Bink and Gollie

DiCamillo, Kate, and McGhee, Alison. Bink and Gollie. Illustrated by Tony Fucile. Candlewick Press, 2010. 81 pages. $15.99. ISBN 9780763632663.

Summary:

When they roller-skate into town, Bink and Gollie see that Eccles’ Empire of Enchantment (a department store) is having a “Bargain Bonanza” on outrageously bright socks! Soon she has picked out a pair of rainbow socks that makes Gollie wince, but Bink is in love with her new socks. “I love socks,” said Bink. “Some socks are more lovable than others,” said Gollie. In three chapters we are introduced to this very quirky pair of girls: Gollie is the elder and lives in an angular, modern house in a tree; Bink is the younger, who lives in a cottage at the roots of the tree. Gollie has a penchant for exploration and in chapter two she takes an imagined mountaineering expedition to the Andes, leaving a note on her door for Bink: “To Whom It May Concern: I am on a journey. Each chapter has moments of drama and humor, with wonderful language that will delight listeners and readers. Animator and illustrator Fucile brings these characters to vivid life, and expertly using black and white page spreads with specific accents of color. For example, Gollie’s ultra-modern home is mostly comprised of black and white lines to denote furnishings, with Bink and Gollie as the only spots of color on the page.

Curriculum Connections:

Perfect as part of a text set on friendship, particularly multi-age friendship, this book would also be a text to use when teaching voice in writing. Gollie has a very particular way of speaking (familiar as McGhee’s narrative voice) that readers could contrast to Bink’s speech and mannerisms. Readers could also contrast the voices of Bink and Gollie with the familiar voices of Frog and Toad (Lobel) to compare the personalities of the duos, and how their language reflects that.

Personal Reflections:

The humor here is understated and related to words and wordplay, so may be better suited to more independent early readers. Readers may wonder if there are any adults in these girls’ lives.

Awards:

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, 2011 (ALA, 2012), ALA Notable Children’s Book for Younger Readers, 2011 (ALA, 2012).

Age/Interest Range:

6-10

Genre/Themes:

Realistic Fiction, Humor, Friendship, Social Skills, Voice

Read-Alikes:

Fans of Bink and Gollie who are ready for chapter books might consider McGhee’s Julia Gillian series for its similar themes of friendship and McGhee’s distinctive narrative voice.

Barack Obama: Out of Many, One

Corey, Shana. Barack Obama: Out of Many, One. Illustrated by James Bernardin. Random House, 2009. 46 pages. $15.99. ISBN 9780375963391.

Summary:

In an upbeat and positive biography of President Obama, young readers are introduced to this contemporary president. This is a “Step into Reading” level 3 book, intended for “reading on your own;” the format is consistent with other early reader texts, (large size font and line spacing, three to five words per line, with illustration), with accessible language for independent and emerging readers. Readers learn about Obama’s biracial parentage, as well as the places and people of his childhood. Though he sometimes felt out of place, particularly while living in Indonesia with his mother, sister, and step-father, Obama was clearly a child who was loved. Later, we learn about Obama’s life in politics and his passion for helping people and helping the world become a better place. Bernardin captures the global jubilance after Obama’s presidential victory, depicting an urban Western street as well as a rural African village in celebration. The final page shows a photograph of President and Mrs. Obama visiting school children at a library: “Where does your story fit into the American story? ...Anything is possible---what happens next is up to you!”

Curriculum Connections:

This book is another terrific option for those 2^nd and 3^rd grade research projects on presidents and people who have made a difference. There is information on every page and it is organized in chronological order, though it lacks some of the nonfiction text tools that readers may be familiar with, such as a timeline, glossary, and index.

Personal Reflections:

I’m always looking for biographies that will be appealing to young readers. This one fits nicely into the category of early reader biographies that has emerged in recent years. President Obama is most likely the president that young readers will be most familiar with and the accessible language and tone will reach out to them.

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

K-10

Genre/Themes:

Nonfiction, Biography, U.S. Presidents, History

Read-Alikes:

Though higher than Capstone Press’ First Biography series (George Washington, Mayer), this will appeal to independent readers who want to learn more about historical figures.

Ranger Rick: May 2012

National Wildlife Federation. Ranger Rick, May 2012. National Wildlife Federation, 2012. 40 pages. $15.00 (per year). ISSN 07386656.

