#23: The Hallelujah Flight

Title: The Hallelujah Flight

Author: Phil Bildner

Illustrator: John Holyfield

Publishing Company: Penguin

Copyright Date: 2010

# of pages: 31

Genre/category:

            I chose this book simply because of the illustrations on the front. When James Banning has a dream of flying a plane from sea to shining sea, he must figure out how he will be able to replace the engine. He comes up with the idea that as people gives him thing he will let them write their names on the wing so they will go down in the history books also. As Banning and Allen took off, the plane seemed to have a mind of its own. As they flew their plane many people decided to help them; however in other towns many of the people were very prejudice. With the help from the people Banning and Allen make their flight. One last time they raise their hands toward the heavens and say “hallelujah”.

            The illustrations in this book are very extravagant. They look to have been done by acrylics on a piece of canvas. Almost all of the pictures in this book are two-page spread. They contain a good bit of detail about the events that are taking place. The font of the words in this book is ITC Crushing.

            This book would be good for students in third grade and above. There are many ways that a book like this can be used in a classroom. One way to use this book is in a history lesson about the first two African American to fly across the United States. Another thing I would do in the classroom is have children to write a journal entry about if they were going to take a flight across the United States, what would you carry with you and how would you prepare for the trip. If I had fifth or six grades I would have them do some research on who these two people are, because they are not mentioned very much in the history books. This book has not won any awards.

# 22: Ron's Big Mission

Title: Ron’s Big Mission

Author: Rose Blue & Corinne J. Nader

Illustrator: Don Tate

Publishing Company: Scholastic

Copyright Date: 2009

# of pages: 31

Genre/category: Historical Fiction

 

            I choose to use this book, because I really like the fact that Ron takes up for what he believes in. In the book, Ron is only nine years old, but he already has dream of being a pilot. He wakes up one morning and goes straight to the library to check out some book on airplanes and aviation. When Ron goes to the desk to check-out books, he is told that black people can not check-out. They can only read them in the library. Ron jumps up on the table and refuses to budge, even after the librarian calls the police. The librarian realizes the only thing she can do is give Ron his own library card.

            It is very hard for me to tell the exact medium that was used in this book. The illustrations in this book look like they may have been done with watercolors, but I am not sure. The pictures are whole page illustrations. Many of the illustrations in this book are also two-page spread.

            This book would be good for kids in third or fourth grade. There are several ways to use this book in a classroom.  One way would be to have kids do a journal entry on how they would feel if they were like this boy and not able to check out books. Another ways is to have an open discussion about how the characters in this book responded to the events that took place in the story. Students could also do another writing assignment telling what actions they would have taken if they were the librarian. This book has not won any awards.

# 21 You Can't Do that Amelia

Title: You Can’t Do That, Amelia

Author: Kimberly Wagner Klier

Illustrator: Kathleen Kemly

Publishing Company: Calkins Creek

Copyright Date: 2008

# of pages: 24

Genre/category: Historical Fiction

 

            I choose this book, because of the author. I like Kimberly Klier’s books and this was just one that I had wanted to read. When a young girl named Amelia has dreams to achieve many things, she set out to accomplish the goals she sets for herself. Many People keep on telling her that she can not do it, but she keeps her mind straight and works until she does. She starts off building her own roller coaster. Later, she ends up flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

            This book is filled with beautiful, colorful pictures. The color really helps the pictures to stand out. The pictures in this book look to have been drawn and colored with colored pencils. This book contains illustrations that are formal, panel and two-page spread.

            This book is appropriate for older Elementary Children. There are several different ways to use this book in a classroom. One way is by relating it to a history lesson about Amelia Earhart. This book portrays many of the things Amelia Earhart did during her life. I would also use this book to let the kids know that it is good to have dreams and to never give up on achieving their dreams. Another way I would us this book is by having kids write about a goal or a dream that they have. This book has not won any awards.

