of the two fish. This story would be great for theme. Students can engage in a discussion on consequences of stealing.