Rumpelstiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky

Bibliography:

Zelinsky, Paul O. Rumpelstiltskin. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinksky. New York: Puffin Books, 1986. ISBN 9780140558647

Plot Summary:

A poor miller with a beautiful daughter encounters the king and tells him that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king then orders the daughter to the castle. He leads her to a room filled with straw and tells her she must turn it into gold or die. She doesn't know how to do this and weeps until a little man appears. He agrees to spin the straw into gold for her in exchange for her necklace. The king is happy, but greedy, and takes her to another room filled with more straw to spin into gold. The little man appears again and demands her ring to turn the straw into gold. The king is even happier and takes her to an even bigger room filled with straw and tells her that if she spins the straw into gold he will make her his wife. The little man appears again, but she has nothing left to give him. He makes her promise to give him her firstborn child with the king. He spins all the straw into gold, the king marries her, and she becomes queen.

A year later, she has a baby boy and the little man appears and demands the baby. She cries and begs for him not to take her baby. He gives her three days to learn his name and she can keep her baby. The queen sends a servant to look for the little man and he is found singing a tune with his name in it...Rumpelstiltskin. She tells the man his name, he gets very angry and leaves.

Critical Analysis:

The three main characters in this fairy tale are all nameless, but we do find out the main character's name at the very end of the story...Rumpelstiltskin. The characters are typical of those found in fairy tales with both good and evil represented. We have the beautiful but unfortunate daughter, the greedy king, and the magical, evil Rumpelstiltskin. Zelinsky creates suspense and builds anticipation that carries the reader to the happy ending.

The exquisite illustrations, created by Zelinksky, are done with oil over watercolor paint in a Renaissance style. The colors are rich, the pictures are dreamlike, and there is a golden hue throughout the story adding to the gold theme of the story. The backgrounds in each page of the story are most impressive with exacting detail added to each element. Children will be entranced with this book and with the evil, little Rumpelstiltskin.

Review Excerpts:

• 1987 CALDECOTT Honor Book 
• 1986 Parents' Choice Award
• New York Public Library:100 Great Children's Books-"Stunning paintings in the late medieval style take a classic fairy tale to new heights."
• Horn Book Fanfare: Best Books of 1986
• From the New York Times Book Review-"Richly hued oil paintings complement a story simply and gracefully told. "Children...love the story for its mystery, and its familiarity. Adults will find that, like most classic fairy tales, this one rewards periodic rethinking."
• From the School Library Journal-"Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light."
• From The Center for Children's Books-"This traditional telling of Rumpelstiltskin is enhanced with beautiful, expressive illustrations that pay significant attention to detail. Zelinsky’s work, done in a Renaissance style, earned a Caldecott Honor in 1987, as well as numerous other awards. The note on the text gives some historical background to the original German telling by the Grimm brothers.

Connections:

Gather other books written or illustrated by Paul O, Zelinsky to read such as:
Rapunzel ISBN 9780590386029
Hansel and Gretel written by Rika Lesser ISBN 9780698114074
Swamp Angel written by Anne Isaacs ISBN 9780140559088
Knick Knack Paddywhack ISBN 9780525469087  

Gather other fairy tales to read such as:
Cinderella by K. Y. Craft ISBN 9781587170041
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney ISBN
9780688159320

The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall ISBN 9780448422886

Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg ISBN 9780688152819

Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman ISBN 9780823406531

Have students complete Rumpelstiltskin word search puzzle.

The miller's daughter gave Rumpelstiltskin her jewelry in exchange for his help. Have students make their own jewelry from either paper or beads. 

Draw a new cover for the book.

Read Zelinksy's Rumpelstiltskin and then read Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff for a fun compare/contrast activity.

