"Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone"

Title: Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J. K. Rowling
Illustrator: J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 1997
Genre: Fantasy, Novel, Fiction
Age Range: 4-6

Summary: Harry Potter is sent to life with his Aunt and Uncle when his parents die. He is raised by them, and treated very poorly. Strange things always seem to happen to Harry. When Harry reaches the age of eleven, mysterious letters start appearing for him. His Aunt and Uncle hide them from him. Eventually Harry learns he is a wizard and goes to attend Hogwarts, a school for witches and wizards. He also learns that his parents were killed by an evil wizard, Voldemort, and that he was able to survive and cripple the wizard. He is placed into the Gryffindor house, and makes friends with Ron and Hermoine. Harry joins the Quidditch team where he is the seeker, and nearly dies in his first match. A troll appears in the castle, and other strange things. The three find a three-headed dog guarding a trap door. Harry stumbles across a mirror that shows one's greatest desire, and he sees his parents. They learn that there is a Sorcerer's Stone that can give the Elixir of life to whoever drinks it. Harry is hated by a professor named Snape, who seems to be the prime candidate for wanting the elixir. Harry and his friends sneak around at night trying to find clues, and eventually decide to find the stone. They get past all the different traps, and Harry must face, not Snape, but Professor Quirrell, who is sharing his body with Voldemort. Harry is able to survive because of the love his mother had for him, and because he only wanted to protect the stone, he can see it in the mirror and it remains safe.


Response: I first read this book when I was in middle school, and have since read every one in the series. I loved being able to go back and read about the beginning of this great journey that Harry Potter has through seven amazing books. I was able to pay more attention to details, and now knowing the rest of the story, it is neat to see how things are pieced together. J.K. Rowling wastes no time getting the reader right into the middle of the story. While reading, I feel like I am the fourth member of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine's group. The great description and imagery that she uses paints a great picture, and also allows the reader to smell, touch, and taste every detail of the story. When the Troll comes, the smell is described as, "a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean." (p. 174) The twists and turns of the plot never stop because everyone thinks that Snape is the bad guy, a regular occurrence in every book, but in fact it is stuttering Quirrell, who has become obsessed and entangled with Voldemort, perhaps even brainwashed. The story provides great themes that students and all people can use. The first, and perhaps the most important is bravery. On J.K. Rowling's website http://www.jkrowling.com/ she says that bravery is a very important part of the book, and a great characteristic to possess. Harry exemplifies bravery his whole life, being able to put up with the Dursley's. The house of Gryffindor is symbolized as a lion, a universal symbol of courage and bravery. He stands up for his friends throughout the story. When Neville's rememberall is taken, Harry gets on his broomstick and chases after it. This actually lands him a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry and his friends show bravery in the face of pure evil as they attempt to get past each spell to find the Sorcerer's Stone. Hermoine uses her great intelligence to help them through the plants. Harry gets on the broom and finds the hidden key. My favorite examples of bravery come from Ron and Neville. Ron leads the trio on the life size chess board, giving himself up so that they can continue on. He says, "That's Chess! snapped Ron. You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me -- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!" (p. 283) He literally gets knocked out by the Queen, but it permits his friends to continue. Neville shows great courage when he stands up to Ron, Hermoine, and Harry. He tells them not to sneak out and stands up for himself. He says, "Don't you call me an idiot! said Neville. I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!." (p. 272) Bravery against evil is a constant theme, as Harry and his friends constantly battle the dark arts. Another important theme is the power of love. Harry's mother is the greatest example of this because it is her love that saved his life, not once, but twice. He was able to survive as a baby because her love for him was so strong, so good, that nothing even as evil and Voldemort could overcome that. In the end, when Quirrell is trying to kill Harry, he continually is burned by touching Harry's skin. This again is the result of Lily Potter's love for her son. It protects him from what is evil. Harry and his friends break rules out of necessity it seems. They do these things to help protect themselves, and the school from the evils of the dark arts. The friendship that these three develop over the course of a school year is so strong and real. They are loyal to each other, no matter what the others are going through. They stand by each other when Harry and Hermoine lose 100 points for Gryffindor. In the end, they are all together going against the traps because they want to protect each other, and help Harry to triumph over evil. The truest form of their loyalty comes in the sacrifices they make. Ron sacrifices his body during the chess game, and this shows how loyal he is not only to his friends, but to the cause for good. Harry Potter presents many themes, some of which bring about great debates about censorship. To me, it is a story that shows great imagination, and can spark great creativity in young children. The lessons they learn in these novels far outweigh the "dark magic" that is also present. I feel like this story is nothing more than a story, full of great imagination and creativity.

