Comparison Novels

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Jack hates poetry but has to write poetry for his teacher. He responds to his teacher about the poems they are reading in class by writing in verse.  He tells several poems about his dog, including with a poem that is modeled after a favorite author. Jack writes to the author and invites him to speak to the class.

Love That Dog would appeal to readers who like poetry, or those who like novels that are written in poem form.

I would encourage students to check it out by possibly making a table display with other books by the author, poetry unit or even include with an animal theme.

Other books by Sharon Creech.

Hate That Cat:

This is the sequel to Love That Dog, that continues Jack ‘s  story during a new school year through poems.

Heartbeat:

This is similar to Love That Dog, as in it is also written in verse.  In this particular book everything in life is changing and Annie has to find where she fits in to it all.

Walk Two Moons:

This novel is written in narrative format and is much longer  than Love That Dog, but has the same theme of finding oneself that readers will love.

Selznick, B. (2011). Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic.

Two stories and two different times, interwoven together: one told in words, the other told  in pictures, Ben and Rose are both in search of family and both share a struggle of being deaf. Over time they come to realize they are connected.

Wonderstruck is two stories interwoven together with words and pictures.  I believe students who would be interested in this book may be those who read graphic novels, or may prefer picture books but are required to read a chapter book. 

I would promote this book maybe in a display with other common themes such as overcoming obstacles or an author display with other Selznick books including those he has illustrated.

Other books by Brian Selznick:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret:

This book is very similar to Wonderstruck.  It  is told through both story and images but only tell one story.

The Marvels:

This book  is the same as Wonderstruck as it is two stories interwoven together. One told via pictures ; the other by prose.

The Boy of a Thousand Faces:

This includes Selznick’s illustrations but is a much smaller book that tells one story.

Fantasy

 Landy, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. New York: HarperCollins.

When Stephanie Edley’s uncle is murdered, a mysterious figure shows up at his funeral and the reading of his will. Soon, Skullduggery Pleasant, the mysterious figure, is showing Stephanie a secret world she never knew existed, but she knows she must be a part of.



Skulduggery Pleasant is an example of low fantasy involving the supernatural. Stephanie is a strong-willed character who has always felt that she doesn’t fit in. Once her uncle is murdered, she becomes immersed into another secret world. She lives this double life- one with her parents and the other with  Skulduggery Pleasant trying to solve her uncle’s murder.  Throughout the novel, she struggles with the theme of identity and who she really is. She realizes that she is like her uncle and she does have magic in her. Once she realizes what’s she capable of and knows she can’t go back to the boring life she lived before, she renames herself Valkyrie Cain to those in the secret world.

Holm, J. (2014). Comics Squad: Recess! New York: Random House Books.

Eight different comics, each told by different authors, the stories are a brillant mash-up with overlapping characters crossing over into each other's story. And it all take place during recess!

Comic Squad has parts or short stories that are examples of low fantasy with talking cupcakes, mice, and a pizza monster. The style of writing is a mash up of different short stories written by different authors but with overlapping characters. The setting makes it easy for these stories to mix and overlap due to same locale. Each story is set in the school hallway, classroom or the recess yard with most of them taking place during recess.

Hale, S. (2008). Rapunzel’s revenge. New York: Bloomsbury.

Rapunzel’s Revenge  isn’t your usual fairy tale. It begins the same, but Rapunzel isn’t a damsel in distress, she’s out for revenge! She and her sidekick Jack aim to save her mother and the land from the evil witch’s  magic hold.

Rapunzel’s Revenge has several new plot twists to the fairy tale. To start off, her  new outlaw sidekick is the well-known thief, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk . Rapunzel isn’t some damsel in distress waiting to be rescued but instead is a courageous hero. As she tries to free her biological mother from slavery and get even with her evil “mother” , she  finds herself fighting to save others  all along the way.  She tames a wild boar, fights  with evil gangs, a large snake, and her evil mother’s henchmen, using her long hair as her weapon. Another unique twist is that the story takes place during the wild west rather than in the more traditional fairy tale setting.

Gaiman, N. (2008). The graveyard book. New York: Harper Collins.

