Modern Fantasy Book File # 1 (Ages 0-7)

Author: Doreen Cronin

Title: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Summary: Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. But his problems really begin
when his cows start leaving him demands in the form of typed notes.
Evaluation: Farmer Brown’s cow’s literacy rate increases as well as their harassment to the
farmer when they find a type writer. The cows taking a stand to not produce milk when the
farmer refuses to meet their demands, makes this a hilarious book! The cows protesting teaches
the farmer to meet the cows somewhere in the middle and had me reading it again.
Plot: 1-10= 10
Comment: I love how the cows started to challenge the farmer in a peaceful protest in order to
get what they want. After they got the chickens involved, it was clear that the farmer had to
listen.
Major Dramatic Question: 1-10= 10
Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.) 1-10= 10
Comment: The spin in the conclusion came when the neutral party left the farmer a note after
they saw it worked for the cows and hens.
Style and Language: 1-10= 10
Comment: The wording used in this book is so “matter of fact” that there is no mistake what the
author is trying to say.
Pacing: 1-10= 10
Character: 1-10= 10
Comment: The way the author portrays the cows made them really come to life and helped me to
imagine just what a cow would say to its farmer.
Setting: 1-10= 10
Theme: 1-10= 10
Other Considerations (mood, tone etc.) 1-10= 10
Comment: The mood of the farmer was one of anger and an inability to believe what he saw.
Is it a well-rounded piece? 1-10= 10
Overall Rating: 1-10 = 10
Comment: This hysterically written book also sends a quite message that doesn’t over power the
story. I loved it!
 Modern Fantasy Book File # 2 (Ages 0-7)
Author: Daniel Kirk
Title: Library Mouse
Publisher: Abrams Books
Summary: Sam the library mouse loved to read. He read all kinds of books when the library
closed and he had it to himself. One day he decided to write a book of his own. When the head
librarian found it the next day, she was curious and wanted to meet the author. Sam was a shy
mouse, so he set up a “meet the author” area and at the bottom was a mirror. All kinds of new
authors emerged from this and Sam continued to read and write.
Evaluation: Sam gave a sorts of children the courage to do what they hadn’t before, write a
book. He is a little library mouse with a mighty spirit and sweet message that every child should
hear.
Plot: 1-10= 9
Comment: Sam in this plot uses his conflict to help encourage other readers to become writers
and then share their work with others.
Major Dramatic Question: 1-10= 9
Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.) 1-10= 9
Comment: Sam’s conflict was not wanting to reveal himself to the library, but instead inspires
others to become their own authors.
Style and Language: 1-10= 9
Pacing: 1-10= 8
Character: 1-10= 10
Comment: Sam is an inspiring character that everyone can learn from!
Setting: 1-10= 10
Comment: The setting was just a library, although through Sam’s eyes it seemed like the world!
Theme: 1-10= 9
Other Considerations (mood, tone etc.) 1-10= 10
Comment: This book is enthusiastic for reading and encouraging for kids.
Is it a well-rounded piece? 1-10= 9
Overall Rating: 1-10 = 9
Comment: The character and the subtle lesson in this story makes it a must read!
 Modern Fantasy Book File # 3 (Ages 0-7)
Author: David Wiesner
Title: Tuesday
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Summary: This wordless book with the beautiful watercolor paintings is a whimsical account of
a Tuesday when frogs could fly on their lily pads after dark.
Evaluation: This wonderfully illustrated picture book portrays a normal Tuesday until after
about 8 pm. The humor in watching the frogs inflight while dodging laundry lines and stopping
in for a little TV with the neighborhood grandma, gives me the visual of flying frogs outside my
window. I thoroughly enjoyed investigating page after page of this book!
Plot: 1-10= 10
Comment: This book about a make believe town where frogs can fly after dark actually had me
totally engrossed in the frogs every move and believing it was possible!
Major Dramatic Question: 1-10= 10
Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.) 1-10= 10
Comment: David Wiesner proves the point that a picture book can definitely have tension.
