Amy’s Comments (group member since Aug 18, 2024)

Amy’s comments from the 5183 Fall 2024 Information Resources and Services for Children group.

Inside Out & Back Again

Lai, T. (2011). Inside out & back again. Harpercollins.

"Inside Out & Back Again" is a verse novel from the perspective of a 10 year old refugee girl named Hà from Vietnam. Ending up in Alabama, the novel explores themes of loss, resilience, cultural identity, and assimilation.

"Inside Out & Back Again" is an accessible way for children to explore complex themes and diverse perspectives. I read this book with a 4th grade class in a unit called "Coming Home: Immigration and Assimilation." In this unit, we explored themes of resilience, familial bonds and community. This book was the main text for the unit. For the unit assessment, students created a welcome plan for Hà and a poem based on one of the major themes of the book. Overall, the unit was successful as students grappled with experiences outside their own while learning poetry standards along the way. I would use this book in a similar way if I was back in the classroom or heading up a children's book club.

The Season of Styx Malone

Magoon, K. (2018). The season of Styx Malone. Wendy Lamb Books.

Two brothers, Caleb and Bobby, embark on an unexpected summer adventure when they befriend an enigmatic teen named Styx Malone. The experiences challenges their views on friendship, family, and the risks of growing up.

"The Season of Styx Malone" offers a realistic picture of life for many children. This is seen especially in terms of the complexities of family dynamics, the challenges of adolescence, and the push and pull between childhood innocence and the desire for independence. The book explores themes of friendship, trust, and identity—elements that are familiar to many young readers, even if the specifics of the story (such as the particular setting or adventure) are more unique.
In my opinion, a children's book should strike a balance between realism and imagination. Children benefit from realistic portrayals because they can see their own experiences reflected, helping them understand their emotions and the world around them. However, this doesn't mean every aspect of the story must be a direct reflection of reality. Sometimes a book that introduces fantastical elements or exaggerates situations can provide valuable lessons in ways that are just as meaningful.
Ultimately, realistic books can help children navigate their own lives by providing examples of problem-solving, resilience, and empathy, but they also need to offer hope, joy, and escape. It’s about fostering understanding without overwhelming or burdening young readers. When done thoughtfully, realistic portrayals can be more empowering than harmful, offering kids tools to process their own feelings and experiences.

The Little Prince

Saint-Exupery, A.D. (2000). The Little Prince (A.D. Saint-Exupery, Illus.; R. Howard, Trans.). Harcourt Inc. (Original work published 1943)

A young prince travels from his home asteroid to different planets, meeting various inhabitants who each embody different human traits and eccentricities. After arriving on Earth, the prince forms a friendship with a stranded pilot, sharing profound insights about love, loss, and the importance of seeing beyond the surface.

The setting of "The Little Prince" spans across multiple worlds including Earth. The bulk of the story takes place in a desert where the pilot meets the prince. Each planet has a whimsical nature that spotlights the innocence and curiosity of childhood, contrasting with the complexities of adult life. The settings presented are not just background information as they reflect the inner worlds of the characters, emphasizing themes of loneliness and misunderstanding in contemporary society. The prince's encounters with different characters critique adult priorities—like power, wealth, and vanity—mirroring societal pressures and the loss of childlike wonder in the modern world.

Elf Dog and Owl Head

1. Anderson, M. T. (2023). Elf dog & owl head. Penguin Random House. https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2023.0058

2. A young boy, Clay O'Brien, sets out to explore the woods during a COVID era like quarantine. He meets a young elf-hound, Elphinore, and embarks on a multi-world adventure.

3. There are always glimmers of the truth in any story shared. While Elf Head & Dog Head might not have taken place in the real world, the main character Clay's journey touches upon many of the hardships children faced during the pandemic. Clay talks about the isolation and loneliness he experiences due to quarantine. He explores those feelings of loss through a magical adventure with creatures outside of his known reality. During the pandemic, many people used imagination to escape their realities. This book makes that escapism a reality for the main character. Elf Dog & Owl Head could be used to help children process what they experienced during COVID. Due to this potential, the story is at its core true.

We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know

Sorrel. T. (2021). We are still here! (F. Lessac, Illus.). Charlesbridge.

Indigenous youth present on 12 different topics that cover native history, politics, struggles, and successes in the United States.

K: “We are still here!” is a book I regularly use for Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage month at the Pioneer Library System. It is a book that explores Native history and politics in the United States through youth voice. It was created by native people on Turtle Island to inform readers about the attempted erasure of indigenous nations and what has been done to prevent these attempts. I know about this history through personal family experiences and appreciate this book for presenting complex topics in digestible ways.

W: I would like to know more about the students that presented on the topics. I loved that it included their names but wanted to know tribe affiliations.

L: It was helpful that the book provided a timeline after the presentations. I often struggle with remembering “the when” in conjunction with important historical milestones. I learned more about the dates of the topics presented.

Hello, Universe

Kelly, E. E. (2017). Hello Universe. HarperCollins Publisher. https://doi.org/10.1353/bcc.2017.0197.

Four children set off on an adventure in the woods where their paths cross in mystical ways. A rich story filled with Filipino folklore, Hello Universe depicts cosmic interventions and what it is to be a hero.