Bod lives in a graveyard, surrounded by those who walk in the night. Bod is loved by his unusual family, but he longs to learn and be part of the real world, but it is dangerous for him beyond the gates.

The character, Bod, which stands for Nobody, is a human boy who is raised by ghosts in a graveyard. Since his family was murdered and the man, Jack, is still out to get him, the cemetery is the only safe place for him.  He grows up playing with spirits and being taught by a werewolf, and other creatures of the night. The theme surround that of good vs evil. Most of the good guys happened to be the supernatural, like the ghosts and the werewolf. On the other hand the evil guys are humans, like the Jacks of All Trades and the bullies at school. Most of them have the choice to be either good or evil and Bod tries to help them to be good and see the wrong in what they are doing. There is also the theme of family and  finding it in the unlikeliest of places.

Collins, S. (2004). Gregor the overlander. New York: Scholastic.

Gregor goes after his sister when she falls though a laundry room vent, only to find themselves in another world that is full of life size rodents, spiders and bats you can ride. It turns out he’s part of a prophecy and they have been waiting on him to save his father, who is being held captive.

Gregor the Overlander is an example of high fantasy. Gregor, the main character discovers another world underneath another New York City when he accidentally falls down the laundry room vent chasing after his baby sister. The new setting has insects and rodents who are bigger than humans such as cockroaches, bats, and evil rats who are at war and in alliance with each other. Gregor finds out that his father who has been missing for a couple of years is actually being held captive in this underworld. The plot takes a turn when they believe he is part of a prophecy. Some believe he is the warrior  who will save the captured overlander, while others doubt him.  Unwilling to believe he the one, he sets out on a quest to save his father from the rats, even if it will bring war to those who live in this underground world.

Historical Fiction

Curtis, Christopher Paul. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf.

Kenny Watson’s older brother is your average juvenile delinquent. Kenny’s parents have had enough and their oldest son’s actions are getting tiresome.  After the final straw, the Watsons decide to travel from Flint, Michigan to the Deep South in the hopes of giving their son an eye-opening experience by leaving him with his grandmother. Instead, the entire family and community experience what happens when people are motivated by racism and destruction.

Kenny Watson’s life is never dull. He has a juvenile delinquent for a brother, a tattletale for a younger sister, a mother who talks really southern when she gets upset, and a goofball of a father who loves to exaggerate a story.  Most of the novel is set in Flint, Michigan in 1963, where all Kenny needs to worry about is who is stealing his dinosaurs, trying to understand the choices his brother makes, and trying to fit in. When Kenny’s brother Bryon’s trouble goes too far, his parents decide to take him down to Birmingham, Alabama to spend the summer with his Grandma Sands. This was a time during the civil rights movement, when African Americans struggled to overcome racial discrimination, so there trip was carefully planned. When a church in Birmingham is bombed, killing four little girls, Kenny’s world is shattered from the weight of the violence.  His family, even Bryon, rallies around Kenny to help him understand his feelings of guilt, and that things won’t always be fair.  Told from Kenny’s point of view, the reader gets to experience the humorous quirks of the Weird Watsons through his innocence, transformation and his love for his family.

Laura Amy Schlitz. (2007). Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Cambridge: Candlewick Press.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is written in verse with the intention of being read aloud. These stories of teen masters and maidens of the past capture the medieval time period with tales of hard work, being poor, even rich and the struggles and hardships of classes during that time.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! tells stories in a monologue format from a variety of voices.  Set in medieval times the  twenty-two characters are children or young adults, whose lives are all interconnected within a fictional town surrounding a manor. Each character has a unique voice that sheds light about the struggles and hardships of the time. They are each from different class distinctions, such as Taggot, the blacksmith’s daughter who will never marry, Pask , the runaway who is waiting for freedom, and Simon, the knight’s son who becomes a monk.  There are contrasts between the rich and the poor, the hungry and the well-fed, as well as the pretty and the not- so-pretty.  The author uses the margins to share tidbits of information that helps the reader understand the culture and traditions of medieval times.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Pastis, S. (2013). Timmy Failure. Somerville: Candlewick Press.