Teaching Ideas: This novel is full of great imagery and description which students can use to develop their writings. The owls in the story provide a great connection to science. I remember we dissected owl pellets, and that is an activity that can be done with students. I think discussing elements of fantasy with them is very important so that they realize what is true and what is false.

"Revolutionary War on Wednesday"

Title: Magic Tree House #22: Revolutionary War on Wednesday
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrator: Sal Murdocca
Publisher: Random House, 2000
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Age Range: 2-3

Summary: Jack and Annie are taken back to colonial times, during the Revolutionary War. They arrive during a great snow storm on Christmas Eve. They come upon a camp of soldiers, and they tell the children they need to go home. One of the soldiers asks the children if they can take a letter home to their family, if the attack goes wrong. This letter is the piece they need to help Morgan; it is the something to send. They follow the men, and are lead to many boats awaiting to cross a great river, the Delaware River. A man is debating on whether or not to continue the mission because the weather is terrible. This man is George Washington. Jack and Annie cross the river with the first group of men, and George Washington is not happy they followed. They tell him that he must press on because this attack will be successful. The children go back across, and Washington does lead his troops. Jack and Annie are able to help Morgan and George Washington.

Response: Jack and Annie once again save the day! They are able to travel back into the early period of American history, the Revolutionary War. The night they arrive is Christmas Eve; the night that Washington and his troops cross the Delaware in one of the most unexpected attacks of the war. It really was a turning point that gave the Patriots a great momentum swing that helped them to eventually win the war. Jack and Annie are able to learn about the war, as well as the hardships. They learn about how difficult it is for families to be separated during the holidays, and that the men are not always in the best of spirits about fighting. The weather during this time was horrendous. It was a great blizzard, and Washington debates on whether or not they should continue. Jack teaches a great lesson when he talks to Washington. He says, "Even if things look impossible, you should keep going, sir...The harder things seem, the greater the triumph, right?" (p.59) He helps to reiterate the words of Thomas Paine, that George Washington quoted to his troops to keep them motivated. Paine's words said, "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph...What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives everything its value." (p.30) This book gives great information about the Revolutionary War. The facts are printed in bold print, so the reader can see that they are important historical facts. It talks about Red Coats and Patriots. The facts about George Washington, and his great cross of the Delaware River. In the back of the book there is more information about the War and Thomas Paine. This story provides students with a simple look into one important event that helped America become an independent country.

Teaching Ideas: The Magic Tree House website has a great section about the book. It provides students an opportunity to search the site, and other links, to learn more about the Revolutionary War. Revolutionary War

There is a research guide that goes along with the Magic Tree House story. It gives more information about the Revolutionary War.

Another activity would be for students to write their own story of meeting someone from the Revolutionary War or being a part of a significant event during that time.

"Civil War on Sunday"

Title: Magic Tree House #21: Civil War on Sunday

Author: Mary Pope Osborne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2000

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Age Range: 2-3 Grade

Summary: Jack and Annie are trying to find "something to follow" from the Civil War. They are taken to a battlefield where many soldiers are wounded and Annie helps them. They end up at a field hospital, where soldiers are taken care of and then sent back out to fight. Annie and Jack help at the field hospital. They are given a list to follow in taking care of the men, exactly what they needed. Jack wants to leave, but Annie insists on staying. The two end up using all the tactics on the list to help take care of patients. They meet Clara Barton, a great Civil War Nurse, who has them help her get soldiers off the battlefield. They find a drummer boy, who looks like Jack, who is dehydrated. They take him back and take care of him. The two arrive back home, and find out that their great great great grandfather served as a drummer boy in the Civil War, and he lived.

