Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich

Author and Illustrator: Adam Rex

© 2006 Houghton Mufflin Harcourt

40 Pages

Fantasy

            This book is all about fantasy. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich is a collection of fantasy poems. The first poem talks about Frankenstein and how the people around him do not like when he comes out of his house. He wants to go buy things to make a sandwich from but he can’t because he is scaring everyone. He walks back home and the people start throwing things to make a sandwich with at poor Frankenstein. He is overjoyed and believes those people were very polite.

            The illustrations are unique for every poem in the book. The illustrations look like they have been painted with oils.

            This book can be used in a kindergarten to third grade class. The teacher could read the poems to the class and have the students reflect on each poem’s theme in reading. The teacher could also use this book to teach poetry, as well as when talking about different genres.

This book has not won any awards, but the author has written the book Three Ring Circus.

A message from the author, Adam Rex.

 Puff the Magic Dragon

Peter Yarrow & Lenny Lipton

Illustrated by: Eric Puybaret

©2007 Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

24 Pages

Fantasy

            Puff the Magic Dragon was originally a song of the 1960’s. The magical words of the song can now capture the hearts of children. The words and the illustrations bring the reader in a world of dragons and magic. Puff is a magic dragon that frolics by the sea. He is the favorite toy of Jackie Paper. This book makes you lose your thinking as an adult and makes you think like a child again.

            The illustrations are painted in acrylic on linen cloth. The illustrations really bring the words to life and cover the entire page of the book. The pictures seem to almost stand off the page and come to life.

            Puff the Magic Dragon is more for a younger audience of kindergarten and first grade when children love dragons, castles, and magic. The teacher could use this book when introducing fantasy and poetry genres. The teacher could use this book in writing to have the students come up with their own magical story and promote their imagination.

            This book has not won any awards.

"Puff the Magic Dragon" children's song. 

 Substitute Creacher

Author & Illustrator: Chris Hall

©2011 Little, Brown and Company

32 pages

Fantasy

            This book was created with a moral behind it: Don’t disobey or be sneaky or you could be cursed. The book begins with a rowdy group of students. The teacher is gone for the day so they know they will have a substitute teacher. In the room walks a monster instead of a substitute teacher. The children are alarmed to see this. The creacher tells them that he is there to tell them about what could happen to them if they keep misbehaving.  He shows mug shots of children that have misbehaved. He tells of a student that had a really messy desk. Inside the desk an earthquake began and tore down the entire school.  A boy ate so much glue things stuck to him all the time and he couldn’t get anything off. The last student scared everyone on Halloween to get their candy. The boy always stole their candy as they ran away. The boy stole candy from what he didn’t know was a magical gnome. The boy turned into his scary Halloween costume. Mr. Creacher tells the class that it was him that did that many years ago and he is now cursed by the gnome.

            The illustrations really set the mood of the story. The story is told using cartoon like drawings and comics, complete with dialogue boxes between the characters. The picture looks to me to be painted with oils.

            The book is wonderful to use with younger grades like first to third grade. The teacher can use the book for character education when talking about self control. The teacher can also use this book to use for a writing prompt. The teacher can also teach about the text feature of dialogue boxes from the book.

            This book has not won any awards.

                           

The Legend of the Three Trees

Text by: Thomas Nelson ©2001

Illustrations ©2007 Dahl Taylor

24 pages

Traditional Literature

            This story has been written many times as it has been passed down to new generations. There are three trees that begin the story. When the pine, oak, and olive tree are cut down, they just know they will be used to do important things. The olive tree believes it will become a treasure chest, but instead becomes a manger for cows and horses to eat from. The oak becomes a boat even thought it has dreamed of becoming a ship that carries a King. The pine becomes a cross. What these trees don’t know is they have become something more important than could ever be made. They all were even more than what they expected, they all held Jesus.

            The illustrations are in oil and pencil. The illustrations cover all the negative space and bring the words to life. The pictures really make the story understandable to children.

            The book would be best to use in an upper elementary classroom like third through sixth grade. This book could be used to introduce the character education word of patience. This could also be used in Science when studying about trees and what types of trees things are made from.

            This book has not won any awards.

The Three Pigs 

David Wiesner

©2001 Clarion Books

26 Pages

Traditional Literature

            In this twist on the famous Three Little Pigs story, the author starts with telling the classic story. The author then has the pigs jump out of the story to go into another world. The pigs find themselves in other classic stories. They rescue the cat and the fiddle and a dragon. The pigs fold the page and make a paper airplane to travel to other stories. This funny twist on the classic story is sure to capture the attention of the reader.

            The illustrations are in watercolor, gouache, colored inks, pencil, and colored pencil. The illustrations cover the page when telling the story that every reader is familiar with. When telling when the pigs escape into another story to rescue, there is a lot of negative space used.

            This book would best be used in younger grades like kindergarten through second grade. The students have all heard the class story of the Three Little Pigs so this twist on the story would get their brains to start thinking out of the box. The book would be wonderful to use as a writing prompt. The students could put their own twist on another classic story. The teacher could also use the book to teach students about different types of genres of books.

            This book won the 2002 Caldecott Award.  The author is famous for his book Tuesday.

The Loin and the Mouse

                                                                            Jerry Pinkney

©2009 Little, Brown and Company

33 pages

Traditional Literature

            Jerry Pinkney puts a twist on this classic tale when he tells it without words. Onomatopoeias are the only words used in this book. The little mouse, in the beginning of the story, promises to help the lion one day when he needs it. So instead of eating the mouse, the lion lets the mouse go. The little mouse goes through with its promise to the lion and helps him in a time of need. This is a great story of helping others and putting someone before yourself.

            The illustrations look like they had been drawn in pencil watercolor and colored pencil on paper. The illustrations are what make the book come to life. Without words, the pictures are the most important thing in a wordless story. The illustrations are beautiful and unique to this book.

            This book is for a younger group like kindergarten through third games. Teacher can use this book to teach about the fables and traditional literature genre. In kindergarten the teacher could use the book to look at the picture to see what a mouse or a lion looks like.

            This book won the 2011 Caldecott  award. 

Check out the author's website. Click here.

 

On the Night You Were Born 

Nancy Tillman

©2005 Feiwel & Friends

32 Pages

Poetry

            This is truly a book for all ages to read and enjoy. I remember reading the book and crying. The words seem to dance on the page like the author says the polar bears were up all night dancing for you. The spirit of this book to me shows just how special we all truly are. God made us different for a reason, but in the book all of creation rejoices because you are different from any other person on this Earth. This book specializes in telling us in free verse poetry that life would never be the same with you, the reader.

            The illustrations are painted in watercolor and oils with some collage technique. The illustrations bring to life exactly what is being said on the page. Some pages take up the entire page while some have a lot of negative space.

            This book would be enjoyed by younger grades like kindergarten through third or fourth grade. The teacher could read this book when introducing free verse poetry to students. The book could as be used for character education in the form of self-importance. The students could write their own poems about someone special in their lives or the teacher could have them write about how they are special.

            This book was awarded the 2005-2006 Mom’s Choice Award for the Best Inspirational Children’s Book.

Check out the author's website and prints by this gifted illustrator. Click here.