Timmy isn’t the best detective and he’s a bit of an underachiever when it comes to school. In his opinion, he’s going to be the best, riches detective there is. With his partner in business, Total the Polar Bear, Timmy tries to solve other friend’s crimes until his mother’s Segway is stolen and he has to find the thief.  

Timmy Failure’s  style is similar to that of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It is told by Timmy sharing the history and challenges of his detective agency. The main character often speaks directly to the reader, inviting them into his crazy adventures. The book is filled with cartoon images giving clues to the cases and sharing Timmy’s view of the world. Timmy is a somewhat clueless character, and is definitely not the best detective.  He doesn’t pay attention to the clues or the help that his friends provide to solve cases. He’s very self-confident and believes that his detective agency will one day be a fortune 500 company, even though he hasn’t solved a case. As he is building up his business, he loses sight of the importance of school work, respecting his mother’s property and being honest.  Although not really believable, young readers can relate to the situations that Timmy finds himself in, such as having to lie his mother when he borrows her Segway and when they have to move to a smaller apartment because of money issues.

  

Cleary, B. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York: Scholastic.

Dear Mr. Henshaw is about a little boy, Leigh, who is faced with many challenges as he gets older. His parents have gotten a divorced and his father is missing from his life, someone keeps stealing his lunch and he is faced with answering questions he doesn't want to from his favorite author. He and Mr. Henshaw correspond over a period of time as he encourages Leigh to write in a journal. As Leigh writes in his diary, he decides to enter an essay or poem into the Young Writers contest. His story didn't win but did get an honorable mention.

Dear Mr. Henshaw  has  a unique style. The book is written to allow the reader to see the thoughts and feelings of a young boy as he writes letters to his favorite author and begins to fill pages of his journal. With this particular style  the reader gets a glimpse of his emotions such as anger at having to answer the questions from the author and the confusion he feels  from the lack of his father being around.  The letters and journals also allows for the plot  to move quickly through time without feeling like you are missing anything. The plot is realistic and has conflicts that young children face throughout time.  He lives with his mother, who is a single mom that is trying to make ends meet. Leigh struggles with the fact that his father is absent and does not keep his word. Plus someone keeps stealing his lunch, which leads Leigh to develop an alarm on his lunch box . This becomes all the rage and everyone wants one. While we never find out who exactly is taking his lunch, the alarm solves his problem. As Leigh deals with changes in his life, he comes to terms that his parents will not  be getting back together.

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. New York: Atheneum.

Melody is the smartest kid at her school but no one would know it. She can't talk, can't walk or communicate, so most of the school and doctors don't think she can learn. Her neighbor and parents think differently. They buy Melody a device that speaks for her. For the first time, Melody can share her thoughts, feelings and knowledge which leads to her being a part of the Whiz Kids quiz team. Over the course of the competition, Melody learns who her friends are and learns to stand up for herself.

Melody the main character in Out of my Mind,  has a disability where her body doesn’t do what she wants it to and she can’t communicate to share her thoughts. The story is told from her perspective and shares her personal journey on being treated as an equal. The reader is able to feel her frustration at not being understood or be able show what she is capable of. As she learns to communicate, with the help of a machine, the reader is right there with her as she tell others, she may be different but she has hopes and dreams just like them.  There is an underlying theme of  acceptance and wanting to be treated the same as others throughout the book.  It gives the reader a chance to reflect on how we have treated others who are different from ourselves and hope that we will do better in the future.

 Lord, C. (2008). Rules. New York: Scholastic.

Catherine has a younger brother who has autism. She spends much of her time making rules and teaching him how to behave with others. She hates how people react and look at David and is afraid that he will embarrass her. She has always longed to have a friend who lives next door. She gets her chance when a new girl moves in at the beginning of summer, but the new girl also befriends the neighborhood boy who torments her brother. Each week Catherine goes with David when he attends therapy. She gets to know a boy named Jason, who speaks using communication cards on a desk. Catherine spends much of her summer getting to know him and making new, exciting words for him using her love of art. She soon realizes that it doesn't matter what other people think, family and friends are the ones who matter.

