Reading Program Reflection

This semester for English Language and Literacy, each person had to contribute to a blog, providing a discussion in some weeks and a review and write-up about children's books.
This experience with the blog and having to read books, not in my normal reading categories, was a real eye-opener into different books which would be beneficial and interesting for young and adolescent readers. Some of the books I did decide to read, were chosen purely for the fact, that I have read them to a Reception class that I work in and the students thoroughly enjoyed them. As I was reading them, I can see how a book can be easily linked to other learning areas, such as Even Monsters need Haircuts for example. In the class, it can relate to maths (money), english (studies into the monsters, poetry) and more.

List of the books read:

Picture Books:

Waiting for Benjamin

Good night, me.

Gator

The Boy with Two Belly Buttons

Even Monsters need Haircuts

Cowboy Baby

Dinosaurs Galore

Green Eggs and Ham

Novels:

Between the Lines

Before I Fall

Chinese Cinderella

Littlenose the Hero

Squeaky Cleaners in the Stew!



When reading each book, I was able to see how they related in certain ways to the knowledge obtained from attending the lectures, reading the readings and participating in tutorials.

Squeaky Cleaners in a Stew!

Squeaky Cleaners in a Stew! is written by Vivan French and illustrated by Anna Currey.
These books are written for younger readers who are wanting to read novels with chapters, but obviously easier to read on their own without help.
Squeaky Cleaners are a three mice team, Nina, Gina and Fred. Their motto is no room is too messy, no house is too big for the Squeaky Cleaners.
One day they receive a call to clean Miss Kitty's house. They are all frightened to go but to be able to have cheese pie they need to clean this house.
Miss Kitty's plan is to have the mice in her house and then she can make a nice mouse stew for her mother.
The mice's plan is to go in, clean really fast and then leave but they dont know Miss Kitty's plan. However when they get there, Miss Kitty locks the door behind them so they can't escape. They start cleaning and then Fred comes up with a plan. Miss Kitty is having troubles with her stew so he offers to help and tells her that she needs nice mice for the stew, not mice that taste like soap and cleaning products. They tell her that they will help to find her some nice mice and she lets them leave, thinking that they will return. However Fred, Gina and Nina return home, nice and safe with all of Miss Kitty's vegetables to eat for dinner.

This book follows the traditional narrative sequence with an orientation, problem and a resolution.
I think this book is telling children to not go anywhere they dont feel safe and comfortable. However in the end, this book is a laugh to read, which students really get involved into.

Littlenose the Hero

Littlenose the Hero is part of a 5 book series about Littlenose. These books are written by John Grant and illustrated by Ross Collins.
The book follows the main character, Littlenose (he got his name because his nose was no bigger than a berry) and all his adventures along the way.
His tribe is the Neanderthals and the setting is in the Ice Age. He lives in a cave and they use coloured pebbles as money.

Littlenose meets Two-Eyes
Littlenose goes to the markets with his father to buy some more flint to start a fire however he gets split from his father. Littlenose's secret is that he found a green pebble near the stream and has kept it from his father so he wants to go buy something. He comes across the smallest, wooliest and saddest mammoth, who has one green and one red eye. The owner wants to sell him for whatever price, so Littlenose buys him and now has a new friend, Two-Eyes.
The Sun Dance
Once a year, the Neanderthals put on a Sun Dance at the turn of seasons, to show the sun what Summer is like so that it will remember and to give it the strength to return. Littlenose is now old enough to understand the concept of the Sun Dance, and is now able to participate.
The Painted Cave
Littlenose wanders off down a long dark tunnel and finds light at the end, however it isn't the sunlight but fire. He has gone into a tunnel belonging to the Straightnoses (another tribe). They are the ones who paint the paintings on the cave walls. The Straightnoses come back to chant to their latest painting, in hoping for a successful hunt. They hear Littlenose and chase him out.
Littlenose the Musician
Littlenose's favourite uncle, Uncle Redhead, has flaming red hair and is very generous with his gifts. He takes Littlenose and makes him a set of pipes, however the tribe doesnt like him playing them. Then one day, Littlenose and Two-Eyes run into a hyena and to call for help he plays his pipes and his father comes and rescues both of them.
Littlenose the Hero
Littlenose's dad wants him to be an excellent hunter just like himself, however Littlenose wasn't. In fact he didnt really have anything that he was really good at. So one day, he decided that he would catch the biggest rhino anyone had ever seen and then he would be great at something. So for weeks he dug a massive hole, however when his father came looking for hm one day, his father fell into it. Littlenose cut down a tree which fell into the hole, so that his father could climb. The tribe called him a hero for saving his father.

These little stories within the book teach the students something different. They teach students to be patient and not to rush into things without thinking them through. It teaches them that they dont have to be the best at everything, and not to force yourself to be great at something.
They also mention about how life would have been like back in the dark ages.

