Module 2

The Hundred Dresses

Summary:

This is a story of about a young, quiet Polish girl who is unknowingly teased by her classmates for being poor and different. She teaches them a lesson in kindness and not just simply about being tolerant.

Citations:

Estes, E. (1972). The hundred dresses. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Impressions:

I thought this was an excellent book. I almost cried which is saying a lot coming from me. It’s a beautiful story about kindness and forgiveness. I was a little scared though about Wanda’s absences. There were a couple pages there that I thought something bad happened to Wanda. Some of these books are a lot more mature than I feel is appropriate for the intended audience but I am not one to censor.

Reviews:

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Friendship, peer pressure, regret, and courage are all issues that are integral to this Newbery Honor book by Eleanor Estes (Harcourt, 1944). Wanda Petronski tells classmates she has a hundred dresses of all varieties in her closet at home. So why does she always wear the same old worn dress to school? The teasing that follows seems harmless, but it's not. This book explores the hurt that comes from thoughtless words, and offers a painful, but heart-warming lesson in forgiveness. Christina Moore reads the unabridged story with warmth and expression. The author's carefully chosen words stand on their own without the distraction of sound effects or music. This is a well-done production of an exceptional book that has earned its place as a childhood classic.
Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA.1999, (Retrieved from http://www.amazon.ca/Hundred-Dresses-Eleanor-Estes/dp/0152052607).

Suggestions:

I think this book could be used for younger ones. I think students of Pre-K or Kinder could definitely benefit from this story. A lot of times a child cannot fully understand the differences between people. Many times though children will surprise us and embrace them naturally. We do not want them to tolerant the differences in others or not see them but rather embrace them.

Summary:

This story is about a girl who seeks out the help of a talking rabbit in order to help her find the perfect present for her mother’s birthday.

Citations:

Zolotow, C. (1990). Mr .rabbit and the lovely present. New York: HarperCollins.

Impressions:

Honestly, I thought this story was a little odd. I found the illustrations disturbing at times and the storyline was monotone as well. It seemed too predictable and not very colorful at all. Naturally, it is very different from what is being published today. I also noticed that the book was originally published in Mexico which might explain the confusing and at times boring plotline. Sometimes stories can get lost in translation and their true meanings can be overlooked it. I may have missed something in the English version that I may have caught (and possibly enjoyed) in the Spanish version.

Reviews:

Amazon.com Review

Any collaborative effort by the esteemed Charlotte Zolotow and the illustrious Maurice Sendak is bound to be a success. These beloved creators of countless children's favorites outdo themselves with this 1963 Caldecott Honor-winning classic about a little girl in need of assistance. Finding a birthday present for her mother is no easy task for our heroine. Luckily, she happens upon the avuncular Mr. Rabbit, whose heart is in the right place, even if he doesn't always have the best ideas. Ultimately, his suggestions do come in handy, and between the two of them they determine the ideal birthday tribute: the gift of color. Children will join the protagonists in contemplating how to make the abstract tangible, and all readers will be delighted to see yellow translate to bananas, as green is given in pears, and blue takes the shape of grapes.

The soft, muted colors of Sendak's illustrations are reminiscent of a Monet landscape--utterly appealing and dreamy. And the reflective, sing-song dialogue between Mr. Rabbit and the girl is as deliciously lulling as a shady swing in a hammock. This quiet, peaceful book is a treasure for any shelf. (Ages 4 to 8)  (Retrieved from http://www.amazon.ca/Rabbit-Lovely-Present-Maurice-Sendak/dp/0006640850/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291872271&sr=1-2)

Suggestions:

I really did not like this book at all. It was repetitive and did help to inform the reader on the different colors. It might a nice book for teaching children on the joy of giving presents and learning what colors different ordinary objects are as well. 

Module 1

Module 1: Love You Forever

Summary:

This story is about the unconditional love of a mother for her son and how it can cross over to future generations. Even after her newborn son grows in to a young adult and then an adult she wants him to understand that she will always love him and he will always be hers.

Citation:

Munsch, R.. (1986). Love you forever. Scarborough, Ont.: Firefly.

Impressions:

I have never cared for this book very much. I always found it a bit odd to see an old woman carrying her adult son. I understood the meaning behind it, of course. The author is trying to convey the message of a parent’s unconditional love for their children.

Reviews:

Amazon.com Review

The mother sings to her sleeping baby: "I'll love you forever / I'll love you for always / As long as I'm living / My baby you'll be." She still sings the same song when her baby has turned into a fractious 2-year-old, a slovenly 9-year-old, and then a raucous teen. So far so ordinary--but this is one persistent lady. When her son grows up and leaves home, she takes to driving across town with a ladder on the car roof, climbing through her grown son's window, and rocking the sleeping man in the same way. Then, inevitably, the day comes when she's too old and sick to hold him, and the roles are at last reversed. Each stage is illustrated by one of Sheila McGraw's comic and yet poignant pastels. (Ages 4 to 8) –Richard Farr (Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0920668372/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books)

Suggestion:

I think this would be a good book to read for a mother’s day storytime program. I can just picture all of the mothers in tears near the end. To be honest, I see the children enjoying it for its repetition and the finding the pictures a bit comical. I would imagine it would hard for them to picture their teenage selves in the arms of their mothers as they slept.