Voices in the Park Book Review on Amazon.com

I just posted a book review over the book Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne on Amazon.com under the books customer reviews. Check it out!

Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne

I recently did a read aloud with the book Voices in the Park. I thought this was a creative book about 4 different monkey's trip to the park. Each monkey talks about their experiences and what they see in the park using their distinct voices to tell their story. This would be a great story to read using a different voice for each monkey. Children can also pick a voice and read it aloud as a play. It has beautiful pictures that tell a story within the pictures. Every time I read it i find some new and interesting in the pictures. I think people of all ages will love this book.

When I heard the learn'd astronomer By Walt Whitman

I recently read the picture book When I heard the learn'd astronomer. I thought it was a beautifully illustrated book with big pictures children can enjoy. I enjoyed the poem by Walt Whitman but am really lost as how to use this book with children. I don't think young children while appreciate and understand the poem and might get restless and bored while reading it. I really love the illustrations in this book.

Los Gatos Black on Halloween By Marisa Montes

I recently read Los Gatos Black on Halloween. This is a great book that teaches the Hispanic cultures celebration of halloween. I think the Illustrations are really well done. I wouldn't use this book with the very young age group I plan on teaching because I think some might be scared by the pictures or even the talk of halloween and ghosts and mummies. Overall, I think this a great book about halloween and the hispanic culture.

I Love Saturdays y Dominegos By Alma Flor Ada

I recently read I love Saturdays y domingos. This was a story about a young girl who has parents from two different cultures. She loves spending time with both grandparents and appreciates the two cultures that she is apart of. I think this is a great story for student's to hear and learn to appreciate the cultures they are brought up in, weather it be one culture or multiple cultures. You can introduce this book to your students and then have them write about some things they enjoy doing that their culture does. This a good multicultural book with beautiful illustrations. 

The Name Jar By Yangsook Choi

I recently read The Name Jar, this story is about a Korean girl named Unhei who moves to America and begins at a new school. Unhei's grandmother has given her a wood block with a stamp of her Korean name on it. On the bus many of the kids ask what her name is and she says Unhei but no one can say it correctly. She enters her new classroom and some of the student's immediately ask what her name. She knows everyone will probably have trouble saying her name so just answers by saying she hasn't picked one yet. Her teacher makes a name jar for her and sets it on her desk and many of the students bring names to put in the jar for Unhei to pick from. She goes home and thinks about all the new names she can choose from but none of them fit her. Later when her mother and her visit the Korean Grocery store, Mr. Kim tells Unhei that her names means grace for a gracefully girl. This makes Unhei proud of her name. Unhei decides to keep her names and realizes how special and how no other name can fit her like hers. She tells the class about her name and how to correctly say it. I thought this was a wonderful book to share with new students that might have different names or for children who are having problems liking their names. I think this would be a great book to read parts of and then have your students learn about their names and what the mean. This can help students take ownerships and pride in themselves as well. 

My Name is Maria Isabel By Alma Flor Ada

I recently read the book My Name is Maria Isabel.  It is about a young girl starting school for the first time. Her full name is Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez. When she gets to school the teacher tells her that there are already too many Maria's in their class. So the teacher changes her name to Mary Lopez. She doesn't say anything at the time, but she is really upset because she is very proud of her family and who she is named after. She starts getting in trouble for not answering the teacher when she is called on, she isn't doing this on purpose she just recognize the new name. While reading the book Charlotte's Web, Maria gets inspired to write out how she feels about not being aloud to be in the winter pageant, the one thing she wants more than anything. She explains how important her name is Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez is so important to her and how proud she is to be named after her wonderful family. Her teacher realizes what a mistake she makes and gives Maria a part in the pageant singing and begins calling her by her correct name again. I think this was a great multicultural book about names. Everyone's name is very special to them and helps young children find their own identity and be proud of were they come from. It is very important for children to learn about their names and where they came from so they can take pride in themselves and their families.