In Rules, the setting is in a seaside town in Maine. The majority of the action takes place in the OT office's waiting room. Catherine doesn't have to go to the appointments, but she chooses to do so. It is a time she can spend with her mother, alone, without David. She yearns to be able to go shopping or sit by the ocean with her mother, but that doesn't happen due to her mother wanting to be close, in case David needs something. The office is also where Catherine meets Jason and they become friends. There are several themes to the novel but the one that stands out is acceptance. Catherine is so afraid of being considered different or odd that she tries to hide her brother from friends and public situations. She also hides her friendship with Jason. Over time she learns that being different is just different, not necessarily bad and learns to accept the way things are.

Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Scholastic.

Jess dreams of being the fastest runner at school. A new girl moves into the house next door who beats everyone and crashes his dream. As Jess gets to know Leslie, she becomes his best friend, who he can share is love of drawing and she shares her imagination of places she gets from books. Together the two of them create a magical kingdom they call Terabithia where they are the rulers, until tragedy takes away his best friend.

Bridge to Terabithia's setting is set in a the small town of Lark Creek, not far from Washington D.C. The most important aspect is that it is a rural farming town with a small population and only one school. The people work hard and children have chores. There are also a few hints as to the time period, such as references to hippie and women who wear pants that leads the reader to think the story takes place sometime in the seventies. Jess and Leslie live out where the roads get muddy when it rains and there are woods and creeks behind their houses. This is where they create their magical land of Terabithia. The setting's time period also affects the gender of the time. Gender roles are clearly defined in the book. Women are expected to cook, take care of the home and the younger siblings, while the men are expected to work. This is especially true for Jess, as he does all of the chores around the house while his sisters whine about going shopping. Jess also struggles with living up to his father's expectations by being the only son in the family.

Urban, L. (2009). A crooked kind of perfect. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Zoe has always dreamed of playing the piano at Carnegie Hall, but she must settle for learning to play an organ instead. She has lessons each week with her tutor, who suggests she competes in the Perform-O-Rama. Along the way Wheeler, a boy from school, starts to hang out with her father learning to bake from the Living Room University classes. After some struggling decisions, help from Wheeler, her phobia-prone father takes her to the competition where she wins fourth place. As a late birthday and winning celebration, her parents decide to get her the desired piano.

Zoe's Elias life isn't perfect. She dreams of playing the piano but must settle for the Prefectone D-60 organ instead. She has a father who is afraid to leave the house, a mother who is a workaholic, she's been deserted by her best friends, plus a strange boy keeps following her home to spend time with her dad. That's a lot for a little girl to handle. The plot of the novel grabs the reader from the very first page with its catchy chapter titles and keeps the  reader engaged with humor as Zoe faces each new challenge. The gender roles depicted in the novel are inspiring. Zoe's mother is the breadwinner of the family, which is why she is always working. Her father, although a bit strange, is at home making sure Zoe has snacks, practices the organ and tries to take her places she needs to go, although they get lost more often than not. Even Wheeler, who comes across as the tough kid at school, loves to bake with Zoe's father- a kind of opposite of the gender role one would expect.

Informational Books

Informational Books

Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons over Broadway: The true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade. New York: Houghton.

From the time Tony Sarg was a little boy, he knew he wanted to make puppets. He loved to find ways to make things move and would experiment until he found a way to get his inventions to move. As he got older, word spread about his puppets and he was hired by R. H. Macy's department store. They wanted him to build a puppet parade. As the years went by the parade got bigger and bigger and so did his puppets until they became the balloons we see today at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

Balloons over Broadway is an excellent book about the history or the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. It gives an accurate timeline of how Tony Sarg developed his puppets and moved onto the big blimp-like balloons seen at the parade. Sweet did her research by finding sources to read and interview to find out about puppetry and balloon design, which she lists at the back of the book.

  

Bishop, N. (2007). Spiders. New York: Scholastic.

Spiders are one of the longest living and most successful predators alive. They can be as big as a page in a book. All spiders have two parts to their body and 8 legs which sets them apart from insects. Most spiders have eight eyes but can't see very well, so they rely on their senses. Nice Bishop's book Spiders  is filled with all types of facts about spiders and includes up-close, magnified pictures.

Spiders and every other Nic Bishop book is an accurate resource using incredible photographs. Bishop takes his own pictures for his books and for Spiders, he used several of his own spiders to document  rare events such as molting, jumping, and egg –laying. He has a doctorate degree in biological sciences and uses his knowledge and travels to provide factual information to the reader.