Response: This was one of my favorite books in the Magic Tree House Series. I love learning about history, and this book is full of wonderful facts about the Civil War. Like always, they are in bold print, with many more in the back of the book so that readers can learn more. Jack quickly learns that war is not some kind of "game" he thought it was before arriving there. I think this is true for many people. We see video games and movies that glorify war, but it is a necessary evil that plagues the world. The list that Jack and Annie get is important because they literally must follow it, and as they do, they learn great lessons. The first on the list is "Be Cheerful." They take water into tents for the soldiers, and at first, Jack is not very happy to do it. He has a hard time being cheerful when he sees these men hurt and sick. A man thanks Jack for giving him water, and Jack responds by telling him that he will be able to see his family again. However, Jack is not aware that this man is fighting in the war to earn his freedom from slavery, and his family has been sold a long time ago. The second thing on the list says 'Lessen sorrow and give hope", and Jack does this by telling the man that one day his great grandchildren will be able to hold whatever career they desire. This really lifts the spirits of the man. Jack and Annie "Put aside their own feelings" when they are helping the Drummer Boy. He wants to go back out there and fight, but Jack and Annie wish he would stay and go home when he feels better. They realize how important this is for the young boy, and tell him that once he is feeling better he should go back to the battlefield. "Don't give up" was the last thing on the list, and they learned this lesson from Clara Barton. She was determined in her cause to help every soldier, Confederate or Union. She told them, "When someone is hurt, you give them a helping hand, no matter who they are...I have seen courage and kindness on both sides of this

war. Sometimes things are not as simple as they seem" (p.47-48) She helped everyone and never gave up on the soldiers. I think her quote is very significant. Both sides of this war were fighting for what they believed was right. It divided the United States, causing more deaths than all wars combined. It was a great and terrible time for the country, and people like Clara Barton were important in realizing and seeing the good in all people. Jack and Annie help to show students that the Civil War was one of the most important events in our nation's history.

Teaching Ideas: I think that students could write a story about being in the Civil War, or writing about an important person in the war.

There is great information and websites listed on the Magic Tree House site about the Civil War

My Impressions of Non-Fiction Literature

I think I have always grown up thinking that non-fiction literature is boring. However, I think that idea comes from associating non-fiction with text books. I remember that when I was in fourth grade I read a biography about Grant Hill, a professional basketball player. After reading that book I started becoming interested in reading about people, especially athletes. I think my love of history has also lead me to some great non-fiction readings. Students can find passion for non-fiction and informative books if they start reading about what they are interested in. I think that there are a lot of really fun and interesting non-fiction books that children will really enjoy. It is important to really be positive and excited about reading these books because students do listen to what teachers say. The non-fiction/informative books really have an important place in the classroom because they can really compliment text books, which can be boring, and allow for children to learn and enjoy what they study.

"Actual Size"

Title: Actual Size
Author: Steve Jenkins
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004
Genre: Non-Fiction Informative Picture Book
Age Range: K-2 Grade


Summary: This is a book that depicts different animals around the world. Many of them are not well-known. The most important thing is that each animal, or a part of that animal, is illustrated in its actual size. It gives the size of each animal, and at the end of the book there is more information given about each animal that is in the book.




Response: Steve Jenkins does an amazing job with animal books. Earlier, I read What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? which gives students a chance to guess different animals by looking at a section of their bodies. This book takes different animals and shows the actual sizes of a part of their bodies. I kept comparing myself to the parts that were shown. For example, a gorilla's hand is on a page, and you can literally put yours on top of it and see how much bigger the gorilla's hands are. Something I noticed is that I had not heard of many of these animals. Like the smallest fish in the world is the dwarf goby, and it is only 1/3 inch in length. I feel like I learned a lot from this story because it gave information about animals I was not familiar with. I kept wanting to take out a ruler and really measure the animals' wingspan or length. I was really surprised to read some of the facts. Like, the eye of a giant squid is approximately 12 inches across, and they can be up to 59 feet long. While the facts and text are very simple and straightforward, the illustrations are really what make this book amazing. Despite the fact that each one is done in actual size, they are created using cut paper and collage. They give amazing texture and definition to the animals. You can't help but want to touch each picture because they look so real. There is great texture, particularly on the teeth of the shark, each one given a lining of sharp ridges. The colors are bright and bold. Some pictures are small, with a lot of white space in the background that helps it to stand out. Others, such as the bear, shark, and lion, take up both pages. They are large, bold, bright, and they are able to stand out because of their great size. The colors that are used are real to life as well, many being bold and rich. Each animal is given so much detail and attention, they begin to look like photographs, not collages. This book gives so much interesting information, as well as beautiful pictures that can allow for a very interactive read.


