Charlotte' Web

Author: E. B. White

Exposition: Fern lives on a farm.  Her family raises pigs.  Fern saves a runt and names it Wilbur.  Charlotte the spider will also help to save Wilbur.

Conflict: Wilbur the pig has discovered the fact that when pigs grow up, they are killed.

Rising Action: Wilbur needs help from being killed.  He meets up with a spider named Charlotte.  She thinks of words to spin in her web to describe Wilbur.  Wilbur will then, in turn, become famous and not be killed.

Climax:  Wilbur is taken to the county fair.  Charlotte spins another web which helps Wilbur to win a blue ribbon.  Charlotte spins her last web and requests Wilbur take care of her egg sack after she dies.

Falling Action: Wilbur takes the egg sack back to the farm and waits for the babies to arrive.

Resolution: All of the babies hatch and fly away on their web strings except for 3 which are the runts, and they live in the barn with Wilbur and the other farm animals.

White, E.B. Charlotte's Web. HarperCollins Pub.

ISBN: 9780061124952

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J.K. Rowling

Award: New York Times Best Seller

Exposition: Harry Potter and his friends must break the horcruxes--pieces of Voldemorts soul-- in order to take down Voldemort.

Conflict: Harry, Ron, and Hermione do not know where the horcruxes are hidden.  Voldemort has also taken over.  Without destroying the horcruxes, Voldemort can not be killed.

Rising Action:  Harry and his accomplices find the horcurxes and destroy all but one of them.  Voldemort knows they are destroying them, and must take Harry out before it is too late.  Ron and Hermione finally have their first kiss and admit their love for each other.

Climax: Voldemort is attacking Hogwarts, while Harry finds the final horcrux who happens to be himself.  He is 'killed' by Voldemort in a battle.  Harry 'sees' Dumbledore in a vision.

Falling Action: Harry comes back from his 'vision' and takes Voldemort out.  Good has won out over evil.

Resolution:  Harry and Ginny along with Ron and Hermione grow up and have kids of their own to are sent off to Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Scholastic.

ISBN: 9780545139700

Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Award:  Caldecott Winner 1964

Max has been misbehaving.  His mother sends him to bed without his dinner.  While there he dreams he sails off to a far away island where the Wild Things live.  They make Max their King.  They swing from the trees, stomp their feet and have a wild rumpus. Finally Max decides he needs to go back home.  When he wakes up, his mom has left dinner on his table for him.

The illustrations in this book are great.  They add so much to the story beyond the words.  The monsters are not too scary and kids can relate to getting into trouble and being sent to their room.

Sendak, Maurice.  Where the Wild Things Are.  HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN: 9780060254926

What Can You Do with with a Rebozo?

Author: Carmon Tafolla

Illustrator:  Amy Cordova

Award:  Notable Children's Books for 2009, Belpre Illustrator Honor Book

What can you do with a Rebozo?  is a tale about a little girl who has her mothers rebozo.  A rebozo is a traditional Mexican shawl.  She looks around the house and sees all of the members of her family using a rebozo in different ways.  Mama uses one to carry the baby so she can do things around the house.  Grandma uses one to cover the window on a cold night.  Sister uses one to twirl in her hair.  Brother can play hide and seek under a rebozo.  The little girl uses it to keep warm snuggled with her mama.  The pictures remind me of tradition Mexican colors.  They are bright and colorful.  The words on each page are written in English and Spanish. 

Tafolla, Carmen.  "What Can You Do with a Rebozo?" Illus. by Amy Cordova.  Tricycle Press/Ten Speed Press.

ISBN: 9781582462714

Stinky

Author:  Eleanor Davis

Awards: Notable Children's Book for 2009

Stinky Seamour is a monster who lives in a swamp.  He loves everything that is stinky and yucky.  On the other side of the swamp there is a town.  Stinky thinks people a gross because they like to be clean.  They take baths, and wash their hands.  One day a Nick, an icky boy, enters the swamp and builds a tree house.  Stinky does not like Nick and he doesn't like him being in the swamp.  Stinky watches Nick, and finds out that Nick likes the same things Stinky likes.  Together they learn they are not quite as different as they thought they were.  Even though they are so different they can become great friends.

This graphic novel is really cute.  The pictures are drawn with kid-like drawings and the speech bubbles are easy to read and understand.  Kids love Stinky and the things he loves...which are gross...and they learn that being different is OK.  Although we are different, we can still be friends.