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaked: The awful end of the awfully famous. New York:     Walker.

In the days before medicine and real medical training, people would get sick and die gruesome deaths. How They Croaked is a fun, gross-filled list of how nineteen famous people died, such as George Washington, who died of a sore in his mouth, or James A. Garfield, who died from having dirty fingers poked inside his gunshot wound.

How they Croaked is written in a fun way to share about the deaths of  famous people. It begins with an introduction to warn the reader about how gruesome some of the deaths were.  The chapters are organized chronologically by the year each person died, but  a reader can jump around and read the people they are interested in. Each chapter begins with a bit of information about each person. It includes who they were, where and when they were born, as well as, where and when they died.  At the conclusion of each chapter  there are facts and information pertaining to their lives, the time period and tidbits about their illness.

 Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship. New York: Hyperion.

Nelson uses a generic baseball player to tell the tale of the struggles of the Negro League Baseball. It highlights the key players and events throughout the history of negro baseball from the 1920's through World War II, and to when Branch Rickey signed on Jackie Robinson to the major leagues.

We Are the Ship shows the struggle of African Americans to achieve equality in America’s favorite game by sequencing the story over the history of baseball. By organizing the information in chronological order, naming each chapter an inning, the reader can better understand the struggles and sacrifices made to play the game they loved.

Ottaviani, J., & Wicks. M. (2013). Primates. New York: First Second.

Three women were selected to study different types of primates because it was believed that women were calmer and could get closer. These three ladies: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Birute Galdikas dedicated their lives and made new discovers that opened doors for other generations of female scientists.

Primates has a bright, attractive cover that catch the reader’s eye and interest. The graphic design communicates the information about the three women effectively making it an enjoyable story rather than just about book about facts.

Harris, R. (2014). It's so amazing. Boston: Candlewick.

It’s So Amazing is the perfect go-to informational book that helps answer the tough questions that children ask about where babies come from and questions about their bodies. It is filled with factual yet child-friendly pictures and information.

It’s So Amazing is a great example of the use of design in an informational book. The cartoon illustrations, and cartoon characters help share the information about the subject of the “birds and the bees”.  The bright colors and the small grouping of text makes it attractive and inviting for readers. This books helps communicate the often difficult topic and answers questions children may have clearly and accurately.

Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. New York: Holt.

When Rosa Parks gets off work early, little did she know that she would start a revolution.  In 1955, Rosa sat down in the neutral section of the bus one afternoon and refused to get up. Word quickly spread when Rosa was arrested. Groups banned together and made posters telling people to stop riding the bus in support of Rosa. After almost a year of walking in all types of weather, their efforts paid off and the Supreme Court ruled segregation on buses to be illegal.

Style is what makes informational books read like literature rather than just giving information. The book Rosa reads like a short story.  The style of the book spikes the reader’s curiosity and encourages them to further their reading about the civil rights movement.

McDonell, P. (2011). Me...Jane. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Me... Jane is the tale of a young Jane Goodall and her love of being outside. Her curiosity leads her to explore and learn all about the animals and nature in her backyard. She dreams of living in Africa among the animals. She falls asleep to wake up to realize her dreams came true.

The book  Me…Jane  is an unique twist of a bibliography about Jane Goodall. It is told from a narrator’s point of view about a little girl’s dreams of living in Africa and helping animals and those dreams became true. At the end, it includes information about Jane and her accomplishments, as well as, a message from her. This simple book sparks the curiosity of its readers and entices more reading about Jane and her love of animals.

Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler Youth. New York: Scholastic.

Hitler Youth is an informational book that tells how the Nazi youth of Germany were persuaded, then required to participate in the Hitler Youth groups. Several were die-hard believers, willing to die for Germany and Hitler, while others began to question their lack of rights and rebelled. The youth were the backbone of the Third Reich and the war. After the conclusion of the war, many were tried and forced to face what atrocities they were a part of.

Hitler Youth shares how the youth of Germany helped strengthen and rise Hitler to power. Bartoletti spent two years researching archives, reading books, interviewing both Hitler youth and Jews, as well as touring Europe to get an accurate account of the events and feelings during this time and how it came to be.

