The White Nights of Ramadan

 

Written by Maha Adddasi

Illustrated by Ned Gannon

Boyds Mills, 2008

25 pages

Multi- Cultrual

      Well, this was a very interesting book. I must admit that I didn't see myself liking it, but as the old saying goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover!" I didn't think that I would relate with the characters in the story, but I did!. The custom that they observe in the book is called Girgian, and it is a celebration much like Halloween, but it is religious based.

  

      The main character is a little girl about the age of 12 named Noor and she lives with her family in the Arabian Persian Gulf. Noor has two younger brothers, and they are all excited about the coming of Girgian. Girgian takes place in the middle of the ninth month when the moon is full. This is known as Ramadan. For three nights, children dress up in fancy clothes and go door to door for candy and prizes. At the beginning of the story, Noor and her brothers prepare for the celebration. Noor fasts with her family. They eat one meal a day at sunrise during Ramadan. Muslims believe that by fasting, it brings them closer to equal footing with those who are less fortunate. At the end of the story, Noor and her Grandfather walk to the mosque to deliver the basket of food her mother had prepared for the homeless.

      The illustrations are done in oils. They are beautiful! The colors are very warm and cozy feeling. I believe the heart of a children's books is its pictures. You could just flip through this book and maybe guess the storyline!

      I would definitely use this as a social studies lesson and a vocabulary lesson in one! There is a fantastic glossary included in the back, and I was thankful for it! I was googling the terms until I found it back there! You could put this book out for a center and have students make personal connections to the characters and the story. It would also be great for introducing how to use a glossary and why they are important. You could read the book aloud and have them go "Huh?" at the words. Direct them to the glossary and have them use it in their centers. You could observe Ramadan, bot by fasting, but your classroom could put together a food and essentials basket for the needy.

The Biggest Soap

The Biggest Soap

Carole Lexa Schafer

Pictures by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

Douglas and McIntyre, 2004

32 pages

Multi-Cultural

      I adore this book! It was chosen for me by a librarian, and she highly recommended it, and now I know why! The main character is a precious little boy named Kessy, and he goes with his mother and her cousins to wash clothes. He loves to sit and listen to their wonderful stories and play in the warm water, but when they run out of soap, it is Kessy that his mother asks! He is so proud to help them, but he doesn't want to miss all the good stories so he hurries to Minda's shop for a big piece of soap. Along the way he runs into friends, and family, but he says focused on the task at hand! His journey back to the washing tub is a different story! He comes across the same people, but at every stop, him and the biggest soap save the day! Of course, when he gets back he regales his tale and slightly exaggerates, but he makes it into a fantastical tale of heroism, smiling all the way! Kessy discovers that he is a story teller, just like his mom!

      The pictures are my favorite thing about this little book! Alright, I know I always say that, but it is true! The colors are phenomenal! There are beautiful patterns and designs, and I notices that they even mix patterns in their wardrobes! They are so stylish, those Truk Islanders! These pictures are done with pencil, acrylics and watercolors and have been separated.

      If I used this in my class, we would definitely make our own soap! They could see what it takes to make things yourself, and that some people in the world don't go to Wal-Mart to buy their soap. This book could be used as a language arts lesson. You could have the students think of a time when they were doing something very ordinary, and encourage them to use their imaginations like Kessy did, and make it into an exciting, fantastic story! This book could be used for an intro into a social studies lesson about communities. You could talk with your students about why they have such a tight-nit community on an island.

      

The Gift of the Crocodile

The Gift of the Crocodile

Written by Judy Sierra

Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins

Simon and Schuster, 2000

36 pages

Multi-Cultural

      I chose this book because the cover was so beautiful, and it intrigued me that the crocodile was being so nice to the girl. Then I saw that it was a "Cinderella" story and then it made sense. The story is about a pretty young girl named Damura who lives in the Spice Islands in Indonesia. Her mother teaches her all the things she needs to know to be a woman, how to cook, raise a garden, and most importantly, how to dance. Her mother falls ill, but before she passes away she tells Damura to always respect all the wild animals and they will help and comfort her. A woman in the village comes to Damura an offers her a doll. She says that in exchange for the doll, she must ask her father to marry her and Damura is able to convince her father to o just that. This is the only mention of her father in the whole story. Damura's new stepmother and stepsister treated her horribly and she became their servant. One morning while she is washing clothes, Damura meets a "Grandmother" crocodile. Damura asks the grandmother if she would retrieve her sarong that got swept away. She agreed and left her baby crocodile in Damura's care, and she was very kind to the baby, even when it bit her. The grandmother crocodile returned with a beautiful sarong that was not Damura's. Later, the step-sister would try the same thing, and she received the same sarong, until it turned to leaches when she wrapped it around her. She was not kind to the baby crocodile. At the end of the story, grandmother crocodile comes to her rescue again so she can go to the palace and dance for the prince. There is a twist at the end of the story, so you need to read it yourself to see what happens! They, of course, live "Happily Ever After".

