Nikki & Deja- Multicultural

Title: Nikki & Deja

Author: Karen English

Illustrator: Laura Freeman

Publisher: Turtleback Books: A Division of Sanval

Genre: Children’s fiction

Age level: 4-8

Themes: Relationships among friends & family, new classmates, changing relationships, girls clubs
Synopsis: Nikki and Deja are best friends- almost like sisters.  They watch Saturday morning cartoons together, shop at the flea market, jump double dutch, and help each other with homework.  One of their favorite things to do is sit on Nikki’s front porch and discuss the happenings on their block.  But when new neighbors move in down the street and the girls decide to form an exclusive club, their friendship begins to change in ways neither of them expect.  Every friendship has its ups and downs.  But can Nikki and Deja’s survive the new drill team club and the new girl?

About the author: Karen English is the author of several books for young readers, including the novel FRANCIE (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), which received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award. Her previous book for Clarion, HOT DAY ON ABBOTT AVENUE, was named an ALA Notable Children's Book and was praised by the Jane Addams Peace Association for its "nuanced portrait of the inner workings of young girls' relationships." This is her first chapter book. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

About the illustrator: Laura Freeman has illustrated many books for children, including A BRAVE SPACEBOY and its sequel, A WILD COWBOY, by Dana Kessimakis Smith (Jump at the Sun). Her work has appeared in publications such as THE NEW YORK TIMES and NEW YORK magazine. Laura lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan. This is her first book for Clarion.

Pre-reading activities: Since this story is about two best friends, Nikki & Deja and their new neighbor Antonia, the students can write about a friend they like to play with. They can also write about the people who live around them, since Nikki & Deja frequently watched their neighbors while they sat on the porch. 

Post-reading activities: Lead a discussion about the book, asking the students why Nikki & Deja had a fight. One of the reasons is because of the Drill team club that Nikki & Deja wanted to start, but Nikki was having a hard time keeping up and then didn't want to be the club's secretary. Another time was because Deja's Bear was missing, and she thought Nikki misplaced him on purpose because of the problems with the club. The students can write about a time when they have had an argument with someone they were close to (a neighbor, a friend, or a family member), and draw a picture of the incident. Then they can come up with a solution to the problem if it hasn't already been solved.

Reflection: I thought this book was closely related to students in elementary school classrooms because they usually have fights about silly things and then they forget about what they were arguing about in the first place and go back to being friends. I thought the illustrations were very cute and they could show the students that even though Nikki & Deja were African American that they are similar to the students in the class and go through the same problems.

Works cited:

Barnes & Noble 

Nikki & Deja picture 

Where the Wild Things Are

Title: Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Publisher: HarperCollins Books for Children

Genre: Children, fantasy

Age level: Grades 1-3

Themes: Fantasy, adventure, exploring the unknown
Synopsis: After getting in trouble with his mother for pretending to be a wolf, Max is sent to his room. He discovers a forest in his room as well as oceans and the rest of the world. He sails to where the wild things are. When Max becomes lonely, he sails back home.

About the author:  Sometimes dark, sometimes gleefully silly, but always inventive, intelligent, and colorful, Maurice Sendak's imaginatively illustrated children's books never forget their audience. Although his classic Where the Wild Things Are was criticized upon its initial publication for being too frightening, children responded with enthusiasm to both its wonderfully zany artwork as well as to its honesty. Forty years later, they still do.

Pre-reading activities: As a class, discuss what we think wild things are. Everyone will take a turn giving wild things a different adjective.

Post-reading activities: In order to practice writing, students will create their own ending to Where the Wild Things Are. They will pretend as if they are Max and design their own solution to the story in one paragraph.

Reflection: I read Where the Wild Things Are as a read-aloud to my second graders during my student teaching experience. Even though I had read it as a child, I had forgotten a great deal of what happened and it was great to revisit this classic.
Works cited:

Barnes & Noble 
Where the Wild Things Are picture

Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test

Title: Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Illustrator: Sucie Stevenson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Genre: Children's fiction, fables

Age level: 5-7

Themes: Preparing for a test, being taught how to behave, anxiety about unknown situations, accomplishing a feat
Synopsis: A man walking a very obedient collie makes a big impression on Henry and his dog, Mudge. When Henry realizes how unruly Mudge can be, he decides to take him to dog school. While shopping for a new leash, a collar, and liver treats for Mudge, he gets a paddle-ball for himself to use to calm his nerves. His pup is not the best student, but the two practice a lot until test time. Sure enough, Mudge comes through and passes with flying colors.