Teaching Ideas: This is a great book for children studying animals. Having kids to measure the animals in the book, really see that they are actual to size. This will be a great way to introduce measurement. Also, you can have them to do a report about one of their favorite animals. Or, let them create their own Actual Size book using different objects and presenting different facts about them. http://www.pickbrains.com/articles/animal-facts This website provides students with interesting animal facts that they can use.

"Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man"

Title: Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man

Author: David A. Adler

Illustrator: Terry Widener

Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1997

Genre: Biography picture book

Age Range: 1-3 Grade

Summary: Lou Gehrig was born in 1903, and his parents always encouraged him to do his schoolwork. He never missed a day; however, his passion was sports. He played baseball in high school, then at Columbia University. He was signed by the New York Yankees where he became one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. He played in 2,130 consecutive games, but soon he began having problems hitting and fielding. Lou took himself off the starting roster. He soon found out he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He continued being a part of the team, until he could no longer do anything but stay in bed. He passed away being an MVP and a member of the Hall of Fame.

Response: I have heard of Lou Gehrig's Disease, and that it was named for a famous baseball player who contracted it; however, I never realized the great impact Lou Gehrig had on the world. He played the same time as Babe Ruth, one of the most well-known players of all time, but it was Gehrig who received the MVP awards. He never missed a day of school or a baseball game, playing in 2,130 consecutive games. I am amazed at his tenacity and strength as a person and a ball player. He accomplished a great deal in his short thirty-seven years. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame and was a part of one of the best Yankee teams of all time. I like that the beginning of the book sets up a little background of what is going on in the world when Lou is born. I find it fitting that the same year he was born was also the inaugural year of the World Series. Like so many people at the time, his family had immigrated to New York in order to find a better life. His mother really was passionate about his schooling, just as much as he was passionate about baseball. He not only played baseball, but also attended college. His nickname Iron Horse really is fitting because he was so strong and resilient to every ail and ache in order to keep playing. One of the most intriguing things to me is the fact that he was so very shy and modest about his athleticism. Unlike many of the players of today, he really just played the game. He did not care about fame and money; he just wanted to play the game. Lou's slump came not because he was struggling in his talent, but rather his body was trying to tell him that something was not right. Many teams would pull a player if they continued in a slump, but Lou literally had to put himself on the bench. I loved that he continued to come to the games and be a part of the team. He was soon diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that affects the central nervous system, which is very traumatic and fatal. The disease is known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which shows the great fame he really held. I found some very interesting information about the disease on this web site http://www.alsa.org/. A day was named for him at the stadium, and he was the first player to give a farewell speech, as well as the first to have his jersey to retire. He lived the rest of his life positive, although he could barely get out of bed. It was also very fitting that the Yankees did not play on the day of his funeral because of rain. He often said he was a lucky man, even if he was slowly dying. The text of this book gives so much detail, including specific names and dates, that really help the reader to understand the timeline of Lou's short life, and his many accomplishments. The illustrations are done in Golden acrylics on Strathmore Bristol board. The colors are very rich and special attention is paid to shadows and the size of objects. The objects that were most noteworthy to me were the depiction of Lou and the other baseball players. They had enormous bodies, showing large muscles and great physique. The people drawn in the story did not have very detailed faces, and it was only the number on Lou's uniform, 4, that separated him from the other players. This shows just how humble and real that he was. He did not try and separate himself from others. There are pictures on each page; however their sizes vary. There is plenty of white space around each picture; they are almost given a border, and this draws the reader's attention to what is going on in them. They are very simple drawings, usually coinciding with the text on the page. This is an amazing story about an ordinary man who touched the lives of the many, and made himself the symbol of hope for a terrible disease.

Teaching Ideas: I can see this as a great way to get students, particularly those interested in baseball, excited about non-fiction and biographies. Children may not know the story of Lou Gehrig because he lived in the early 1900's; however, they can gain great insight into what is going on in the world at that time, which can help with an American History Unit. They also show great characterization of Lou Gehrig. Children can research Lou Gehrig's Disease, and really get an idea into what he dealt with. I think that this is a great way to have children write a biography about his life. If they can read this and do some researching on the computer or in other books.

