Martindale's Musings

Pinkney, J., & Aesop. (2009). The lion & the mouse . New York: Little, Brown and Books for Young Readers.  ISBN 978-0-3160-1356-7 Plot Summary: This retell of Aesop's Fable of The Lion and The Mouse is a mostly wordless one. It tells the tale of a mouse that is caught by the lion. The mouse asks to be let go, and the lion obliges. The Lion is later trapped by poacher’ traps, and the mouse is able to set him free by gnawing at the traps.  The only words used in this book are onomatopoeias. The story leaves us with an illustration of the lion and his family, living with the mouse’s family riding on his back. This version, keeps the same moral/theme of Aesop’s version- No act of kindness, however small is ever wasted. Analysis: Pinkney used pencils and watercolors to illustrate his version of this Aesop’s Fable. His research on Lion’s and their natural habitat, African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, and using this knowledge when creating t...

Trivizas, E., & Oxenbury, H. (1993). The three little wolves and the big bad pig . New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 0-689-50569-8 Plot Summary: Trivizas uses the traditional folktale of The Three Little Pigs and The Big Bad Wolf to base his version of this tale.  The three cuddly wolves are told by their curler clad mother that the time has come for them to build their own home, but asks them to beware of the Big Bad Pig.  The three wolves build their houses from very sturdy materials, unlike the traditional tale, but the Big Bad Pig still finds ingenious ways to penetrate their homes.  The wolves end up taking a completely different approach that surprises readers with its outcome. Analysis: You know that Trivizas was going to do something so different than the traditional version of this folktale when he starts off this book with a wolf mother who is wearing curlers and polishing her nails and calls her wolves “cuddl...

Wiesner, David. The Three Pigs . Clarion Books, 2001.  ISBN 0-618-00701-6 Plot Summary: Wiesner uses the familiar folktale of The Three Little Pigs only to have the wolf huff and puff where they end up “outside” of their story.   This confuses the wolf very much. The pigs escape and take off in a paper airplane to explore different stories, and also end up rescuing new friends in their adventure.  The Pigs and their new friends do end up back in “their” story and finish dealing with Wolf. Analysis: Definitely a familiar folktale turned upside down and shaken, and yet kept a similar ending as the traditional story.  Young readers will enjoy the way that the pigs explore the space and even involve them in the story a bit with their conversation.  Wiesner uses a comic book storyboard that help readers “see” how the pigs were able to escape their story and go exploring. The imaginative way that the pigs interact with the story, like ...

Kimmel, E. A., & Huling, P. (2004). Cactus soup . New York: Marshall Cavendish.  ISBN 0-7614-5155-2 Plot Summary: This version of “Stone Soup” is set in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. Soldiers are marching into town that prepared for their arrival by having its townspeople hiding all of their food, wearing old tattered clothes and dirt on their faces. They had been taken advantage by other soldiers and had to pretend to be poor to not have to feed any others. The captain acknowledged their lack of resources and asked for only water and a cactus thorn to make a soup. Slowly, the townspeople get tricked into adding other ingredients to make a more flavorful soup. Before long, the whole town is eating a delicious soup with sides and dancing to music.    Analysis: The way that Kimmel uses the townspeople being tricked into sharing the food and resources that they do have allows readers to get a lesson of cooperation and generosity, even in ti...

My next book reviews will be on Traditional and Non-Traditional Literature.  I have used different versions of the same traditional lit titles in the past and have really enjoyed finding them to have more variety in my personal bookshelf.  Most of the ones that I am reviewing for my assignments, I have never read & am I am really looking forward to reading them. One of my favorites to read and use with children is "Goatilocks & The Three Bears" by Erica S. Perl. The kids (pun intended) laughed throughout the entire book! What are some of YOUR favorite traditional and non-traditional titles to use?

Willems, M. (2003). Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0-7868-1988-X Plot Summary: Funny story where the driver of the bus has to leave for a little while and asks the reader/audience to watch the bus for him. Mischievous Pigeon uses different tactics, from begging, pleading, whining, and even bribery, to try to convince the reader/audience to allow him to drive the bus.   The reader is does a good job of keeping Pigeon away from the bus as the bus driver returns. Pigeon feels defeated, until he sees a big red truck. What will he want to do next? Analysis: Mo Willems does a great job of breaking the barriers of traditional children's’ books by allowing the reader/listener to be part of the book.   Students love being part of this book, Pigeon is talking TO them & they talk to Pigeon too. Students of all ages laugh and roar when this book is used as a read aloud.  Willems has illustrated the co...

McCloskey, R. (1969). Make way for ducklings . New York: Viking. ISBN- 0-670-45149-5 Plot Summary:   Nice story about Mr. & Mrs. Mallard as they search for the perfect location as a  home for their nest. They liked the prospect of a small island in Boston Public Garden once they got to explore it a bit, but found it dangerous for their nest.  They end up building their nest nearby. Mrs. Mallard must stay with the eight eggs to keep them warm as they prepare to hatch. Once her ducklings hatch Mrs. Mallard, sets her sights on the small island once again by teaching her duckling many basic skills they will need before making the journey through the city streets since her eight ducklings can’t fly.  A proud Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings are able to make it safely with the aid of a police man and some other members of his department. Analysis: I feel that this is a good book to show students that while a habitat may seem a good for someone...

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are . [New York]: Harper & Row. ISBN 0060254920 Plot Summary:       This is the story of imaginative, wolf-suit-wearing Max who is sent to bed without dinner after an evening of mischief.  Max’s imagination sends him to a place where he is able to tame and become the king of the wild things. He seems to be enjoying himself, until he sends the wild things to be without dinner, and smells good things to eat.   Analysis:     Sendak has wonderfully written & illustrated this picture book.  Imaginative and angry Max is a relatable character for elementary aged children.  Young Max’s perception of time as he sails is an excellent example of a child’s perception of time and how 5 minutes may seem like weeks and almost over a year.  The illustrations really show the reader the mischief that Max and the wild things get into, and still allow the reader to add a bit more wi...

De la Pe ñ a, M., & Robinson , C. (2015). Last stop on Market Street . New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN-978-0-545-96452-4 Plot Summary: This picture book takes us on a bus ride with CJ & his grandmother on a Sunday after church.  A young CJ is full of questions as most children are, & his grandmother is full of encouraging answers.  CJ is able to see the beauty and abundance of his life along the ride to the last stop on Market Street. Analysis: De La Pena’s writing in this book is great for elementary aged children and even up to high school.  I believe that even adults could adore this book. CJ spending time with his grandmother seems very normal and natural. It is not mentioned if she is caring for him during this time, or if she is his guardian. I think this allows even more children to relate to CJ, as many grandparents take care of their grandchildren.  Robinson’s illustrations of the community that CJ...