About the author: Cynthia Rylant grew up in West Virginia and loved comic books, cats, dogs, pajama parties, and the Beatles as a child. Going for walks with her dogs and having adventures with them helps her writing. is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novel Missing May received the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Pre-reading activities: As the students look at the pictures, have them write down things they see in the picture, and write down the symbols they see, such as the paddle-ball, the collar, and liver treats.

Post-reading activities: At the end of the book, ask the students what they thought the different symbols represented. For example, the students would probably think that Henry bought the paddle-ball because he was nervous that Mudge wouldn't pass the obedience test and the paddle-ball would help calm his nerves. Ask the students to write down a time when they were nervous and what helped them through their nerves.

Reflection: I read this book with my second graders during student teaching in a guided reading group. I didn't know about the Henry and Mudge series before this experience, but I thought this book was very cute. I wanted to keep going through the book to see how it would pan out before the students finished it because I was so intrigued by this series.

Works Cited:

Cynthia Rylant biography 

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble 

Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test picture 

Frog and Toad Together

Title: Frog and Toad Together

Author: Arnold Lobel (also illustrator)

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Genre: Children's fiction, fables

Age level: 6-8

Themes: Relationships with friends, making lists, beginning readers
Synopsis: The inseparable Frog and Toad are introduced to readers through five wonderfully silly adventures. Like an innocent Laurel and Hardy, the two amphibians show the true meaning of friendship, from list making to flower growing to dragon vanquishing. And when Toad bakes cookies one day, the two try to develop willpower together.

About the author: Arnold Lobel (1933-1987) was the award-winning author and illustrator of many beloved children's books, including the classic I Can Read books about Frog and Toad, and the Caldecott Medal winning Fables.

Pre-reading activities: As the students look at the pictures, they write down the things they see in the pictures and what they think is going on, and ask a question they would like answered by the picture. For example, a student could ask "Why did he write 'wake up' after he already woke up?"

Post-reading activities: At the end of the book, ask the students why they thought Frog and Toad made a list of what they wanted to do. Ask the students if they have ever made a to-do list and why they had to make a list.

Reflection: I read this book with my second graders during student teaching in a guided reading group. I hadn't been introduced to the Frog and Toad series before this, and I liked this book. I felt that I was able to connect the book to my previous experiences, and it was an extremely easy read. 

Works Cited:

Barnes & Noble

Frog and Toad Together picture 

The Principal from the Black Lagoon

Title: The Principal from the Black Lagoon

Author: Mike Thaler

Illustrator: Jared Lee

Publisher: Scholastic

Genre: Children, picture book

Age level: 4-8

Themes: Anxiety about unknown situations, accepting consequences, rumors
Synopsis: It's another scary day at the Black Lagoon... Hubie has been sent to the principal's office, and he's scared! Does Mrs. Green really feed kids to the alligator she keeps in her office? Does she really keep kids locked in cages under her desk? Will Hubie be able to hear kids screaming for help from down the hall? Anticipation turns a trip to the principal's office into a playfully frightening adventure!

About the author: Known as the Riddle King of America, Mike Thaler is the author of the popular Black Lagoon books and the Heaven and Mirth series. He was born in Los Angeles and started his professional career drawing cartoons for adults. A children's book editor saw one of his cartoons in a national magazine and encouraged him to try writing for children. Mike has had over 220 books published, and is considered one of the most creative forces in children's literature. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Patty, and travels nationally, speaking in schools, libraries, and churches.

Pre-reading activities: Asking the students what they think the book is about from looking at the pictures throughout the books. Predict if they think the principal is really as bad as the book claims she is.

Post-reading activities: The students can write about and discuss a time they have been nervous to face the principal, whether it was because they were in trouble or for another reason. They can also talk about how they felt and what the principal was going to say/do.

Reflection: I read this book while student teaching in 2nd grade as a read aloud to the students, and I loved watching their reactions to the pictures as I read to them. I was asking them questions throughout the book if they thought the principal of the school was like that and what he would say or do if they got in trouble.

