Dena Siegel

Fantasy (Literary Lore)/Science Fiction

Chicken Big 2010

By: Keith Graves
2010
Worzalla Publishing
Fantasy
36 pages

Summary:

Chicken Big is about a very big chicken that is different from the

other, smaller chickens. At first, the other chickens dont accept

Chicken Big, and they dont allow him in their coop because he is too

large. The other chickens dont believe that Chicken Big is a chicken

because he is different, and throughout the book they guess different

animals and things that Chicken Big could be. Chicken Big helps the

other chickens in many different ways because of his large size. For

example, he informs the other chickens that the sky is not falling; it is

only an acorn, a tasty nut. Also, he was able to see the thief that was

stealing the chickens eggs, and catch him quickly. The smaller

chickens eventually see that Chicken Big is indeed a chicken, and that

he is very kind. At the end of the book, the chickens allow Chicken Big

in their coop, even though he is much larger than it!

Personal Response:

I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the writing

was clever, funny, and it had a great message. I think it promotes the
idea that differences can be valuable. I also made a connection to the

book, Chicken Little, when the acorn fell from the sky; however, the

storylines of these books are different.

Strengths and Considerations:

S: This book is formatted like a comic strip, and it has lots of

fun illustrations that I think young students would enjoy. In addition,

the book has lots of size adjectives (ex. enormous, humongous) that

can be emphasized when reading the book aloud. This book was very

funny, and I think would be enjoyable for lower-middle grade

elementary students. I also like that this book has character and

moral lessons about empathy, diversity, and friendship.

C: I think that the humor in the book is best suited for younger

elementary students. Also, this book moves quickly; teachers may

need to ask clarifying questions so that the humor doesnt overwhelm

the plot of the story.

How this book might be used:

I would read this book aloud to kindergarteners and first graders

because of the simple language and plot, and the funny pictures. I

would discuss with students about how Chicken Big might feel after he

was excluded from the coop, to teach empathy. I would also lead a

discussion about how Chicken Bigs size allowed him to help the other

chickens; and talk about how people have many differences, but can
still help each other. I would encourage students to make their own

connections to this story. They might connect this book to books,

movies, or TV shows that have animals as people, or other books that

promote diversity and friendship.

Dena Siegel

Realistic Fiction

Rules - 2006
By: Cynthia Lord
2006
Scholastic Publishing
Realistic Fiction
200 pages
Characteristic of Difference Autism Spectrum Disorder

Summary:

Rules, is about a young girl Catherine, and her brother David,

who has autism. Catherine makes rules for David so he will know

what to do in different social situations. At times, Catherine feels

embarrassed of her younger brother and his behaviors, and she feels

frustrated that she has the responsibility of taking care of him.

Catherine is also eager to become friends with her new, cool neighbor,

Kristi, and she doesnt want David to interfere. Catherine also meets

Jason, a young boy who uses a speech device and pictures to

communicate, at occupational therapy. They become friends and

Catherine realizes that differences are okay and that she should be

less concerned about other peoples thoughts and judgments.

Personal Response:

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I made a lot of personal

connections. I was interested in reading this book because my

boyfriends sister, Molly, has autism. Also, my dad is an occupational

therapist. In addition, I made connections to feeling embarrassed

about my differences and wanting to be accepted by cooler peers.

For me, it was a long process, accepting my own differences, and

becoming less concerned with other peoples opinions. Also, some of

the rules I thought were very funny and relatable (ex. If you dont

want to do something say, Hmm. Ill think about it, and maybe the

asker will forget the whole bad idea.)

Strengths and Considerations:

S: I think that this book brings awareness to autism, and what

it may be like to have a sibling with ASD. I think it also has a great

message to appreciate and respect differences. Rules is well written

and relatable for students, and it was a Newbery Honor Book in 2007.

C: If this book was read in a small group or as a read aloud, I

think it would be important to have a discussion about different

characteristics, represented by a spectrum, of autism. For example,

someone else with autism may behave differently than David.

How this book might be used:

I think that this book would be best suited for third to fifth

graders because of the topic (autism and accepting differences) and

text difficulty. Also, I think that at this age, students increasingly want

to fit in and be normal. This book could be read independently or

in small groups. This book could provide an opportunity to have a

conversation about the importance of embracing differences and being

empathetic. Also, it would be interesting to hear how students relate

to this book and what their differences are (if they feel comfortable

sharing).
Dena Siegel

Mufaros Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale

By: John Steptoe
1987
Scholastic Inc.
Traditional Literature Annotation Characteristic of Difference
Location and Culture Africa (Zimbabwe, Shona language)
32 Pages

Summary:

This book is an African retelling of the classic fairy tale,

Cinderella. This story features a man, Mufaro, and his two beautiful

daughters, Manyara and Nyasha, who live in Zimbabwe. At the

beginning of the story, the King announces that he is looking for a

wife, and Mufaro sends both of his daughters to meet him. Manyara

leaves early to meet the King, and meets different people and

creatures on her way. Manyara is unkind to them, and is only

concerned with becoming a queen. However, when Nyasha travels to

see the King, she treats the people and creatures on her journey with

kindness and generosity. In the end, the King tells Nyasha that he

transformed into the various people and creatures they had met on

their journey to determine the character of his future wife. He asked

Nyasha to be his wife because she treated everyone with respect and

kindness.