Cactus Soup by Eric A. Kimmel

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Eric A. Cactus Soup. Ill. by Phil Huling. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2004. ISBN
9780761458326

Plot Summary:

Cactus Soup begins with a troop of soldiers arriving in the Mexican town of San Miguel. The townspeople fear the soldiers will eat all their food so they hide everything. They also put on dirty clothing and smear mud on their faces so they will look like hungry, poor people. The mayor tells the soldiers they have no food and the captain says that it is fine, they will just make cactus soup. He begins with a large cactus thorn, but starts suggesting items that will make the soup more delicious. Miraculously, the suggested items appear. He keeps recommending things that would be good in the soup and the people scramble to unhide the wanted items. Towards the end, he proposes adding tortillas, tamales, sweet potatoes, and a roasting pig. The captain declares that this would make for a fine fiesta with music and dancing. Everything suggested turns up and the townspeople have a wonderful fiesta with the soldiers.

Critical Analysis:

Set in Mexico during the time of the Mexican Revolution, this story reflects the villagers wanting to save their food during a hard time, which is very realistic.The main characters in Cactus Soup are the mayor, the captain, the soldiers, and the townspeople. None are evil, maybe just a bit foolish. The plot is action-filled and humorous; it will keep kids reading until the end. Older readers will appreciate the irony that the townspeople, who were tricking the soldiers, actually got tricked themselves. Yet, in the end, a good time is had by all. The story also provides a humorous way to teach children about sharing. The theme is that sharing what you have benefits all and creates happiness for everyone. It also shows how when we work together we can accomplish so much more.

The illustrations capture the feel of Mexico adding to the setting of the tale. The earth tone watercolor pictures are engaging with bigger than life characters in authentic Mexican dress. The characters are cartoonish and a bit exaggerated. Adobe buildings in earthy colors dot the hot, sunny landscapes of Mexico. The illustrations are fun and kids will get a kick out of looking at them; they also add to the delight of this lively story.

Review Excerpts:

• From School Library Journal-"Huling's elongated watercolor cartoons provide just the right playful, brown-hued visual temperament for the all-round festive deception."
• From Booklist-"Kimmel's relaxed storytelling, accompanied by a glossary for those whose Spanish vocabulary may not encompass camote (sweet potato) and alcalde (mayor), is perfectly matched by the sun-baked watercolors by Huling, whose lanky villagers dwarfed by looming sombreros, swaybacked horses, and bowlegged vaqueros evoke both the exaggerated perspectives of Mexican muralists and the tongue-in-cheek universe of Speedy Gonzales. A savory stew to serve alongside traditional versions of the classic tale."
• From Publishers Weekly-"Kimmel, ever the master storyteller, incorporates especially vivid cadences in the words of the wily, world-weary captain; but it's Huling who makes the story sing. His comically exaggerated characters garner laughs without shedding their humanity, while his swooping, elongated lines and radiant colors recall the sun-drenched earthiness and high spirits of early 20th- century Mexican art."
• From Kirkus Reviews-"Huling’s illustrations, a bit off-putting because of the extreme caricatures of the oversized sombreros are, however, well-suited to the exaggeration of the smoothly told tale. An author’s note explains the political and historical background, and a glossary provides English equivalents of the sparely used Spanish terms. A good choice for those seeking variants of Stone Soup, or books with Mexican themes."
• From Horn Book starred-"A fast-moving narrative rich in Spanish vocabulary and generous with opportunities for audience participation deftly sets "Stone Soup" in Mexico during the Revolution. Bright watercolors create a vibrant setting bursting with yellows, oranges, greens, and browns that reflect the countryside and the hot tempo of the final fiesta."

Connections:

Listen to Eric A. Kimmel read Cactus Soup on http://ericakimmel.com/hear-a-story/.

Gather other books written by Eric A Kimmel to read such as:
Little Red Hot ISBN 9781477816387
Jack and the Giant Barbecue ISBN 9780761461289
The Great Texas Hamster Drive ISBN 9780761453574
The Three Cabritos ISBN 9780761453437
Anansi and the Magic Stick ISBN 9780823417636

Compare/contrast with Stone Soup by Marcia Brown.

Have students bring the ingredients to make cactus soup and share for a snack or lunch.

This book could enrich a unit on the Mexican Revolution or any celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.