Hello Universe uses different points of view to tell a story of children stepping up to help one another. The 4 protagonist each are unique in their own way and are fully fleshed out characters. One of these characters is Valencia. Valencia is deaf and uses hearing aids. While deafness is an important part of Valencia's character, it is not the sole focus of her story. Erin Entrada Kelly takes great care in showing the reader how deafness impacts Valencia by weaving it into the story in a seamless way. The other characters accept Valencia for who she is and make accommodations for their friend.

Hello Universe celebrates the different characters in the book for who they are as individuals. The book is a great depiction of how our individual traits can be assets to our communities and personal lives.

Personal Note:
When I read this book with my 4th graders, many students had not experienced Deaf culture. To help with background knowledge we read several articles about Deaf culture and this book: My Life With Deafness
It helped the students understand Valencia's character a bit better. Many students asked to start adding ASL to our classes after reading more about Deaf culture.

What REALLY Happened to Humpty?: From the Files of a Hard-Boiled Detective

Dumpty, J. (2009). What really happened to Humpty? (S. Axelsen, Illus.). Jeanie Franz Ransom.

Humpty Dumpty's brother, Joe, is on the case! Joe tries to find out if there was any foul play in his brothers fall.

What REALLY Happened to Humpty? draws upon several classic nursery rhymes to tell its detective story. The nursey rhyme characters are popular in western society in culture but might not be familiar to everyone. After looking through the book, I was unable to find any source notes for the original nursery rhymes. If you do not have the context of the original nursery rhymes, several of the plot points and humor would not be accessible to the reader. I did find this book entertaining as I had the context and background knowledge. I would not recommend this book as a story time book. I would recommend it to children interested in fractured fairytales or teachers looking for a book to compare stories for a unit.

Hi! Fly Guy

Arnold, T. (2005). Hi! fly guy (T. Arnold, illus.). Scholastic Inc.

A little boy befriends a fly to present at a pet show.

Hi! Fly Guy is an engaging story that allows for children to explore language textually and visually. The book is classified as a beginning reader for ages 5-7. It provides simple text, text complimentary illustrations, and a short chapter book format. The vocabulary is supported by the imagery and most words are decodable. There are many opportunities to practice affixes like -ing and -y. However, if children are just started learning CVC words and other concepts, this would be a difficult book. I would recommend this book to readers that have basic phonics concepts down.

Ten in a Hurry

Cole, L. (2021). Ten in a hurry (L. Cole, Illus.). Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

A concept counting book that follows 10 fish being eaten one by one

Ten in a Hurry uses simple imagery that draws readers into a fun plot and concept. The book uses a variety of visual techniques to explore the concept of counting to 10. The different color fish stand out on a black background allowing for readers to focus on the concept and plot. In addition to the contrast, Cole utilizes different sizes of pages to further illustrate the counting concept. While the art and format are simple, Ten in a Hurry is an engaging book that allows for easy exploration of plot and numbers.

We Are Water Protectors:

Lindstrom, C. (2020), We are water protectors (M. Goade, Illus.). Roaring Brook Press.

A young Ojibwe girl acts with a larger indigenous community to protect the land and water from an oil pipeline. We Are Water Protectors, winner of the 2020 Caldecott Award, is a celebration of community and activism.

We Are Water Protectors is full of water color images that depict a variety of indigenous communities coming together to fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The artwork compliments the message as it fuses nature with the images of indigenous water protectors. You can see this when the main character's hair flows into the water becoming one being. This imagery is seen throughout the book to show the communities connection to the land and water. Overall, the images work together with the text to convey a powerful message of community, activism, and decolonization.

1. Keller, T. (2020). When you trap a tiger. Penguin Random House LLC.

2. When You Trap a Tiger has received many awards and honors. Some of these awards and honors include:
- Newberry Medal
-Asian/Pacific Islander for Children's Literature
-#1 New York Times Bestseller

3. A young girl embarks on a quest full of Korean folklore to unravel family secrets to save her grandmother.

4. When You Trap a Tiger is a rich middle grade chapter book that has many opportunities for learning extensions. It has diverse representation of Korean-American and LGBTQIA+ characters. I believe it has won so many awards due to the engaging plotline, fully developed characters, and minority group representation. I would recommend this book to ages 9 and up. I read it with my 4th grade classes! It was a hit. We did many activities for background knowledge on Korean folklore. It is appropriate for any child that loves folklore, mystery, and adventure.

1. Salati, D. (2022). Hot dog. Alfred A. Knopf: Penguin Random House LLC.

2. Hot Dog has received several awards and honors. Those awards and honors include:
- The 2023 Caldecott Medal
- Ezra Jack Keats Award
-New York Times Bestseller
- One of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post

3. A cooper-red long-haired dachshund longs to escape the hot streets of a New York City summer. In a series of stunning visuals, the dachshund and it's matching haired owner embark on an adventure to nature to escape the oppressive heat.

4. Hot Dog's main selling point is the illustrations with simple text. It allows the reader to visually experience the story and add their own meaning. I believe it has won so many awards due to the artwork and simple storyline. It would be great for a summer storytime or book display. There are plenty of opportunities to make inferences and text-to-self connections. I would recommend this book to children and families that want to connect through talking about text and illustrations. It would be a great book to have your child sit in your lap and explore together.