Personal Response:
 I really enjoyed this retelling of the classic Cinderella story. I

think it has a strong message about the importance of humility and

treating everyone with kindness. I also liked that the King valued his

wifes character more than any other characteristic. This book

reminded me of some of my favorite quotes such as, I was raised to

treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO. and You can

easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do

nothing for him. I would like to have this book in my future

classroom library.

Strengths and Considerations:

S: As previously mentioned, this book has a positive message to

treat everyone with kindness. I also think that this book does a great

job of incorporating cultural differences of Zimbabwe. The soft

illustrations are beautifully detailed and show the unique people,

clothing, flowers, and creatures that live there. This book was also a

Caldecott Honor in 1988.

C: Some people might argue that this book is best suited for

younger students because of its short length and predictability.

However, I personally think that the moral message is valuable for all

ages.
How this book might be used:

I think that this book would be a great read aloud book for first

and second graders. After reading this book, a teacher could lead a

discussion about the importance of specific moral values, such as

respect and kindness, and love. Second, this book could provide an

opportunity to discuss making connections while reading. For

example, the students could discuss similarities and differences to the

Disney Cinderella story and why it is important to make connections.

Third, students could be encouraged to analyze the beautiful

illustrations in the book that are representative of African culture.

Dena Siegel

Historical Fiction

Anne Hutchinsons Way Characteristic of Difference Religion

Puritan, and Gender - Women
By: Jeannine Atkins
Pictures by: Michael Dooling
2007
Farrar Straus Giroux
Historical Fiction
30 pages

Summary:

This book is about a family that leaves England in 1634 to find

religious freedom in America. The book explains that Puritans were

people who wanted to reform the Church of England. When the family

settled in Massachusetts, Anne Hutchinson began to hold meetings

about the Puritan religion. However, this upset many people because

her beliefs were different than the ministers. As the meetings

continued, someone threw a rock through a window in Annes home.

Anne went to trial for disturbing the peace, and she was ordered to

leave Massachusetts and spend the winter locked in a room. During

this time, her family found a new area to settle, and Anne joined them

when she was released.

Personal Response:

I thought that this book was well written, and I also enjoyed the

illustrations. This book provided background information that made

the story clear and easy to understand. I thought that this book did a
great job of exploring the complexity of historical events. It detailed

how the family wanted to leave to have religious freedom, but even

when they arrived, they still faced discrimination. Also, it was

interesting hear how women were treated during this time. For

example, Anne was not allowed to go to prison because she was a

woman.

Strengths and Considerations:

S: I thought that this book did a great job of telling an

interesting story while including historical context. The plot of the

story was detailed and sequential. Anne was very brave to continue to

hold religious meetings, and stand up for what she believed in. I also

thought that the illustrations contributed to the setting of the story.

C: This book is told from the perspective of Susanna, about

her mother, Anne. It might be beneficial to clarify who is telling story

to avoid confusion. It also may be beneficial to explain immigration

patterns and colonization to the U.S. before reading this book aloud to

build context.

How this book might be used:

I think that this book would work best for third and fourth

graders because of the amount of text, language, and content

presented. This book could be read aloud to a group of students, or it

may be read independently. I think it would be beneficial to use this to

introduce or extend the topic of colonization in America.

Dena Siegel

Biography

Peaceful Heroes
Written by: Jonah Winter
Illustrated by: Sean Addy
2009
Scholastic Publishing
Biography
59 pages
Characteristics of Difference Religion Islam, Muslim, Catholicism;
Racial Groups African American, Indian, Gender - Women

Summary:

This book tells the stories of 14 peaceful heroes who have

positively contributed to society. Some of the heroes mentioned

include: Jesus, Gandhi, Sojourner Truth, Clara Barton, Martin Luther

King Jr., Oscar Romero, and William Feehan. This book described who

the heroes were, the time that they were alive, what they believed in,

what they did, and their impact. The purpose of this book was to

inspire children to be heroes and to solve problems peacefully.

Personal Response:

I was drawn to this book because of the topic and the beautiful

illustrations (I especially enjoyed the cover art). Many of the names in

the book were familiar, but I was interested to learn more information

about each hero and their impact. I also support the authors message

to inspire a new generation of heroes who value peace and

nonviolence.
 I learned that Corrie ten Boom converted her house to a hiding

place for Jewish people, to avoid being captured and brought to

concentration camps. This reminded me of a book Ive read, Number

the Stars, by Lois Lowry. In this book, the main character pretends

that her best friend, who is Jewish, is part of her family.