Gather other variations of Stone Soup to read such as:
Stone Soup by Marcia Brown ISBN 9780689711039
Bone Button Borscht by Aubrey Davis ISBN 978-1550743265
Stone Soup by Heather Forest ISBN  978-0874836028
Stone Soup by Ann McGovern ISBN 9780590416023
The Real Story of Stone Soup byYing Chang Compestine ISBN 978-0525474937

Gather other tales with a Southwestern or Mexican setting to read such as:
The Runaway Tortilla by Eric A Kimmel ISBN 978-1890817183
Armadilly Chili by Helen Ketteman ISBN 978-0807504581
The Three Cabritos ISBN 9780761453437
The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel ISBN 978-0761455196

Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas

Bibliography:

Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1993. ISBN 9780689505690

Plot Summary:  

The three little wolves are sent out into the world by their mother to build a house. Of course, she warns them about the big, bad pig. They meet three different animals who provide them with three different types of building materials to build their house. The first material used are bricks, then they try concrete, and lastly they use barbed wired, iron bars, armor plates, metal padlocks, Plexiglas, and steel chains. All three houses are destroyed by the pig with a sledgehammer, a pneumatic drill, and dynamite. The last animal the wolves run into is a flamingo who is pushing a load of flowers. They ask and receive flowers from the flamingo and built themselves one more house. The walls were made of different types of flowers and their house was very fragile, but beautiful. The pig comes along the next day and threatens to blow the house down. He took a deep breath and smelled the wonderful scent of the flowers. He kept taking breaths and his heart grew tender. He realized he had been a terrible pig and decided to be a good one. He started dancing and singing, The wolves ran out of their house and began playing with him. They played until they were tired and they all went into the house to rest.

Critical Analysis:

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig is a wonderful, fun version of the traditional tale. The charm of the original story has been retained while adding some new twists to this version. The basic format of the story is the same except for a role reversal for the main characters, some new building materials for the wolves, and new destructive tools for the pig. The characters are typical of traditional tales in that some are kind and one is cruel...good vs. evil. The plot moves quickly and the flow of the story doesn't slow down. A rhythmic pattern in the story adds to the pace and makes this a great read-aloud. A fun twist at the end is a surprise and will delight children of all ages.

Helen Oxenbury's watercolor illustrations complement the story perfectly, while adding fun, humorous details that will engage all types of readers. Oxenbury also illustrated We're Going on a Bear Hunt and her illustrations are playful and inviting...also perfect for this story. The characters are very expressive and readers will fall in love with the little wolves. A favorite illustration of mine is the pig dancing with a tambourine among the flowers of the house while the three wolves look on in apparent shock.

Review Excerpts:

• A Parents' Choice Gold Award Book
• ALA Notable Book
• School Library Journal Best Book 
• Parents Choice Amazing Accomplishment Award
• A Booklist Editors' Choice
• From Kirkus Reviews-"Never mind the other incarnations of this tale--classic, fractured, rapped; this inversion will have children giggling from the outset. Oxenbury provides dauntingly well- executed watercolors, offering such charming contrasts as an angular modernistic concrete home in an otherwise pastoral setting."
• From Parents' Choice-"Once upon a time, there were three cuddly little wolves... who lived with their mother," begins this "fractured fairy tale," and the giggles don't cease till wolves and pig merrily play "pig-pog" and then "piggy-in-the-middle." But the real triumph is Oxenbury's watercolors, with wolves and piggy doing people things, and leaping gorgeously in the meadow. 
• From Teen Ink-"The colorful illustrations that grace every page engage children, while adults may delight in the text's and images' subtle humor. It plays with the original storyline in pleasing ways that shine against the basic tale every child knows. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig is a charming, clever story that will engage anyone who opens it.
• From Publishers Weekly-"A talented team ingeniously up-ends the classic tale of the three little pigs, and the laugh-out-loud results begin with the opening illustration--a mother wolf lounges in bed, her hair in curlers and her toenails freshly polished, with her three fluffy, cuddly offspring gathered round. Oxenbury's watercolors capture the story's broad humor and add a wealth of supplementary details, with exquisite renderings of the wolves' comic temerity and the pig's bellicose stances. Among the wittiest fractured fairytales around."

