Module 2: Swimmy By Leo Lionni

Citation:
Lionni, L. (1963). Swimmy. New York : Dragonfly Book Publishers.

Summary:
Swimmy by Leo Lionni is a sweet story about a large school of fish. Swimmy (the main character) is black whereas the rest of the school is red. One day all the fish are eaten up with the exception of Swimmy. As Swimmy continues his journey he encounters another school of fish which seem to be similar to his last. He and the other fish decide to make a shape of a large fish to scare the other fish away so they won’t be eaten.

My Opinion:
I enjoyed the story of Swimmy. I felt that it was a pretty basic story of the survival of the fittest and what can happen when a group uses teamwork.

Reviews:

Maguire, G. (2003). Children's Chorus. The New York Times Book Review. Retreived from Book Review Digest

New York Times Book Review

The story, though grim indeed, should become essential reading. Few other picture books deal with political action. 'Swimmy,' by Leo Lionni; 'Horton Hears a Who,' by Dr. Seuss; in its own pacifist way, 'The Story of Ferdinand,' by Munro Leaf. For many children raised in comfortable circumstances, encountering a bully on the playground is their first experience of powermongery.

Uses for the library:
This story of swimmy could be used for a story time lesson with students and then reflecting on if they have every had someone bully them or it could be a discussion about loss or team work. There are several themes with in this book.

This story could also be used to do a quick art project with water colors to try to make a landscape.

Module 2: Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag

Citation:
Gag, W. (1928). Millions of cats. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam Books.

Summary:
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag, is a tale of a elderly man and woman who were in search of a pet to love and care for. The elderly man goes out searching for a cat and finds “Millions and billions and trillions of cats.” He decides to take them all home because he can’t decide on which cat he likes the most. When his wife sees all of these cats she convinces the man that they can only keep one. The cats fight to death and leave just one, whom the elderly couple decided to keep.

My Opinion:
This book is very interesting I did want to keep reading until the end. While I am not particularly fond the fact that they say in the book, “I think that they must have eaten each other all up.” I think the story is interesting and could teach students a little about math due to the repeating line about hundreds, thousands and so on. The illustrations are all in black and white but add to the story line well.

Reviews:

Breen, K. (2000). One hundred books that shaped our century. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA153035.html

School Library Journal

Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. Coward, 1928. Considered by many to have ushered in the age of the modern picture book, this Newbery Honor winner is characterized by innovative design and a strong storyteller's cadence.

Uses for the library:
This book could be used for a writing prompt mini lesson where you ask the kids if they have ever had a hard time deciding what to choose from and how they felt. The students could do a quick brain storm and then write 1 paragraph stating how they felt about the situation.

Module 1-The Giving Tree

Citation:
Silverstein, S. (1964). The Giving Tree. United States: Harper Collins Publishers.

Summary:
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a story about a tree and a boy. The little boy and the tree are great friends. In the beginning the boy comes often to play on the branches and play in the leaves. As time progress the boy grows and his needs change and the tree continues to try to help the boy. At the end the old man returns to the tree which is only a stump and he sits and stays for a while.

My Opinion:
My opinion of this book is that the book tries to evoke emotion in the reader by going through the stages of life. As the boy grows and his needs change the tree tries to accommodate the boy’s needs and the boy uses up the tree. The overall meaning to me is that life changes but I do like the reoccurring theme that the tree is always there for the boy is reminiscent of a parent and a child. I think that this book is a good book with illustrations that help convey the meaning of the text in a simplistic way. Although, I feel that this book will have more meaning for an adult than it will a child.

Reviews:

(2003) [Review of book Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein]. Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. Retrieved from http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafeClient/ReviewsDetail.aspx

Horn Book Guide Reviews

This book about a boy and a generous tree, who gives him all she has, has long been cherished as a tale of unconditional, selfless love, and likewise condemned as a story of complete codependency. Its controversial themes now live on in a new format, with the same short text per page and evocative line drawings now made larger for easier sharing with a group. Copyright 2003 Horn Book Guide Reviews

Uses for the library:
This book could be used in a library in a lesson on different types of illustrations. This illustrator uses simple drawings to convey the text. This book could also be used as part of an author study, where we discuss how Shel Silverstein's books are similar and how they are different in the style of writing.