Davis, Eleanor.  Stinky.  Toon Books.

ISBN:  9780979923845

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Author:  Eric Carle

Award:  NY Times best seller 2009

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is about a caterpillar who comes out of his egg very hungry.  He eats through a variety of foods including oranges, strawberries, watermelon, pie and more, which in turn make him not feel so well.  Finally he eats through a leaf and his tummy is much better.  He makes a cocoon and turns into a beautiful butterfly. 
The illustrations of this book are so original.  Eric Carle paints paper, then cuts each paper and puts them together like a puzzle.  They are very creative and beautiful.  This book is a classic.

Carle, Eric.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Penguin Group

ISBN: 9780399250392

Lego Star Wars The Visual Dictionary

Author: Simon Beecroft

Contributor: Jeremy Beckett

Award: New York Times Best Seller June, 2011

This book is the Lego Star Wars fan dream book.  The book goes through all the Lego's made. Has lists, photos and call numbers for all of the Star Wars Lego sets ever created and their distribution year.  The history of each figure is included along with a photo, and in what Star Wars movie it came from.  An extremely detailed description of what each piece looks like along with photos are included. 

My son LOVES this book.  It took him forever to get through it.  He loves Star Wars, and Legos, so this book is a great combination of the two.  The pictures are amazing as to how detailed they really are.

ISBN: 9780756655297

Junie B. Jones Is A Beautyshop Guy

Author: Barbara Park

Illustrator: Denise Brunkus

Award: New York Times Best Seller List, Challenged Book List

Exposition: June B. Jones is a spunky little Kindergarten kiddo.  In this book she has decided she wants to be a 'beauty shop guy'.  She announces she has changed her name to Pinky Gladys Gutsman and goes to the beauty shop with her dad.

Conflict: While at the beauty shop 'Pinky' decides it is just not that hard to cut hair.  Not as hard a sweeping it up of course.  She will be wonderful at this job.

Rising Action:  Pinky (Junie B.) decides to give her bunny slippers a trim which doesn't turn out so well. After tucking them under the bed, she turns to her dog, Tickle. He of course has dog hair, which is harder to cut. That is why it doesn't look so great. 

Climax: After cutting her own hair and finding out she has 'sprigs' she decides she better not let anyone see. She wears her favorite hat to school. But in case someone takes that hat off, she wears another one on top of it.

Falling Action: Mrs. (Junie B.'s teacher) takes off both the hats and sees the sprigs.  Junie B. is devastated because she knows she would be a great beauty shop guy.  Mrs. calls her dad, and he takes her back to the beauty shop to get her hair fixed.

Resolution: Junie B. will need a little more practice.  Now...who needs a cut next?

ISBN: 9780679889311

No, David!

Author: David Shannon

Illustrator: David Shannon

Award: 1999 Caldecott Honor Award

No, David! was written about a little boy named David.  He gets himself into all kinds of trouble.  He is quite 'hard headed' so when he mom says 'No, David' he, of course, doesn't listen.  My students favorite page is when mama says 'come back here David' after a bath, and the next page shows him running down the street with nothing on. This is the cutest book with illustrations drawn by what seems a little kiddo would draw.  Children can relate to the words, and the pictures in this book.  In the end, his mom tells his she still loves him.  This is a great book for a lesson on punishment because of a behavior, not because of the person.
 
ISBN: 9780590930024

Holes

Author:  Louis Sachar

Award: Newbery Award Winner for 1999

Exposition: Holes is about a boy Stanley Yelnates who is sent to a juvenile rehabilitation place called Camp Green Lake.  A place (where there is no lake) where digging holes will help boys become better people.  It is hot, it never rains, and the people running the 'camp' are anything but nice.

Conflict: Stanley is a member of a very unlucky family.  He was convicted of a crime he did not commit and was sent to Camp Green Lake to 'rehabilitate' himself.  While there he learned there was more going on than just the digging of holes by his camp mates.  They were looking for something. 

Rising Action: Stanley learned the history about his family (there was a curse for bad luck put on his family long ago) and the campers and the camp itself.  The campers were looking for a chest filled with money, jewels, a real treasure. 

Climax:  Stanley looks for clues and find the chest which as it turns out belonged to his ancestors.  The chest is however covered with deadly lizards.