Works Cited:

Barnes & Noble 

Mike Thaler 

Principal from the Black Lagoon picture 

The Class from the Black Lagoon

Title: The Class from the Black Lagoon

Author: Mike Thaler

Illustrator: Jared Lee

Publisher: Scholastic

Genre: Children

Age level: 4-8

Themes: Anxiety about unknown situations, the first day of school
Synopsis: It's another scary day at the Black Lagoon... for the new teacher, Mrs. Green. There's a new class coming for the first day of school and Mrs. Green is worried. Is it true that the class is really weird and that they put their last three teachers into early retirement? Will the students really turn into horrible ghouls as soon as they get to school? Will Mrs. Green really need her ultimate survival kit to teach the class or tame the class?

About the author: Known as the Riddle King of America, Mike Thaler is the author of the popular Black Lagoon books and the Heaven and Mirth series. He was born in Los Angeles and started his professional career drawing cartoons for adults. A children's book editor saw one of his cartoons in a national magazine and encouraged him to try writing for children. Mike has had over 220 books published, and is considered one of the most creative forces in children's literature. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Patty, and travels nationally, speaking in schools, libraries, and churches.

Pre-reading activities: Asking the students what they think the book is about from looking at the pictures throughout the books. Predict if they think the class is really full of children from a "black lagoon," and try to find out why it is called a black lagoon.

Post-reading activities: The students can write about and discuss what they thought their classmates were going to be like for the school year, since they probably didn't know who their classmates were going to be beforehand.

Reflection: I read this book while student teaching in 2nd grade on my last day of student teaching there as a read aloud to the students, and I loved the reactions my students had to the different things Mrs. Green thought the students were going to be like. 

Works cited:

Barnes & Noble 

Mike Thaler 

Class from the Black Lagoon picture 

Froggy Goes to School

Title: Froggy Goes to School

Author: Jonathan London

Illustrator: Frank Remkiewicz

Publisher: Penguin Group

Genre: Children

Age level: 3-6

Themes: The first day of school, anxiety about unknown situations, anxiety over meeting new classmates
Synopsis: It's Froggy's first day of school and he is so worried about missing the school bus that he doesn't realize he is only wearing underwear until he is on the bus. Of course he is mortified and tries to hide until his teacher spies him and shouts out his name. Suddenly, his teacher becomes his dad! It all turns out to be a nightmare and it is the voice of his dad calling his name that awakens him from this crazy dream. Froggy starts his day again. This time it really is the first day of school and he climbs aboard the school bus, fully clothed. He does all sorts of fun things at school, including teaching the principal to swim! When he returns home from school without his lunch box or his baseball cap, his mom wonders if he'll ever learn! A humorous look at the first day of school jitters. The illustrations are bright and colorful.

About the author: Jonathan London is the author of many children's books, though it's the "Froggy" series that is his main claim to fame... The Froggy books are inherently pretty dumb, but there's a goofy quality about them that's likely to endear it to small children of all stripes. You're likely to have the same experience with it as we did: the first book you try will be fun, but the series will wear thin pretty quickly when you realize that the same quirky affectations are repeated in every book. Froggy always "flop-flop-flops" inside and outside his house, he always puts his clothes on with the same --zip-zap-zup!-- sound effects, his parents always call out to him -- "FRRROOGGYY!!" and he always replies, "Wha-a-a-a-t?", and at some point he always gets so embarrassed that he looks "more red in the face than green." It's cute, but gets old quick. If your kid just loves these books, though, there are tricks that can help you keep your sanity: skip the sound effects, shorten the flop-flops to something livelier; in short, change the text to something that feels more natural. Also, pick the books you like best, because some are dumber than others

Pre-reading activities: Asking the students what they think the book is about, especially from the cover. List some words describing the first day of school, such as "exciting," "scary," "new friends," "fun."

Post-reading activities: The students can write about their own experiences from the first day of school, including if they have had dreams about the first day. As the teacher, I would say that it's ok for students to feel nervous on the first day of school; I have many times since you don't always know what to expect.

Reflection: I read this book while student teaching in 2nd grade on the first day of school, and I remember going to the assembly with the principal with the 2nd graders and just the excitement and jitters of the first day of school. I was even a little nervous when starting that first day with the 2nd graders, so I knew what Froggy was going through with his jitters.

Works cited:

Barnes & Noble 

Jonathan London 

Froggy Goes to School picture