      

      The illustrations are gorgeous! They are done in acrylic on watercolor paper. The colors the illustrator used are very bright and saturated. There is beautiful scenery of mountains, beaches, and the swamp. You can look at every picture on every page and it will tell you a story all its own! There are things you won't see if you just glance over it, so take a good look!

      Using this book as an introduction to a character development lesson is what first comes to my mind. You could talk to the students about why you should always be kind, not just to gain something that you want. This book would also be great for a science lesson about crocodiles. What is the difference between crocodiles and alligators. Where do crocodiles live? You could talk about the far away places they live. You could also use this book for a social studies lesson. You could talk about the way of life in the Indonesian islands and how it is different and/or the same as our lives.

      

Little Doe

Little Doe

Written by Angela McAllister

Illustrated by Tina Macnaughton

Paragon, 2012

32 pages

Fantasy

       This is really cute book, and I just happen to stumble upon it. I have always loved anything involving deer, so that is why I bought this book. It is about a little doe who is very timid and scared of everything. At the end of the story, she ends up saving the day from the Giant Shadow Bird!

       The illustrations are done in watercolor and are just lovely. I did a mini-lesson with this book last week with my RITE child and she love the pictures! They are very soft and delicate. The night scenes are especially beautiful.

       If you were using this book in the classroom, you could use a character development strategy. You could also talk about windmills and the alternative energy sources we are in the process of developing now with the win turbines for a science lesson. You could also talk about deforestation to build on that topic.

The Velveteen Rabbit

The Velveteen Rabbit

Written by Margery Williams

Illustrated by Allen Atkinson

Armand Eisen, 1983

40 pages

Fantasy

       This is one of the most precious possessions that I own. My personal copy of the Velveteen Rabbit. I can't talk for to long about this story without getting teary. Pictured above is my copy of the Velveteen Rabbit that was bought me when I was a baby. My Dad wrote mine and my sisters name in the front.

It is worn and loved and used, just like the Velveteen Rabbit. 

       The artwork is fantastic. It is done in mostly colored pencils and some watercolors, I think. I could just look at these pictures all day. Not without getting teary though.

       I believe that the only justice that you can do for the spirit of this story, is to just leave it be and appreciate it for what it is. It is a wonderfully beautiful story about a boy who loved a toy with all his heart, even though it was not beautiful and had nothing to offer him. Every little girl and little boy should be read this story, and have discussions about the story.

The Invisible Moose

The Invisible Moose

Written by Dennis Haseley

Illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Dial Books, 2006

39 pages

Fantasy

       To be perfectly honest I chose this book because of this fella...

...his name is Moose. Well, I fell in love with this little book! It is about a girl Moose and a boy Moose and they are precious, I tell you! I mean, just look...

I just love the left picture! They are looking at each other so sweetly! Anyway, back to the story. They really like each other. Then, some hunters come and take her away to the big city-to New York City! Moose goes on an adventure to rescue her, but he goes invisibly! The owl gives him a potion to make him invisible so that the hunters won't see him. This is such a cute story! I am so glad that I found it at the thrift store, and for only 75 cents!

       The illustrations are my favorite part! That is usually how it happens. If I love the pictures, then I will love the book. They are done in watercolor washes and acrylics. They are so vivid and bright, and I see something different every time I look at them.

       This would make a great writing prompt for upper grades. You could ask the students to write about where they would go and what they would do if they were invisible. Also, you could talk about geography since he travels down from Quebec to N.Y.C. Character development is another thing you could talk with your students about concerning this story. Moose has a strong character and goes to save his lady friend which shows bravery

       

The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty

Retold by Jane Carruth

Joshua Morris, 1984

15 pages

Traditional Literature

       This story is my all-time favorite! I love the Aurora verison that is Disney's. A baby daughter is born to a King and Queen. They have a big celebration, but forget to invite the oldest and most powerful fairy. At the celebration, this Fairy shows up and curses the baby. The youngest fairy still has a gift to give the child, so she reverses the curse to where the princess will not die, but just fall asleep. In the end, the handsome prince comes and finds her, kisses her, and everyone lives happily ever after!

       I enjoyed looking at these pictures to see how they were different from the images I have seen since I was a little girl. I think that these drawings were done exclusivley with colored pencils. They are very pretty and delicate looking. I paticularly love how "Maleficent" looks in this verison!

       Every classroom needs Fairy Tales, and this is one of the best ones. Children need to be exposed to this type of traditional literature because sadly, parents don't seem to be reading it to their children anymore. You could talk about what makes a book fiction. You could also research to see if there are any vines in the world that could actually cover a castle, like in the story.