Falling Action: Stanley makes it out with the chest, and is rescued from the camp by his lawyer.

Resolution: The chest is filled with enough stocks, bonds, and money to set the Yelnats family for life.  The curse is also broken because Stanley helps out a friend.  It finally rained at Camp Green Lake.

ISBN: 9780374332662

Martin's Big Words

Author:  Doreen Rappaport

Illustrated by:  Bryan Collier

Awards:  Coretta Scott King, Caldecott Honor Book

Martin's Big Words is a biography of the life of Martin Luther King Jr.  It goes through the events in his life while teaching a lesson about color.  He teaches it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or what color you are, you can make a difference.  I love this book.  I read it to my class every year in January.  The pictures are beautiful, and the wording is easy enough for young readers to understand.

Rappaport, Deborah, &Collier, Bryan. (2001).  Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

ISBN:  9780786807147

Twilight

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Exposition: Isabella (Bella) Swan leaves her mom's home in Phoenix, Arizona, to move in with her dad in Forks, Washington.  She meets up with childhood friend Jacob Black, and soon to be new love, Edward Cullen.

Conflict:  Bella is intrigued by the mystery surrounding Edward.  He tries to avoid her but they can not seem to keep away from each other.

Rising Action:  After some investigation, Bella learns Edward is a vampire of the 'vegetarian' variety.  He invites her to meet his family.  During a family baseball game some traveling vampires get into an argument and attack.  They want Bella.

Climax:  James, one of the traveling vampires, lours Bella back to her childhood ballet studio with plans to kill her.  He bites Bella's arm. 

Falling Action:  The Cullen family swoops in and 'takes care' of James.  Edward saves Bella from turning into a vampire.

Resolution:  Edward tells Bella's family she fell down some stairs and will be fine.  He takes her to prom where they have their first dance. 

Meyer, Stephenie. 2005.  Twilight.  Little Brown and Company, New York.

ISBN:  9780316038379

Imogene's Last Stand

Author:  Candace Fleming

Illustrator:  Nancy Carpenter

Imogene's Last Stand is a Texas Bluebonnet Award winner for 2011.

Exposition:  Imogene's Last Stand takes place in Liddleville, New Hampshire.  A town so small it is not even a speck on the map.  Imogene lives, eats and breathes history.  She has taken upon herself to fix up the Liddleville Historical Society--an old house at the end of main street. 

Conflict:  Imogene has finished cleaning up the Liddleville Historical Society when Mayor I. M. Butz decides to tear it down and build a shoe lace factory because it will put Liddleville on the map.

Rising Action:  Imogene paraded through the town to stop the demolition.  She put up ribbons, she dropped fliers from an airplane and picketed.  She wrote a letter to Professor Cornelia Pastmatters about a letter she found stating George Washington has once stayed there.  Nothing seemed to change the mind of Mayor I. M. Butz.

Climax:  On demolition day, Imogene stood her ground.  She put herself in stocks on the porch of the Historical house and would not budge.  Everyone in the town gathers around.  Imogene's father decides he will stand behind his daughter's wishes and joins her on the porch.  Suddenly Professor Cornelia Pastmatters arrives with the president of the United States.

Falling Action:  The professor and the president declare the house a historical landmark.

Resolution:  Everyone in the town including the mayor and the president go on a tour of the historical society building and Liddleville is put on the map because of it's history. 

I really enjoyed Imogene's Last Stand.  The book is interesting and well written.  The end pages of the book are filled with quotes from history such as information about Theodore Roosevelt saying "Balderdash" when he was angry or upset.  A little bit of history in a fun way to entertain the reader.   The figurative language is wonderful.  All throughout the book there were quotes from important people in history.  Imogene was constantly quoting people and their immortal words from Eleanor Roosevelt to Paul Revere.

Fleming, Candace. 2009.  Imogene's Last Stand.  Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter.  New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

ISBN:  9780375836077

The Duchess of Whimsy: An Absolutely Delicious Fairy Tale

Author:  Randall de Seve

Illustrator: Peter de Seve

The Duchess of Whimsy: An Absolutely Delicious Fairy Tale is a Texas Bluebonnet Award Winner for 2011.