#20 If I Ran the Rainforest

Title: If I Ran the Rainforest

Author: Bonnie Worth

Illustrator: Aristides Ruiz

Publishing Company: Random House

Copyright Date: 2003

# of Pages: 38 

Genre/Category: Fantasy

 

            I chose this book because this book had cat in the hat on the front and I have never read it before. The Cat in the Hat takes us on a tour of the four floors of the rain forest. He tells us of the different kinds of plants and animals that we find in the rainforest. He also tells us how things in the rainforest must interact to survive.

 

            The illustrations in this book are very rich in detail. There are so many different colors. Many of the pages are double page spread.  The pictures look like they may have been done digitally by computer or by pastels. It was very hard to tell, because of the extent of the drawings. The pictures would be very interesting to just look at and see all the different things in the rainforest.

 

            This book is good for children of all ages. There are many ways that I would use this book in a classroom. One way I would use this book is when talking about the different floors of the rainforest. This provides a good description on what we would find on each floor. The book is also good for building vocabulary about things in the rainforest. I would also use this book when talking about rhymes. This book has not won any awards.

#19 Magic Lemonade

Title: Magic Lemonade

Author: Joyce Dunbar

Illustrator: Jan McCafferty

Publishing Company: Crabtree Publishing Company

Copyright Date: 2002

# of Pages: 48

 

Genre/Category: Fantasy

 

 

I chose this book simply because it looked interesting. Zoe has a very good imagination. She pretends she is a queen, while her friends think she is nothing but a bossy boots. When Zoe offers her friend lemonade, she finally convinces them that she is a queen. After they have a feast with food and lemonade, she then admits that she is not a queen, she is a magician.

 

            The illustrations in this book look to have been done with watercolors or paint. The colors are very bright and stand out. They use bubbles to represent what the characters are thinking about in their head. The pictures take up most of the page and many of them are double page spread.

 

          This book would be appropriate for children in second and third grade. One way I would use this book in the classroom is by teaching kids about using their imagination.  I would share with them that it can be good to pretend. I would also use this book teach children that it is not good to be bossy and selfish. Another way I would use this in class is by helping children to increase their vocabulary comprehension. This book has not won any awards.

# 18 The Magic Rabbit

Title: The Magic Rabbit

Author: Annette Le Blanc Cate

Illustrator: Annette Le Blanc Cate

Publishing Company: Candlewick Press

Copyright Date: 2007

# of Pages: 27

Genre/Category: Fantasy

 

 

            I chose this book because it was about magic and I really like magic. When a magician’s rabbit gets lost he must try to find his master. He searches through the park, down an alley, and along the sidewalk.  The bunny soon begins to feel scared and alone. He soon starts to cry. After searching and searching he soon is reunited with his master.

 

            The illustrations in this book are all black any white. The only color in the book is the things that have to do with magic such as stars. The illustrations were done with pen and ink and watercolor. They are very detailed and children could almost tell the story by looking at the pictures.

 

            This book would be good for second, third, or fourth grade. There are several ways that I would use this book in a classroom.  One way is I would talk to children about what to do if they ever got lost. Another way is I would have children to write about a time when they got lost or were scared. I would also have children to read this to help strength their vocabulary comprehension. This book has not received any awards.

# 17 The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Title: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Author: Eric Blair

Illustrator: Dianne Silverman

Publishing Company: Picture Window Books

Copyright Date: 2004

# of Pages: 23

 

Genre/Category: Traditional Literature

 

 

 

 

            I chose this book because it was one of my favorite books as a child. After a boy gets tired of watching his sheep, he decides to play a trick on the farmers. He screams that a wolf is attacking his sheep. The farmers then stop what they are doing to go chase the wolf away. After doing this several times and finding out there is no wolf, when a wolf really does attack the farmers do not believe him.

            The illustrations in this book were created digitally using a computer. They are very colorful and vivid. They tell exactly what events are happening in the story. The illustrations in the book are whole page illustrations with the words only at the top of the page.

 

            This book would be great to use with first, second, or third graders. This book can be used in the classroom in many ways. One way I would use it is to teach children how important it is to always be honest. I would also show them what can happen if you do not tell the truth. Another way I would use this book is to allow children to make connections with the book. If they had been in a similar situation, I would ask them to write or tell what happened. This book has not won any awards.