Style and Language: 1-10= 9
Comment: There was no language although the style of the drawings had me totally engrossed.
Pacing: 1-10= 9
Character: 1-10= 10
Comment: The extra humorous touches to the frog like when he was working the TV remote
with his tongue, made the character really come to life.
Setting: 1-10= 9
Theme: 1-10= 9
Other Considerations (mood, tone etc.) 1-10= 9
Comment: The mood throughout the story was hilarious, but the tone of the detective was utter
confusion.
Is it a well-rounded piece? 1-10= 10
Overall Rating: 1-10 = 10
Comment: This has become one of my favorite picture books and I will share it with my class.
 Modern Fantasy Book File # 4 (Older Reader)
Author: E. B. White
Title: Stuart Little
Publisher: Harper Collins
Summary: Stuart Little is not the ordinary mouse. He lives with his parents, brother George and
cat Snowbell in New York. He is sweet, shy and loves adventure. His biggest adventure comes
when his best friend Margalo the bird disappears from her nest. Determined to find her, he leaves
home for the first time and finds enough adventure, but will he find Margalo?
Evaluation: This book about a week in the life of an adventurous mouse from New York, makes
Stuart Little’s character really come to life and had me believing that a mouse could really be a
part of a family! I enjoyed this story and reading about Stuart’s courage throughout all of his
adventures.
Plot: 1-10= 9
Major Dramatic Question: 1-10= 9
Comment: Wanting to know if Stuart ever finds Margalo is what kept me turning the pages.
Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.) 1-10= 8
Comment: There was a different tension throughout each one of Stuart’s adventures, although I
would have liked the conclusion to be Stuart actually finding Margalo.
Style and Language: 1-10= 8
Comment: The read of this book seemed quick to me with the way the sentence structure was set
up.
Pacing: 1-10= 8
Character: 1-10= 10
Comment: I love Stuart Little’s adventurous and brave spirit! He made me want to be more
courageous.
Setting: 1-10= 9
Comment: The setting of this story was vast and takes the reader many places.
Theme: 1-10= 9
Other Considerations (mood, tone etc.) 1-10= 9
Is it a well-rounded piece? 1-10= 9
Overall Rating: 1-10 = 9
Comment: Both my children enjoyed reading about Stuart Little as did I.
 Modern Fantasy Book File # 5 (Older Reader)
Author: Beverly Cleary
Title: The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Publisher: William Morrow
Summary: Ralph the mouse was sitting in his mouse hole in room 215 of the Mountain View
Inn when, he spotted a boy playing with a motorcycle just the right size for him. Finally, the boy
left and left the coast clear for Ralph to try out the motorcycle himself. Suddenly the phone rang
and the cord pushed Ralph and the motorcycle right into the wastebasket. He thought he would
be thrown out with the trash, when unexpectedly the mouse found a new career as a motorcyclist.
Evaluation: This story truly took me inside room # 215 of Mountain View Inn! I found myself
visualizing the layout of the room and the characters. This book really drew me in!
Plot: 1-10= 9
Comment: Ralph is a mouse that craves excitement and speed in his life and he meets just the
boy who gets him there with his speedy toy motorcycle.
Major Dramatic Question: 1-10= 9
Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.) 1-10= 9
Comment: Ralph nearly escapes danger several times throughout the story which makes the
tension of this book run high.
Style and Language: 1-10= 9
Pacing: 1-10= 9
Character: 1-10= 9
Comment: The author paints a clear picture of Ralph’s personality and its many facets.
Setting: 1-10= 10
Comment: The setting is as small as a hotel room (for the most part), and is described in detail to
make it so easy to visualize.
Theme: 1-10= 9
Comment: The theme of this book is an unlikely friendship that forms through likeness and trust.
Is it a well-rounded piece? 1-10= 9
Comment: As soon as I finished the book, I was wanting to read its sequel!
Overall Rating: 1-10 = 9