Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat was a book written by Dr. Seuss in 1957. In 2003 it was made into a motion picture. The book does not go into detail about what happens when the mom gets home, she only asks the little boy and girl what that had done that day and the book ends by asking "What would you do if your mother asked you." In the book the cat cleans up all of the mess before mom even gets to the door. The movie takes a different twist on the book by making it more modern day (the girl has a palm pilot and the mother is a real estate agent). The mother is even considering sending the boy (Conrad) to military school because he has been into so much trouble.

In my opinion the movie is a little too far out from the book. While I can see kids possiably enjoying it I do not think that it is a movie that both kids and parents would enjoy. The theme "It is good to have fun, but you have to know how," still exists in the movie as it did in the book.

Horton Hears a Who

Horton Hears a Who is a great book by Dr. Seuss. It was written in 1954 and was produced into a major motion film 54 years later in 2008. This is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. In the book Horton an Elephant hears a noise as a very small dust speck fly's by him. He puts the speck of "dust" on a clover because he is just sure that there is someone in it; although his friends think that he is crazy he decides that he is responsible for it and must protect it. As you read you find out that it is not only one person on that speck, but a whole town called Who-ville. The main point that Horton continues to make is "A person's a person, no matter how small."

The book and the movie are a lot alike with very few differences. One thing in the movie that was neat was that it had a narrator who read parts of the book from time to time. The movie focuses a little more on Who-ville and the people who live in it than the book does (I guess this helps to make the movie a little longer because it is a small book).

Because of Winn-Dixie

The book Because of Winn Dixie by Elizabeth Kennedy was first published in 2000. The movie was released in 2005. As a reader, I always enjoy reading the book before I see the movie. I feel like the book is almost always just a little better than the movie (which can be disappointing but if I don't read the book before seeing the movie...it isn't likely that I will still be interested in reading it). In the book there is more time spent on getting to know the characters and plot before the "action" even begins than in the movie. A few scenes are added to the movie because it is a rather short book.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax was written by Dr. Seuss in 1971. This book is didactic because it is intended to teach a lesson about the environment and the importance of preserving it. This was possibly Seuss' most controversial work because at the time it was written bad press was being released on environmental issues unfolding in the United States. The Lorax was actually banned in some schools and libraries in regions with timber economies for its anti-forest industry content.

The book is about two characters with different goals in mind one, the tree loving Lorax and one, the money loving Once-ler. The money loving Once-ler is cutting down trees to make money, he can not cut them down fast enough so he makes a machine that cuts several at a time. The tree loving Lorax is trying to convince the Once-ler of the damage that he is doing.

There are still didactic children's books today such as those that teach lessons about being kind to others and about being yourself and not always following others. Some examples are Have You Filled a Buket Today? by Carol McCloud and I DOUBLE Dare You by Dana Lehman. I believe that these types of books will continue to be popular in teaching children (and parents) lessons for years to come.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

In The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss there are many exciting things taking place between Sally and her brother. Dr. Seuss is infamous for his rhyming stories. The eponymous cat appears in six of Seuss's rhymed children's books. First published in 1957 and then renewed in 1985, The Cat in the Hat has continued to be a popular children's book. Children love the silliness and rhyming that go on in Suess' books, they are also able to understand most of the vocabulary. There are contemporary books that have the tension presented in The Cat in the Hat, while I can not think of any that directly compare (poetry and theme)one that comes to mind for younger children is Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type, mainly because it is imaginative. For children who are a little older The Magic Tree House Series comes to mind because it is imaginative and adventurous.

The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida

Yoshiko Uchida published over thirty books over the course of her career. The author was interned in camps for Japanese Americans during WW II. She is known for creating a body of children's Japanese literature; a rarity for that time. Uchida was born in 1921 and passed away in 1992. She once quoted "I try to stress the positive aspects of life that I want children to value and cherish. I hope they can be caring human beings who don't think in terms of labels--foreigners or Asians or whatever--but think of people as human beings. If that comes across, then I've accomplished my purpose."

The Bracelet is a story about a young Japanese girl preparing to go to interment camp. Emi is forced to leave her best friend who brings her a bracelet to remember her by. Emi looses the bracelet as she is helping to clean out an abandoned stable that will serve as her families new home. Emi is very upset that she has lost the bracelet but she learns that she does not need things to remember her friend by. Emi discovers that she will never forget her best friend and the times that they had shared.

Some other books by Yoshiko Uchida are:
A Jar of Dreams, Journey Home, Invisible Thread, and Journey to Topaz

Auntie Tiger by Laurence Yep

Auntie Tiger is a children's book written by Laurence Yep. This book is a Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. When their mother goes shopping two sisters are left alone. The big sister is always arguing with the little sister because she never does her chores; the little sister complains that all the big sister does is try to be bossy! When Auntie Tiger knocks at the door the little sister let's Antie Tiger in, big sister does not completely trust Auntie Tiger because there is just something suspicious about her. The girls set their differences aside to try to help one another to survive. This story shows that although siblings may not always get along, they still really do love and care for each other.

Laurence Yep is also the author of:
Hiroshima, Dragonwings, The Rainbow People, and When I Was Your Age

Day of Tears by Julius Lester

Day of Tears a novel in dialogue is a book written by Julius Lester. In 1859, the largest slave auction in the United Sates was held and this is where the book begins. This book is written in dialogue and monalogues. Mattie, the first person who speaks talks about that day and how rain was pouring down like regret.Will say's it ain't rain, it's God's tears. This book features the dialogue of a number of slaves who were sold to pay off their masters gambling debt. One particular moving sitiouation throughout the book is the planned marriage between two of the slaves; Jeffery and Dorcas. Jeffery's buyer bids on Dorcas until he decides that he can not afford to bid any higher to keep the two together. Another focus is on Samson, one of the slave owners. At the end of the book you read some thoughts that he has about his son and his life. This book loans itself to being acted out within a classroom.

Some other books by Julius Lester are:
To Be A Slave, Let's Talk About Race, and Gardian.

The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner

David Wiesner puts a new twist on tale of The Three Little Pigs in this Caldecott Medal winning book. In the classic tale readers are used to the big bad wolf triumphing over the little pigs who did not build their houses out of stone. In this version, the pigs escape the wolfe by entering another world of other nursery rhymes and story books. Wiesner puts an interesting and exciting twist on an old story that makes everyone's day, well..... with the exception of the hungry wolf!

The Lion & The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

The Lion & The Mouse is a book written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. The story/pictures tell one of Aesop's fables about how a mouse decides to risk his life to help a lion in need. This book is a Caldecott Medal winner and while it has very few words the vibrant pictures tell the story. Pinkney is well known for his illustrations in childrens books. He has received four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards. He is also a five-time recipient of both the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award.

Some other books illustrated by Jerry Pinkney are:

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen and Jerry Pinkney, Aesop's Fables by Aesop, John Henry by Julius Lester, and Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney.