Mirror Book

Title: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Author: Judith Viorst
Illustrated by: Ray Cruz

Summary: If you ever thought you have had a bad day, just wait till you hear about Alexander's. From a visit to the dentist office to getting gum stuck in your hair, this bad day may just go unrivaled.

Opinion: This was one of my favorites growing up and I never really knew why until now. Having a bdad day could be one of the most relatable experiences there is. And it is clear that the only medicine for having a bad day is to hear about someone who is having a worst day then you. All of the events throughout the story have happened to most kids, but for Alexander, all of these tragedies happened in one day.

Viorst manages to capture a child's temperament masterfully, making Alexander look more like a victim to the ruthless universe as opposed to just a whiny child. When reading this, I felt truly sad for Alexander and wanted to hop inside the story, just so I can give him a hug. This book is a great pick-me-up when you are feeling down and is lovely from cover to cover.

I would recommend this book to anyone that looks like they are a bit sad, or are just complaining in general. My mom still to this day reminds me of Alexander when I am having a rough go at it. Hopefully after reading this book, you will too.

Multicultural Window Book

 Title: The Wall
Author: Peter Sis


Summary: Sis tells his story of his childhood growing up in Eastern Europe throughout communism. The tale shows the harsh realities of communism compared to the imaginative potential of democracy.

Opinion: As a history buff, I could not help but take interest in this story. On the borders of each page, photographs, journal enteries and news clippings are displayed to match the actions taking throughout the story. This lent a credibility to the story that made it seem much more than just a children's book. Growing up, Sis spoke of his communistic pride. This highlighted the successes of the propaganda scheme developed by the soviets. He carried this sentiment until he grew a little older and learned that there was much more to offer on the other side of the curtain.
The illustrations were absolutely remarkable. The cold harsh realities of communism were displayed solely in black and red, whereas the beauty of the west were shown through bright vivid illustrations with the full array of the color wheel. For this reason, it is understandable that Sis received the Caldecott award for this story.
As a future teacher, there is not one doubt in my mind that I will be using this when given the opportunity to teach contemporary history. There is so many historical talking points throughout the work, I find my leg bouncing up and down at my chair just itching for discussion. This book is a masterpiece. Plain and simple.

Just for fun... if you have a spare hour and a half... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxNM7j_ppHI

If You Give A Moose A Muffin

Title: If You Give A Moose A Muffin
Written By: Laura Numeroff
Illustrated By: Felicia Bond

Summary: If you give a Moose a muffin, he will ask for some jam, and so commences a sequence of events that keeps readers turning pages. A very demanding Moose will keep asking for more and more as you read this classic tale.

Opinion: I hate to admit it, but I am going to, here it goes... this was the first time I had ever read/heard about this story. One of my high school buddies always called one of our teachers Moose, because he would give us ridiculous demands. Never did I understand the humor until now. This book is simply hilarious. The Moose, no matter what he receives, will ever be satisfied (Sound like anyone you know...). The story is very simple and easy to follow but it is manic enough to have kept my interest throughout.

I could not help but notice a great opportunity to teach cause and effect with this book. Every page had a antecedent where the Moose demanded a response. The illustrations complemented the authors deadpan style and were really well done.

It is no wonder why this tale is a classic. It's quick, funny, and easy to read. It also has a great message. Always keep blueberry muffins and jam in stock, because you never know who might drop by. This book has led to several variants including, If You Give A Pig A Pancake.

NOT A BOX

Title: Not A Box
Author: Antoinette Portis

Summary: A small bunny proves that there is no limit when it comes to imagination. The story shows that a simple box can be anything from a race car to a rocket ship.

Opinion: Not A Box is one of the most original picture books that I have read in a while. The illustrations throughout the book are basic in premise (the same black box appears on every page). But here enlies the beauty. A simple boring box can be changed into anything one can imagine. The use of red shows the rabbit's creations through imagination. These illustrations are quite crude and could easily be replicated by children, making them delightful.
I remember growing up, my next door neighbor and I built a box fort that was quite the envy to the rest of the cul-de-sac. It had levels and seemingly endless potential as it could shift from a space shuttle to a castle with a blink of an eye. This book transported me back to those days.
I am seriously in love with this book. It is so awesome and so original. It is incredible that such a basic premise has not been done before. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Enjoy!

After Tupac and D Foster

Title: After Tupac and D Foster
Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Summary: The story of Neeka, an 11 year-old African American girl whose life is permanantly altered by a friend, D Foster, who enters her life and leaves shortly after. The two who have had very different childhoods, Neeka is from a strong community in Queens while D has been bouncing from foster homes her whole life, end up finding commonality in many things, including their love for rapper Tupac Shakur.

Opinion: “Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real.”     “For every dark night, there's a brighter day", Tupac, was and still is considered to be one of the greatest urban lyricist of recent generations. However, like many great artists, his life was tragically ended short. Being a large fan of Hip-Hop, I could not help but absolutly love this story. It not only went through the struggles, trials, and tribulations of adolescents, but also the struggle trials and tribulations of Black progress in the 90's. Woodson does a masterful job in relating the fictional tale with actual events happening in the United States, making the story relatable to anyone growing up in the mid-90's (Me :-) ). 
Tupac Shakur was one of those figures who divided America into two mutually uncomprehending groups -- those who loved him and found personal meaning in his work, and those who dismissed him as just another posing thug who reaped what he sowed. This division is the premise of Woodson's work. It is clear that back then and still today, there is a division in the perspective of black culture. While people within the culture state the difficulty of social movement due to oppressive forces found throughout society, the other feels that Black culture is complacent due to their own culture, a culture that lowly prioritizes education and hard work. 
I loved this book and made me open my eyes about black culture. After reading, I could not help but feel mixed emotions wondering if more can be done to promote this groups growth.

The Giver

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry

Summary: This controversial 1993 Newberry winner depicts the story of a quaint, sheltered, village that has very traditional ideals. These ideals come into debate when the main character Jonas is asked to learn the history of the village and even venture into the outside world.

Opinion: After reading The Giver (for my third time) I could not help but notice that my stomach was all twisted up. I, a person who takes a particular interest to history, cannot help but notice some similar parables to modern day history. One is the assignment of jobs, not necessarily based on ones qualifications, but rather on the societies need reminds me of several communistic societies of past. Also just the idea of a world with no history leaves many interpretation. History is learned in order to learn and repeat successes or stray away from failures. But if people of control were to hide this knowledge, one would never know how to make progress and mistakes would continue (this reminds me of the holocaust denial of Germany up until recently). The story also mirrored history with the use of Eugenics. The controversial process of Eugenics has been used in the past (Sparta) in order to create a healthier society.
The story has incredible symbolism with its black and white vs. color. This use helps create a sense of both safety and danger throughout the story. When I read this I could not help but notice the similarity to a movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan entitled The Village http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB55bv4B8LQ
For those of you who haven't seen the movie, don't. It is quite terrible. But the comparison can be made, (especially once the awful twist of the movie is revealed.)
In all, this was an incredible book and a terrific display of a good science fiction novel. I would recommend it to anyone that may be interested in a somewhat controversial, dark, and twisted tale.