Summary:

The May issue of Ranger Rick has a colorful cover picture of a clownfish peeking out from among a sea anemone. The magazine has several feature articles on a variety of animals including fruit bats, clownfish, veterinarian camp, and bird nests. There are also several other regular features, such as the “Froggie Funnies” (jokes), “Ask Rick” (Q and As about nature from readers), “Ranger Rick’s Adventures” (a comic about Ranger Rick and friends), riddles, puzzles, and games. Each article has colorful photographs and lots of text boxes and sidebars with information, aimed at young elementary students. In the article on clownfish, the word anemone is spelled phonetically (in parentheses) and defined. Reading further, we learn that clownfish are “BFFs with anemones!” The magazine has accessible language, lots of bright photographs with great details, engaging games, and much more that will appeal to kids.

Curriculum Connections:

Reluctant readers are often daunted by books, but sometimes they can be hooked into reading a magazine. Magazines are brief, with lots of pictures and information, and they have a special appeal for those readers who might be overwhelmed by reading from books. In a unit on animal study, these magazines could be used as supplementary sources for research work.

Personal Reflections:

A great feature of this magazine is what isn’t there: advertisements! It’s refreshing to read a book that is free from marketing to children, just great articles and photos without a lot of gimmicks and advertising.

Awards:

Ranger Rick has won numerous awards and honors from the Association of Educational Publishers (National Wildlife Federation, 2012).

Age/Interest Range:

K-10

Genre/Themes:

Science, Nature, Animals

Read-Alikes:

National Geographic Kids is another periodical intended for a similar audience on the topic of science and nature.

Biscuit

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin. Biscuit. Illustrated by Pat Schories. Harper Collins Publishers, 1996. TumbleBooks Audio. 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

Summary:

It’s bedtime for Biscuit, but Biscuit is not ready! He wants to play, he wants a snack and a drink, and he wants to hear a story. But that’s not all----he also needs his blanket, his doll, a hug and a kiss. Biscuit is a friendly-looking yellow puppy. With light animation, TumbleBooks has brought Schories’ gentle and appealing illustrations to life, as he tugs at the girl’s blanket or licks her face to kiss her. Each page of the TumbleReader shows the illustration and text. The reader has the option to read along with the narrator or mute the narration. As each line is read, the text turns red. The pages will automatically advance or the reader can advance them manually by means of simple on-screen buttons. The narrator’s voice is upbeat and female, and there are some sound effects to accompany the reading.

Curriculum Connections:

Teachers will appreciate that the lexile and Accelerated Reader numbers are visible in the browsing entries. Reading along with a fluent, even recorded, reader can give beginning readers confidence and great practice (Hasbrouck, 2012). With TumbleBooks installed on school computers or iPads, students with headphones can develop their fluency at various levels.

Personal Reflections:

TumbleBooks could be a great option at a classroom listening station for the early grades (K-2). There are lots of picture books and easy readers to choose from and children will enjoy the simple games and puzzles that accompany the book. There is also a comprehension quiz for each story.

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

PreK-8

Genre/Themes:

Pets, Bedtime, Animals

Read-Alikes:

The Puppy Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant is written at a similar level and also about a child and their puppy.

And Then It's Spring

Fogliano, J. And Then It’s Spring. Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook Press, 2012. 32 pages. $16.99. ISBN 9781596436244.

Summary:

Caldecott Award-winning illustrator Stead (A Sick Day for Amos McGee) creates a soft, intimate world for this gentle story with her signature woodblock and colored pencil illustrations. “First you have brown,/ all around you have brown…” is how the story begins, a story of a brown world that becomes a green world over the course of several weeks. Our protagonist is a somber boy with glasses who plants seeds. He waits and waits for his seeds to sprout; he worries that it was the birds that might have eaten his seeds, or maybe the bears who might have stomped on them. He waits for rain and sun. He waits another week, and another… And finally that brown world turns to green! This book is beautifully illustrated and conveys the perfect mood for the simple, progressive text.

Curriculum Connections:

There is lots that would connect this book with a kindergarten or first grade study on seeds and gardening. There is so much waiting with gardening for children, and this book conveys that in a very sweet way. Kindergarteners may be invited to notice how the boy’s attire changes as the season progresses, from ski hat and scarf to shorts and bare feet.

Personal Reflections:

In one two-page spread, Stead creates a view of the earth beneath our feet: she shows the worm and ant tunnels, as well as the tiny roots of the seeds. This is a great page for a close look: noticing those little roots, even when there is no green showing above ground.

Awards:

None yet (4/30/12)!

Age/Interest Range:

PreK-7

Genre/Themes:

Seasons, Spring, Gardening

Read-Alikes:

It’s Spring (Glaser) is more vibrantly illustrated but both books embrace the coming of spring and the change of seasons.