Connections:

Watch video of the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pkgzQk6kiY

Have students act out the story by participating in a Reader's Theater: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/readerstheater/ThreeLittleWolves.html

Read traditional tale and then read The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig; students can compare/contrast and pick their favorite tale.

Gather other versions of the story to read such as:
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell ISBN 9780873585422
Alaska's Three Pigs by Arlene Laverde ISBN 9781570612299
The Three Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell ISBN 9780803728158
The Three Little Pigs and the Fox by William H. Hooks ISBN 9780689809620
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague ISBN  978-0439915014

Read some other books by Helen Oxenbury such as:
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen ISBN 9780689815812
It's My Birthday ISBN 9780763649708
Charley's First Night by Amy Hest ISBN 9780763640552 

The Pigeon Needs a Bath! words and pictures by Mo Willems

Bibliography:

Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Needs a Bath! Ill. by Mo Willems. New York: Hyperion Books or Children, 2014. ISBN 9781423190875

Plot Summary:

The Pigeon doesn't want to take a bath and makes all kinds of excuses to avoid it. The flies buzzing around him tell him he smells and that he needs to take a bath. He finally relents and agrees to take a bath (with lots of excuses!). Once in the bathtub, he realizes taking a bath is really fun!

Critical Analysis:

The Pigeon is such a lovable and funny character. I love him and I know why kids love him too! His behavior is typical of children who would read and enjoy this book. The conflict revolves around the pigeon not wanting to take a bath and this would be quite relate-able to young children. The story has a logical sequence of events with an ending that will encourage children to take a bath. A bathroom with a tub is the setting. Time is indicated by the use of bold print declaring "TEN HOURS LATER" along with many small illustrations. The use of onomatopoeia (a word that mimics the sound of the object or action it refers to) is an effective style device along with the Pigeon's unique voice. The illustrations move the story along and add so many details to the text.

I read The Pigeon Needs a Bath!,  The Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog!, and I'm a Frog! to Kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders...they loved all three!!!

Review Excerpts:

• From Publishers Weekly-"The Pigeon's cockeyed defiance and Willems's impeccable comedic timing are as fun and frisky as ever."
• From Kirkus Reviews-"All the elements are in place, including page backgrounds that modulate from dirty browns to fresh, clean colors and endpapers that bookend the story (including a very funny turnabout for the duckling, here a rubber bath toy). Willems's formula is still a winner."
• From Common Sense Media-"The knowing context makes this a highly relatable story that kids and parents will love. A great bedtime read."
• From This Kid Reviews Books-"Like all other Mo Willems’ books, I found myself reading this a couple of times over already. His books never get old! Five out of five bookworms – and get that Pigeon a bath!!!"
• From Booklist Review-"Pigeon's many followers will be plenty happy with this latest offering, while parents of reluctant bathers will welcome its surreptitious endorsement." 

Connections:

Gather other books written by Mo Willems to read such as:
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautinary Tale ISBN 9780786818709
That is Not a Good Idea  ISBN 9781406355581
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus  ISBN 9780786819881
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay up Late! ISBN 9780786837465

Play Dirty, Dirty Pigeon:  Play just like Duck, Duck Goose except the children say "dirty" and then "pigeon" when they chose who they want to chase them.

Students make the Pigeon out of construction paper adding paint with a sponge for "dirt." They then write a sentence or two about pigeons or about why they like or don't like taking baths.

Make the Pigeon out of a toilet paper tube; students cut out pieces (http://diaryfirstgradeteacher.blogspot.com/2011/04/first-graders-heart-mo-willems.html), glue various pieces to tube, and you have a pigeon!

Locomotive by Brian Floca

Bibliography:

Floca, Brian. Locomotive. Ill. by Brian Floca. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2013. ISBN 9781416994152

Plot Summary:  

A new railroad was built in 1869 for people to travel from the East to the West. A mother with two children depart from Omaha, Nebraska and ride the train to Sacramento, California. During their trip, we learn about the crew that makes the locomotive run and all the parts that make a train operate. We get to experience the the sounds of the train, the details of the trip, and all the work that goes into keeping trains moving. The family is happily reunited with their father.

