Kayley De Rovira's picture book reviews

Kayley De Rovira picture book reviews 1

1. Butterworth, Chris. Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea. (2006). Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

            Sea Horse is a story about sea horses, specifically the Barbour’s sea horse. In this book students learn many things about sea horses; camouflage, the way they look, food, mating rituals, birthing, swimming, and growth and development.

            This book is very helpful to young students wanting to learn more about sea horses, especially because the bottom of most of the pages gives extra information like the scientific name of sea horses. The pictures are interesting and informative; showing how the sea horse camouflages and changes color for protection and mating, how the sea horse’s eggs grow into baby sea horses, and how they use their tail to swim and hold onto coral. As a teacher you can read the book aloud as part of a lesson on sea horses or in a unit plan about sea animals.

2. Coles, Robert. (1995). The Story of Ruby Bridges. Scholastic Inc.

            The Story of Ruby Bridges is an inspirational story of the first black child to go to school in New Orleans in 1960. Through mobs of white men and women shouting for inequality, Ruby walked to an all-white school as the only student, praying for all of those who hated her. Eventually the mobs died down and the white students went back to school with Ruby, showing that faith and determination prevails.

            I read this book when it first came out, and quickly fell in love with Ruby Bridge’s story. Ruby struggles with discrimination, but sticks to her schoolwork and her faith in God to help her through it. This is a great introductory book for a lesson on racism and discrimination in America.

3. McGrath, B. B. (ed.). (2006). The Storm: Students of Biloxi, Mississippi Remember Hurricane Katrina. Watertown, Mass: Charlesbridge Pub Inc.

            Through The Storm, students, teachers, and faculty of Biloxi share their experiences of Hurricane Katrina. They express their grief, anger, acceptance, and thankfulness through stories and illustrations that McGrath compiled.

This book would be beneficial for students of any age, as the children in the book are from grades 1-11. For those not living in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina this book provides an insight into the lives of the victims. One teacher said, “What was once a faceless storm all of a sudden became personal” (16). This allows students who didn’t feel the storm was personal to see it from different perspectives. At the end of the book, some students and faculty express their thanks to everyone around the world that helped the Biloxi community restore it’s homes and schools. This book provides hope to victims of natural disasters while showing how important it is to help out others in a time of crisis.

4. Mortenson, Greg, & Roth, S. L. (2009). Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.

            Listen to the Wind is the story of Greg Mortenson’s first building project in Korphe, Pakistan. Mortenson ended up cold, sick, and hungry in Korphe, Pakistan on his way to climb the mountains. In order to repay the village for it’s kindness he came back a year later to build a school; first creating a bridge to carry supplies across, and then building the school with the help of men, women, and children of Korphe.

            The pictures in the book are collages, created by Susan Roth, which moves the story along. They show the interactions between the villagers and Mortenson through the use of various textiles. A teacher can use this book to show the differences between our cultures.  An open discussion about how there are many people who are less fortunate can help the students understand the world better. Community and helping others are themes that can be discussed further as well.

5. Penn, Audrey. (2004).  A Pocket Full of Kisses. Indiana: Tanglewood Press.

            A Pocket Full of Kisses is a story about the reassurance and love a mother Raccoon gives her son after he becomes jealous of his new baby brother. Chester Raccoon becomes very sad when his mother gives his brother a Kissing Hand, his Kissing Hand, but she explains to him that his brother isn’t taking over his territory, and that her love and kisses will never run out for Chester and his brother.

            This book is a great way for students to learn about the feelings that come with a new addition to the family. Chester feels hurt when his mother gives his brother a Kissing Hand, a kiss the mother places on the palm of his hand, afraid that if she gives the baby a Kissing Hand her kisses will run out. The mother Raccoon explains that every night the sun’s rays touch all the stars, and that no matter how many stars are in the sky the sun won’t stop reaching out it’s light to each and every one of them. She explains that when someone loves you their kisses are always there, like the sun’s rays, and that she will never run out. This will help students understand unconditional love.