Picture Books

Picture Books

Smith, Lane. ((2011). It's a book. New York: Roaring Brook.

It's a Book is a picture book about monkey reading a book. Jackass comes along and wants to know what he has, continually asking questions to see if the book can do all the things that computers and digital media can do. Jackass finally take the book and become totally engaged in reading and refuse to return the book.

It’s a Book is a perfect theme for today’s digital age children. They are growing up where electronics take precedence over other types of entertainment.  With its humor and simple dialogue, It’s a Book shows kids that while Kindles, iPads and other electronics are fun, a simple book can be quite engaging, as shown when donkey refuses to give the book back to monkey.

Klassen, John. (2012). This is not my hat. Boston: Candlewick.

This is Not My Hat is a picture book about a small fish who has taken a hat that does not belong to him. He tries to justify his reasoning for taking the hat and believes he won't be caught. But all along the large fish knew he took his hat and comes to get it.

 

The storyline is a simple one in This Is Not My Hat. It is a fresh take on the idea of not taking things that are not ours. A little fish steals a small bowler hat that fits him perfectly from a rather large, sleeping, fish.  He tries to justify his actions as he narrates the story about how he stole the hat, why, and where he’s headed. The illustrations in the story help drive the plot by showing exactly the opposite of what the little fish is narrating such as the large fish opening his eyes as the small fish says “he won’t wake up” and “Nobody will find me” while the illustrations continue on to show the big fish swimming back to his resting place after retrieving his hat.

Sendark, Maurice. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper Collins.

In Where the Wild Things Are, Max gets sent to his room without eating. His rooms grows into a forest and he sails away to a far away land where he rules the wild things. After a time, he realizes he is lonely and misses home, so he sails back home to find dinner waiting for him, still warm.

Where the Wild Things Are is an excellent demonstration of texture. It really helps give the illustrations the sense of being three-dimensional. The textured details on the tail on Max’s wolf outfit, the fur of the wild things, and even the grass beneath their feet really come to life and enrich the reader’s experience. It gives the reader the feeling like they could reach into Max’s world and feel the coarseness of the bark or the sharpness of their claws.

  



Falconer, I. (2009). Olivia. New York: Atheneum.

Olivia tells the story of a high-energy pig who is good at many things, including wearing her mother out. The picture book shares a typical day and the things that Olivia likes to do, such as trying on all of her clothes, going to the beach and the museum, and all the mischief she can get into.

In Olivia, the story is a unified balance of narration and illustration. The page is set up so that the illustrations draw your eye, while the narration is balanced and symmetrical to the pictures. The most dominant aspect is the color red because it is the only vibrant color in the illustrations. It draws the reader’s eye to Olivia and helps tell her story.

Munch, R. (2012). The paper bag princess. New York: Annick Press.

The Paper Bag Princess is a slightly different fairy tale. A dragon destroys everything that the princess owns and steals her prince. The princess dons a paper bag and goes to rescue her prince using cunning questions to outsmart the dragon. Her fiancé in turn is disgusted by her appearance of a paper bag dress. The princess realizes she doesn't need a prince.

In The Paper Bag Princess, Munsch’s princess is a direct contrast to the way a fairy tale princess is normally portrayed. The story begins as any normal fairy tale with her living in a castle, with nice clothes and engaged to a prince. She loses everything to a dragon, including her fiancé. As she goes to rescue her prince, Munsch shows that a princess doesn't have to be a damsel in need, but can be quick-witted, and cunning. Another twist of character is at the end of the story when Ronald judges her appearance and paper bag outfit. The princess realizes that she doesn’t need an ungrateful  prince for a husband as do the other classic princess characters in stories. 

Brown, P. (2011). My teacher is a monster. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young  Readers.

Robert doesn't like his teacher and thinks she's a monster because he is always in trouble at school. During his free time, he meets Ms. Kirby in the park. Her hat blows off and Robert offers to save it for her. They spend the day together doing each of their favorite things. Robert comes to realize that Ms. Kirby isn't that bad.