Lou

Courageous, Humble, Strong, Resilient

Friend of Yankee Fans Everywhere

Lover of Baseball, Family, Life

Who feels Grateful, Lucky, Blessed

Who finds happiness in playing baseball

Who needs nothing but a day in Yankee Stadium

Who gives his heart, body, and soul to the game

Who fears letting his family and fans down

Who would like to see a cure for his disease

Who enjoys living each day to the fullest

Who like to wear his pin striped uniform when hitting another home run

Resident of New York City

Gehrig

"Rosa"

Title: Rosa

Author: Nikki Giovanni

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: Scholastic, 2005

Genre: Biography picture book

Age Range: 2-3 Grade

2006 Caldecott Honor Book

Summary: Rosa Parks is a seamstress living in Alabama. She, her husband, and her mother live together in their house. It is the beginning of December, and Rosa is allowed to leave work early one day. She gets on the bus, sitting in the neutral section. Soon, the driver approaches her and yells at her to get up and move to the colored section because white passengers have gotten on the bus. Rosa begins to think about all the others who have stood up to prejudice and racism, and refuses to move. She is arrested, and the news spreads quickly. Jo Ann Robinson and a few other women decide to make posters asking others to boycott the bus system in support of Rosa Parks. For over a year the entire colored population boycotts riding the buses. Dr. Martin Luther King tells them to do so. Eventually, this and other events led to the Supreme Court ruling that Segregation was wrong; the Civil Rights Movement was underway.

Response: The story of Rosa Parks is inspirational to everyone. The quote at the end of the story gives a great theme. It says, "The integrity, the dignity, the quiet strength of Rosa Parks turned her no into a YES for change." It makes this universal to everyone; we all can be a source of change for good. Rosa was a great example of integrity. To me, integrity means making actions consistent with beliefs of what is right and wrong, and she did this. The fact that colored people had to get on the bus to pay, and then get off and walk to the back door to get on and ride is sickening to me. In a country that claims freedom for all, we really have a hard time sticking to it. Slavery, Internment Camps of WWII, and refusing equal rights for different groups has really made me think twice about how "free" this country really is. Rosa held her strength and took what was in fact hers, a seat on the bus. She was not sitting in the white section, she was in the neutral section of the bus, and therefore should not have had to get up and move. The fact that she was arrested was ludicrous, but at the time that is how people were. I love that the story brings about issues of the time, such as Brown V. Board of Education, and the brutal death of young Emmett Till. Rosa Parks sparked the bus boycott, that eventually lead to the Supreme Court ruling Segregation to be unconstitutional. She, and many others, came together to stand up for the rights that they should have held all along. The text of this story is moving, but I think the illustrations really tell a story of their own. They are made using watercolor as well as collage. They are remarkable. For the most part, everything is made using collage, except for the faces and certain main background items are done using watercolor. We see this beautiful rich color on the face of Rosa and the other people depicted in the story. Her features are well defined and dignified. The collage patterns are very textured, giving the sky and trees very rigid outlines. The clothing and other patterns really allow for the faces of the people to stand out as well. Rosa is always given this glow outlining her, which the illustrator says he did because she was a light shining to illuminate our pathways. He also talks about how the hue of many of the pictures are yellow and darker to really depict the heat and humidity in Alabama. Also, this heat shows the building contention and problems that Rosa will experience in the story. At one point, the story has pictures that fold open. They show people of all ages walking and coming together to boycott the buses. It is beautiful because each one is so different. There are children in the foreground, and older people who are not even given faces in the background. I think this is symbolic. Those who participated are doing it for those who were held down in the past, and also for their posterity. Even though the participants in the Civil Rights Movement were very peaceful, they dealt with a great deal of violence and brutality by those who opposed it.

Teaching Ideas: This story goes great with any study of the Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks was a spark that helped to ignite the United States into realizing that Segregation is very wrong, and that everyone deserves equal treatment. Students who are studying this movement will get an idea of the history at this time. The story about Brown V. Board of Education, several brutal attacks on African American people, Dr. Martin Luther King, and the great boycott of the buses. Students can take these things and really start to learn about the movement. Scholastic provides teachers with great ideas about Rosa Parks that can be used in the classroom. http://teacher.scholastic.com/rosa/