Strengths and Considerations:

S: I liked that this book featured many different peaceful

heroes throughout time, and the illustrations are beautiful. Peaceful

Heroes emphasized that heroes are brave and stand up for what they

believe in. In addition, all religious groups were positively portrayed.

I also appreciated that this book mentioned that all people are

different, even if they belong to the same racial group, culture, or

religion.

C: This book provided a brief overview of each peaceful hero. If

a student was researching a hero, they may need to use other

resources to learn more detailed information.

How this book might be used:

I think that this book would be best suited for fourth and fifth

graders because of the text difficulty, and their increased background

knowledge of world history. This book could be read aloud to students

or read independently. It may also be interesting to have students

choose a hero, and continue to research more information about them.

EDUC 124/224 Name: Dena Siegel
Spring, 2016
Nonfiction Annotations

Social Studies Text

Title: Go, Go America

Author and Illustrator: Dan Yaccarino

Publisher, Year Published and pages

Published by: Scholastic Press
Year Published: 2008
Pages: 71, plus an appendix

Summary: This book is about the Farley familys road trip across all 50
states. It discusses their adventures and experiences, while also
presenting famous landmarks, land features, and many fun facts about
each state. The appendix also includes state information such as state
capitals, populations, when it became a state, bird, flower, tree, motto,
and nickname.

Related Content CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Content Standards:

Iowa Corer
SS.35.G.3

Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how human factors

and the distribution of resources affect the development of
society and the movement of populations.

SS.35.G.2

Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how geographic

and human characteristics create culture and define regions.

NCSS Standards
Culture and Cultural Diversity
People, Places, and Environments

Age/ Grade Level and How It Would Be Used:

3rd 5th grade
Could be used as an extension reference for gifted 3rd graders
Could be used as a resource for 4th grade students to add
interesting facts to their state project
 Could be recommended to students who are interested in state
history and information or who anyone who enjoys trivia
Difficult to use as a read aloud text is not clearly organized

Science Text
Title: Actual Size

Author and Illustrator: Steve Jenkins

Publisher, Year Published and pages

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company
Year Published: 2004
Pages: 32

Summary:
This book has pictures of various animals made from paper cutouts.
Some of the animals are shown completely at their full size, but some
of the animals are much too large, so parts of their bodies (ex. eyes,
teeth, feet) are shown instead. This book features interesting animals
(ex. very large, very small, or unique), and provides information about
where the animals live, what they eat, and unique characteristics they
have.

Related Content CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Content Standards:

(K-2) Next Gen Science Standards
K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants
and animals (including humans) need to survive.
K-ESS3-1. Use a model to represent the relationship between
the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and
the places they live.
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare
the diversity of life in different habitats

Age/ Grade Level and How It Would Be Used:

Grades K-2 - This book is a fun way for students to
conceptualize the actual sizes of the animals.
For kindergarten and 1st grade students, this book can be used
as a read aloud book. Students can compare the various sizes
and parts of different animals and themselves.
For 2nd and 3rd grade students, this book can be used as a book
to read aloud, it can be read individually, and as used as a
reference material. The pages in the back of the book feature
 more in depth information about each animal, such as: weight,
height, where it is located, and other interesting facts.

Math Text
Title: A Place for Zero

Author and Illustrator: Written by Angeline Sparagna LoPresti, and

Illustrated by Phyllis Hornung

Publisher, Year Published and pages

Published by: Charlesbridge
Year Published: 2003
Pages: 32

Summary:
This book discusses the tale of zero, who is feeling out of place and
different from the other numbers. Then, Count Infinity, an inventor,
needed to have a zero to add to the number 1 in his adding machine
to get more 1s. Zero was still feeling like he didnt quite find his
place, and he wondered what would happen if he was used for
multiplication. They tried multiplying the 0 with many other numbers
in the multiplication machine and discovered that the answer was
always zero. Then King Multiplus wants to make other numbers over
9, so he decides to add zero to other numbers, ex. 20, 30, 40, then
other combinations, like 73, and 89. Through this process, Zero finally
feels included and appreciated.
Related Content CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Content Standards:
1.NBT.A.1

Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals
and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

2.NBT.A.1

Understand that the three digits of a threedigit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens,
and ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Understand the following as
special cases:

a. 100 can be thought of as a bundle of ten tens called a

"hundred."
 b. The numbers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 refer
to one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine hundreds
(and 0 tens and 0 ones)

3.OA.A.1

Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 7 as the total number of objects in 5
groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects
can be expressed as 5 7.

Age/ Grade Level and How It Would Be Used:

Could be used with first graders, reviewing how when you add a
number to zero, it stays the same number, and zero is added to
the end of a number, it can become a whole new number, offers
a preview of multiplication by 0
Used as third grade introduction to multiplication by zero, should
lead into a class discussion about why multiplying by zero always
results in 0