Exposition:  This is a fairy tale.  It took place in the time of castles and kings.  We meet the Duchess of Whimsy and the Earl of Norm.  The Duchess of Whimsey's daddy is the King, and he is trying to get her to be friends with the Earl of Norm who's kingdoms need to to get together.

Conflict:  The Earl of Norm is fascinated with the Duchess of Whimsy and wants to get to know her, but he is just to 'normal' for her.  She likes extravagant, fanciful, over the top kinds of things.  The Earl of Norm tries everything he can think of to get her attention.

Rising Action:  The cook has taken ill.  Everyone in the castle tries to make the most fabu feast for the Duchess.  But first they need to collect all the ingredients.  Of course the Earl of Norm makes a normal grilled cheese, and glass of milk.

Climax:  The Earl of Norm has given up trying to impress the Duchess so he makes himself a grilled cheese and a glass of milk.  The Duchess of Whimsy notices the Earl of Norm and his absolutely normal grilled cheese and glass of milk.  She asks for a bite and finds she loves something quite ordinary.  She then notices the Earl of Norm.  He is not so normal and ordinary.

Falling Action:  The Duchess of Whimsy and the Earl of Norm begin learning about each other.  They learn more about each other and find that the Duchess likes things that are quite normal, and the Earl is not quite so normal as she thought.

Resolution:  They live happily ever after finding that together they make quite the couple being simply extraordinary.

This was a cute book.  The precise vocabulary is wonderful.  The Duchess uses $100 words as we call them.  Nothing is normal.  It is extravagant, elaborate, and peculiar.  The words in the book made me want to read it with a fancy voice.  :)

Another strong point would be the unexpected insights.  Even the Duchess was surprised to learn the Earl rescued his dog from a traveling circus.  The Duchess liked quite walks which are not extravagant, they are simply quite ordinary.

de Seve, Randall, 2009.  The Duchess of Whimsy: An Absolutely Delicious Fairy Tale.  Illustrated by Peter de Seve.  New York: Philomel Books. 

ISBN:  9780399250958

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Author:  E.L. Konigsburg

Newberry Medal Winner of 1968


Exposition:  The story is set in Connecticut, Claudia and Jamie Kincaid run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  Another character would be Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler herself.


Conflict:  Claudia Kincaid feels unappreciated.  She decides running away is the only way she can get her parents to take notice of her.  She talks her brother Jamie into running away with her to live in the Museum of Art in New York.  While there, they are intrigued by a statue with a mystery of the sculptor.  Is it really THE Michelangelo?  Claudia can not go home without finding out the answer. 


Rising Action:  Claudia and Jamie Kincaid have run away from their home in Connecticut and are living at the Museum of Art in New York City.  They are determined to find out whether the Angel statue in the museum was sculpted by Michelangelo or not.  The Angel statue was sold to the museum from Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  After some of their own investigation, they find a symbol on the bottom of the statue.  They visit the New York library and learn, it is indeed Michelangelo's symbol for his sculptures.  But they must find out if it is real. 


Climax:  Claudia and Jamie decide to ask the person who sold the statue to the museum.  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  While at her house she makes a deal with them.  Out of all the files in her office, Claudia and Jamie have one hour to figure out her filing system and find the answer to their question as to the sculptor.


Falling Action:  Michelangelo really did sculpt the Angel.  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler however wants to keep that knowledge a secret.  If Claudia and Jamie can keep her secret then they can have the documentation of this when she "passes on."  Claudia now feels she can return home.


Resolution:  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will return Claudia and Jamie Kincaid home in a Rolls Royce if they will tell her every detail about their adventure.  After telling their story, they return home.  On their way, they decide every time they have enough money saved up, they will sneak off to visit Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  They can be her adopted grandchildren.  Little do they know, her lawyer is their real grandfather. 


I remember reading this book when I was little.  I loved the mystery in the story then and I still found it to be a wonderful story.  I liked the pencil drawing scattered throughout also.  I actually read the book that was a 35th anniversary copy and had an afterword from the author. 


One of the strong literary qualities of this book is dialog.  There is banter back and forth between Claudia and Jamie.  The reader learns history about each child and extents their character.
Another strong quality is unexpected insights.  At the very end of the book we learn Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler's butler is also her lawyer who just happens to be Claudia and Jamie's grandfather.  I never saw that one coming!


Konigsburg. E. L., 1967. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing Division, New York.

ISBN:  068985322