My Teacher is a Monster is an excellent example of the use of shape. There are many curved and rounded shapes throughout the illustrations such as the pond, rocks, lily pads, the teacher’s hat, and the speech bubbles. The most significant shape is the teacher’s head. She begins the story as a monster with a really large head that is partly curved and partly square. As the story progresses, the teacher’s head shape changes as she becomes more friendly and she becomes more personified. By the end of the story, the teacher’s head is small and round like the rest of Robert’s classmates. 

Wiener, D. (2001). The three pigs. New York: Clarion.

The Three Pigs starts off as the typical tale of the three pigs, who run into the big bad wolf, until they decide to break the norm. The three pigs jump out of their story and go on an adventure. They make a paper airplane and fly through the air, they slip in and out of other stories, meet other characters and bring them along for the ride. They soon find their own tale again and decide to live happily ever after with their new friends.

The Three Pigs uses its unique illustrations to tell the story. Weisner uses several different illustrations techniques and styles to transition from scene to scene, such as cartoon, realistic art, watercolor, and pencil.  The placement of the pictures, or lack thereof, keep the pace of the story , as well as make a huge impact on the reader and the overall experience of reading this book.

Deedy, C.A. (2007). Martina the beautiful cockroach. Atlanta: Peachtree.

In Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, Martina has become of marrying age. When her family announces that she is accepting suitors, her grandmother gives her some Cuban advice to help her test each of her suitors: the coffee test. One after the other, each suitor fails the test until there is only a small brown mouse left. It turns out he knows of the coffee test too.

In Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, the colored illustrations are what catches the reader's eye. Deedy uses realistic illustrations that uses subtle, tropical colors, yet they still seem to be vibrant. The illustrations and colors really stand out and captures the island's culture, such as the buildings, the parrot, and the flowers of the island. 

The setting of the book Martina the Beautiful Cockroach takes place in Cuba’s Old Havana. The location is stated on the first page but is also evidence through the artifacts presented in the illustrations such as the can of black beans, and the books with Spanish titles. What is even more apparent in the illustrations is the passing of time. Martina begins accepting suitors either late morning or toward midday.  As each new suitor appears, you can see the passage of time as the sky changes and cast colors on the buildings. It is also shown in the shadows that are projected from objects and characters throughout the day. The final suitor is clearly in the evening, which is shown by the lit street lamp.

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror, Mirror. New York: Dutton.

Mirror Mirror is a picture book filled with fairy tales written in reversible poems. The poem is read once and tells the story of one character and then read again in reverse to learn the contrasting point of view. One such tale starts with sleeping beauty complaining about sleeping all the time and in reverse is the prince's complaint that he never has fun and is always working.

Lines are prevalent in Mirror Mirror. Every page has a visual line down the middle. This line sets up the contrast and balance of the two poems by showing one poem in a yellow background and the other in white. The line also helps visually separate the viewpoints in the illustrations by using contrasting colors between the two pictures such as the “The Sleeping Beauty and the Wide-Awake Prince” uses opposite colors of green and blue to offset the middle line.

Style is revealed in the book Mirror Mirror in how the author, Marilyn Singer, wrote the fairy tale poems in reverso.  The verses can be read forwards and backwards, which skillfully reflects both sides of a story. Each poem is written parallel to each other in contrasting colors to further highlight its counterpart. Each illustration is also two separate pictures melded together depicting the poem they are aligned with, such as Rapunzel with her long hair and the contrast illustration of her with short hair.  

DePaola, Tomoe. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. New York: Putnam.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet tells the tale of how the bluebonnets came to be. The Comanche people were suffering through a drought and to end it the people would need to sacrifice their most prized possession. While the others slept, She-Who-Is-Alone offered her doll, her only possession, to the spirits. The next morning when she and the tribe awoke, the land was covered in blue flowers and the warm rain began to fall.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet is a retold tale based on Comanche Indian lore. The culture of the Comanche tribe is depicted through its illustrations, such as the markings on the teepees, the dress and features of the little girl and the rest of the tribe. It is also evident throughout the narration of the story, such as the little girl’s name She-Who-Is-Alone and the customs of the shaman listening for the words of the Great Spirits. The plot is a captivating one that easily intertwines the story and culture of the Native American people.