Critical Analysis:

There is not a regular set of characters in Locomotive. I would say the train is a character along with the traveling family, and the countryside they travel through. This is the story of a trip through a certain time period and there are not any major conflicts. The illustrations move the story along with a logical series of events and a satisfying solution.

The setting is an integral part of the story as the family travels across America. Time is indicated by the movement from place to place and the story going from day to night and back again.

Brian Floca's story is told in a rhythmic, verse-like text that is his distinctive style. He effectively uses onomatopoeia, alliteration (repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of a word) , and repetition throughout the story making this an excellent read-aloud book. The muted, gorgeous illustrations complement Floca's story with intricate details about the train and everything that goes into making it run. Included in the illustrations are the Chinese workers who helped build the tracks from the East, and the African-Americans and Irish who built it from the West.

I thought this was such an interesting book, however, I am not sure if I would read it aloud to a group of students because of it's length. I believe it would be more appropriate one-on-one with a youngster who loves trains.

Review Excerpts:

• Caldecott Medal Winner 2014
• Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
• New York Times 10 Best Illustrated Books of 2013 
• Wall Street Journal Top 10 Children's Books of 2013
• From Kirkus Reviews (starred review)-"Unjustly undersung as a writer, Floca soars with his free-verse narrative, exploiting alliteration, assonance and internal rhyme to reinforce the rhythms of the journey.... Nothing short of spectacular, just like the journey it describes."
• From School Library Journal (starred review)-“ Train buffs and history fans of many ages will find much to savor in this gorgeously rendered and intelligent effort.”
• From the The Horn Book Magazine (starred review)-“Talk about a youth librarian’s dream come true: a big new book about those ever-popular trains from a bona fide picture-book-nonfiction all-star. Striking cinematic endpapers lay the groundwork, describing the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s. Then, in a sort of historical-fiction-meets-travelogue narrative, Floca zeroes in on one family’s journey from Omaha to San Francisco. Floca excels at juxtaposing sweeping panoramas with intimate, slice-of-life moments: here a widescreen shot of the train chugging across the Great Plains; later a vignette at a “dollar for dinner” hash house.... An author’s note and thorough discussion of the sources used are included, and don’t miss the back endpapers—the steam power diagram would make David Macaulay proud.”
• From the The New York Times-“Older children will appreciate the wealth of detail and history, while younger ones will be entranced by the appropriately chugga-chugga rhythm of Floca’s free verse and his abundant use of sound effects (playfully emphasized with well-muscled, 19th-century-style typefaces)…. He’s a brilliant, exacting draftsman; he also knows how to give his pictures a cinematic energy, especially in the way he “cuts” from page to page. Flipping through this book made me smile with pleasure before I even read it.” —Bruce Han

Connections:

Pair Share- Pair a reading of Locomotive with Elisha Cooper’s Train or National Geographic Kids: Trains by Amy Shields. Encourage students to compare the two books, thinking about travel technologies, passenger experiences, and landscapes.

Discuss examples of how Brian Floca uses language to describe the locomotive and train travel. Give examples of alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia found in Locomotive. Have students discuss how the language makes you think and feel about the topic. How does it create meaning?

Create an alphabet book of railroad vocabulary. Show examples of alphabet books so that students understand how this is done. This could be done as an actual book or an a power point presentation.

Visit a website about locomotives, such as:
The Union Pacific Railroad Museum: http://www.uprrmuseum.org
The Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum: http://cprr.org

Gather other books about trains:
The Last Train by Gordon Titcomb, illustrated by Wendell Minor ISBN 9781596431645
Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker. ISBN 9781452109206
Train (DK Eyewitness Books) by John Coiley. ISBN 9780756650322

Gather other Brian Floca books to read such as:
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11. ISBN 9781416950462
Lightship. ISBN 9781416924361
Racecar Alphabet. ISBN 9780689850912