Blog Reflection and Summary

Engaging with and contributing to this blog has been a very beneficial experience – as it has introduced me to a wide and varied range of literature.  Not only have I selected, read and critiqued books on my own – I have had the opportunity to benefit from the selections and viewpoints of my peers. Engaging actively with literature in this way while simultaneously working with the course material provided in our workshops/lectures/readings, has helped me to connect my developing theoretical knowledge with tangible resources – and will in the long term, help me to connect theory with practice.

The books I have read and posted about during the course are:

In Flanders Fields – written by Norman Jorgensen and illustrated by Brian Harrison-Lever

Memorial - written by Gary Crew and illustrated by Shaun Tan

Piggybook – written and illustrated by Anthony Browne

The Arrival – written and illustrated by Shaun Tan

Dogger - written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes

Owl Babies -  written by Martin Waddell and illustrated by Patrick Benson

Bertie and the Bear – written and illustrated by Pamela Allen

Mister Magnolia – written and illustrated by Quentin Blake

 

The Naming of Tishkin Silk - written by Glenda Millard and illustrated by Caroline Magerl

Fantastic Mr Fox – written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake

The Fiery Salamander – written by Colin Thiele and illustrated by Mark Wilson

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time written and illustrated by Mark Haddon

Charlotte’s Web – written by E.B. White

Mister Magnolia

'Mister Magnolia' is a picture book for young children, written and illustrated by Quentin Blake (perhaps best known for illustrating many of Roald Dahl’s works). This whimsical ‘fun and nonsense’ book is written in rhyming verse- complemented by Blake’s colourful, fanciful and detailed drawings. The text  has a bouncing rhythm which lends itself to being read aloud with energy, and it is simple enough that young children could practice reading it aloud themselves. The rhythm and energy of the words also make the text useful for children who are practicing using expression when reading.

The verses describe a character called Mister Magnolia – who has only one boot. Readers learn of the many wonderful and weird things which Mister Magnolia does possess, but are always reminded of the boot he is lacking. The simple story concludes when Mr Magnolia receives a mysterious package containing another boot. The colourful images accompanying the verse, include plenty of hidden detail which children will enjoy looking for – helping to make the book fun and enjoyable and reinforcing reading as a positive experience.

I would definitely use this book in a reception or year one classroom as a way to introduce rhyme, practice expression and help students to get a feel for rhythm. Aside from these benefits, the book has the huge advantage of being fun and highly engaging - and so can help to build positive feelings towards language and literacy.

Charlotte's Web

EB White’s enduring children’s novel ‘Charlotte’s Web’ is a story which has been entertaining children since it was first published in 1952. Though the story is now quite dated – its themes of friendship and strength of character are as relevant to children today as ever.

White tells the story of a pig called Wilbur – who is born on a farm and is the runt of his litter. Wilbur faces being killed, but is saved by the farmer’s daughter Fern, who begs her father not to kill the piglet.  Fern raises Wilbur until her father insists that he is sold. Wilbur moves to a neighbouring farm and spends many happy days there and makes many friends – in particular a grey lady spider named Charlotte. It is Wilbur’s friendship with Charlotte that eventually saves him from becoming Christmas dinner.

The book touches on many subjects - some which could be considered confronting, however White treats these matters discretely and in a gentle, honest manner.  For example; while death is   recurring subject in the story – it is portrayed as a natural part of the life cycle; reinforcing the idea that one ending signifies another new beginning (eg. when Charlotte dies of old age, her children are born into the world). The anthropomorphic/fantasy style that the book is written in also helps to ease the seriousness of the themes.

I found this book very enjoyable and I think that it would really engage children around the 9-12 age group. The language used in the text could make it challenging for some readers – however it also provides some excellent opportunities for expanding vocabulary. The book includes some slightly dated wording, however it is not dated to an extent that affects relevance or meaning .

I would use this book in middle to upper primary classrooms – as a starting point for discussions on friendship, loyalty and in particular the complexity of characters (eg. not all characters are simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’).

Reading Program and Reflection

The reading program has been beneficial in numerous ways. It has allowed me to further explore children's literature and link knowledge, practice and concepts learnt within lectures and workshops. When reading each book there was always a connection made that related to the course content. I now believe I have a greater understanding in children's literature.

The books selected and read for the blog includes five novels and eight picture books.

Novels

 

Matilda

Two Weeks with the Queen

Doubting Thomas

Too Small to Fail

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Picture Books

 

The Ugly Duckling

Three Little Pigs with a Twist

Yellow Submarine

Read Along Nursery Rhymes

The Peter Rabbit Book

Baby Giraffes Trip to the Watering Hole

'Twas the Last Night Before Christmas

Madeline