C.Harman Children Lit Blog

The Story of Harriet Tubman By Christine Platt Summary This book reviews the entire life of Harriet Tubman from birth until death. Direct quotes from Harriet Tubman and provided along with her struggle and plan to rescue her family from slavery. The biography also explains why she was considered "Moses" and how she helped abolish slavery.  Literary Elements This is a biography about Harriet Tubman and provided accurate information describing Harriets life from birth until death. Most of the chapters focused on how she freed slaves and helped abolished slavery. The theme focused on Harriet and how she overcame adversity through slavery. The illustrations are in depth and provide great visuals for the reader to understand Harriets story.  Activities Could you draw a map using your imagination from your house to school? That is what Harriet had to do to help free slaves and get them to freedom Let's talk about slavery. What is it? What did you learn about it from the book ab...

  52 A Tale of Loneliness By Johnny DePalma Summary This book is a true story about a whale named 52 who speaks at 52 Hz and other whales cannot hear him when he sings. It reviews the feelings and events this whale goes through not being able to speak to other whales.  Literary Elements This genre is a non-fiction book. The theme is about exploring loneliness and what this whale named 52 does since he cannot speak to other whales. The illustrations are vivid and enhance the story with beautiful visuals helping the reader feel what the whale might be feeling. Activities If you were whale 52 what would you do with your time since other whales cannot hear you? Draw yourself like whale 52 and other friends you would have in the sea since your other whales friends cannot hear you Reader Response Why can't the other whales hear whale 52? What does whale 52 do with his time since the other whales cannot hear him? How do you think or feel about whale 52 being lonely? Personal Thoughts...

Black Heros 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern Day USA By Arlisha Norwood Summary This book reviews 51 black heroes throughout history. Each person reviewed provides an illustration of the hero and what they have contributed to black history. Along with their contribution the text also provides what struggles and adversity they faced.  Literary Elements This is an informational non-fiction book with illustrated portraits of each hero. The theme is reviewing each hero throughout history and displays each person chronology, ending with people who are still alive today. The style is engaging, providing in depth information about each person. Activities: After reading about all 51 black heroes, which ones are you favorites and why? List out five reasons why you think these people are considered heroes Reader Response: Martin Luther King Jr is listed in this book. We have a holiday celebrating MLK Day. What does that mean? Who is Barack Obama? Why is he considered a black...

The Story of Frida Kahlo  By Susan B. Katz Summary This book is all about the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. It starts at her birth and gives her life events until her death. Frida was sick most of her life but still produced beautiful paintings. Her father encouraged her creativity and painting.   Literary Elements This genre is biography providing an account of Frida Kahlo's life. The accuracy of this book is based on all facts throughout Frida's life. The writing style of this book is engaging and explains Frida's life easily for a young reader to understand. The illustrations are colorful and vivid, enhancing the story of Frida. Activities: Let's try to paint the classroom from our perspective and look how everyone paints it differently. Everyone provides a different perspective, way they see things. Frida painted a lot laying down in bed from being sick. Let's all lay down and draw something we love. Let's explore how difficult it can be drawing while ...

  Juneteenth For Mazie By: Floyd Cooper Summary This book is about a young girl named Mazie who is upset because she wants to do things like eat cookies and play outside but it is too late and she is told no. Her dad asks why she is so sad and begins to tell about their celebration tomorrow for Juneteenth. Her dad talks about their great-great-great grandpa Mose and and others were freed from slavery on June 19th, 1865.  Literary Elements This genre is historical fiction because it is reconstructed from the passed. Fictional characters were used however, it is plausible people have been in these exact situations during the days leading up to Juneteenth. The narrator is the father of Mazie and the theme is about the freedom of slaves and the continued fight throughout history through to today. Activity Do you celebrate anything similar to Juneteenth? Let's go around and see who celebrates different days with their family and friends.  Let's all share and talk about the imp...

  Icy Irene's Adventure in an Igloo By: Nicky Gaymer-Jones Summary This story is about a girl named Irene who lives in an igloo in Antarctica. Irene makes many objects out of the ice she is surrounded by. She meets a friend who also lives in Antarctica that helps her with creating and changing her igloo home.  Literary Elements This genre is a contemporary realistic fiction book because readers would relate to the main character, Irene, in todays life of someone who could live in Antarctica. The plot is about a girl named Irene who lives in an igloo and the theme is about all the different items made out of ice.  Activities  Let's imagine ourselves living in Antarctica. What animals do you think you would see? What would you carve out of ice? Let's draw ourselves on top of an igloo, like Irene. How would you feel? Do you like the cold and snow or being warm? Reader Response Why did Irene want to create an improved type of indigo ice cream? How do you think Irene made...

Momotaro (The Peach Boy): A Japanese Folktale Retold by M.J York Summary This Folktale is about an older Japanese couple who already wanted a child but never could have one. The woman picked a beautiful peach one day and went to open it and a little boy popped out. They named him Momotaro (Peach Boy) and raised him. At fifteen he fought the oni monsters because they were harassing the village. He made friends along the way and saved the village. Literary Elements The genre is Folklore and the plot is about Momotaro (Peach Boy). The theme is about Momotaro and what he does after being born from a peach and how he saves the village from the oni monsters and making friends along the way.  Activities  If you could be born from any fruit what fruit would it be and why? Momotaro makes 3 friends along the way. Draw you and your 3 friends you would defend the village with. Reader Response What are the oni monsters doing to the village? How does Momotaro's three friends help him defend...

  The Three Little Pigs Summary This is about three pigs who continue to escape the cunning wolf who always tries to eat them. The three pigs each build different houses and as wolf gets closer to capturing them to eat each pig makes it more difficult for the wolf to catch them. Literary Elements The genre of this book is Folklore. The plot of this book is about a wolf attempting to eat three little pigs. The theme throughout the book is how the pigs get away from the wolf and how they evolve their houses to keep the wolf out and stop him for blowing their house down. Activities If you were one of the little pigs what would you make your house out of? Which house material worked best? Why? Let's build different houses out of paper, Popsicle sticks and blocks and try to blow down the houses. After we try blowing down all the houses lets see how they are similar/different from the story Reader Responses Do you think the little pigs should always live together or live in their own hou...