Dance 10.26.11

Module 15: Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets

Summary:
Harold and George have found a fun prank to pull on everyone at school called the "Squishy." This consists of placing ketchup packets in between the seat and base of the toilet so that when someone sits down they become saturated in ketchup. This prank greatly disturbs Melvin and he decides to seek revenge on George and Harold by creating a robot. Melvin ends up turning into a Bionic Booger Boy and causes chaos at school when he sneezes and goo gets all over everyone and then grows out of control. It's time for Captain Underpants to save the day. In the end Melvin returns to himself thanks to another robot invented to specially change him back into himself.

Reference:
Pilkey, D. (2003). Captain Underpants and the big, bad battle of the bionic booger boy part 1: the night of the nasty nostril nuggets. New York: Scholastic.

Reviews:
Jones, T.E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., Aasonson, K. (2004, January 1). [Review of the Book Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy: Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets]. School Library Journal, Vol. 50, Issue 1, p. 103-104.
Fourth-graders George and Harold are good at pranks involving ketchup on toilet seats; saving the planet from the "nasty forces of unrelenting evil"; and making fun of Melvin Sneedly, the school brainiac and tattletale. When his robot-making hobby backfires during a class demonstration, Melvin tries to transform himself into a bionic superboy to get back at the pair but ends up as Bionic Booger Boy instead. Chaos ensues after he accidentally doubles and triples in size. George and Harold call on Captain Underpants (the school principal), but he loses his powers when he is covered in saliva. When a bionic hamster hears the terrified cries of his two friends, he comes to the rescue. The typical Pilkey ending leaves the door open for a sequel, and the novel is filled with the familiar comic-book inserts, Flip-O-Rama animations, and black-and-white cartoon illustrations. Fans will love this installment, and the book would probably appeal to slow readers. Adults are likely to be turned off by the use of the words "idiot" and "dumb" to refer to children and by the graphic description of snot. Purchase where there is demand.-Kristina Aaronson, Henniker Community School, NH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

My Impressions of the Book:
I found this book disgusting and immature. It was hard to read all the way through it because I couldn't stand it truthfully. I can see where some parents would object to it, but also why many students would enjoy reading it. I can especially see boys being a fan of the series. The humor is crude and some of the language isn't polite. The situations involve school, but these kids spend their time pulling pranks and being silly rather than doing anything productive. I love Dav Pilkey's other books, but this series is truly not my favorite.

Uses in a library setting:
This book could be featured in a censored book display with caution tape displayed around it.

Module 14: Fold Me a Poem

Summary:
A young boy uses his imagination, a lot of brilliant, shiny papers, and a his oragami skills to create beautiful animals. The poems on each page highlight his creativeness and different uses for his oragami animals.

Bibliography:
George, K.O. (2005). Fold me a poem. Orlando: Harcourt.

Reviews:
Phelan, C. (2005, March 15). [Review of Fold Me a Poem]. The Booklist, Vol. 101, No. 14.
Gr. 1-3. From morning until night, a boy spends his day folding squares of colored paper into animals. The opening poem, "Origami,"follows the five-seven-five-syllable haiku form while defining the magic of the paper-folding art: "Square sheet of paper-- / folded, suddenly wakes up. / Good morning, Rooster."While many of the other poems have the terseness of haiku, they follow their own syllabic patterns. Each appears on a single page or a double-page spread along with a large-scale painting of the boy making his animals, playing with them, observing them, or, in one case, repairing them after a cat attack. In "Hungry"he comes to a realization: "All afternoon / the paper cows / have been eyeing / the green paper. Oh. / Grass!"Warm in colors and often large in scale, Stringer's acrylic paintings capture the world of the boy's imaginative play as well as the intricately folded paper figures that inspire and inhabit it. Unusual, handsome, and good for reading aloud.

My Impressions of the Book:
I love this book because it shows creativity at its best. There's no need to sit and watch television or play video games when one can create beautiful, artistic paper projects. I like how even a paper bag is used to create this paper art. The animals almost take on a life of their own and have personalities in this fun book. The poems are simple, yet descriptive.

Uses in a library:
This book would be great to read during poetry month. Students could even fold an oragami animal themselves. The project could be extended by having students write their own short poem that goes along with their oragami. Artwork and poetry could be displayed in the library.

Module 13: Babymouse Burns Rubber

Summary:
In this graphic novel Babymouse wants to be in a soap box derby and talks her best friend into making her a car. Along the way she pretends she's a race car driver, but actually rides her bike into a mud pit, rides on a chariot, steers the Titanic, pretends to fly a hot air balloon, and pretends to build and drive a car when she's only racing on a video game at home. Each section of the book involves her utilizing some sort of vehicle and her imagination to transport herself through some adventure.

Reference:
Holm, J.L & M. (2010). Babymouse Burns Rubber. New York: Random House.

Reviews:
Rochman, H. (2010, January 1). The Booklist, Vol. 106, No. 9.
Grades 4-6. In the twelfth title in the popular Babymouse series, the little rodent dreams of entering and winning the biggest soapbox race of the year. She has to make her own vehicle, but all she makes is a mess until her friend Wilson helps her. More than just a situation, the story takes a surprising turn when, at the last moment, Wilson needs her help, and it’s Babymouse who comes to the rescue. As usual, the pink-accented, black-and-white drawings are full of action, humor, and feeling, and kids will enjoy the wry classroom and schoolyard backdrops as much as Babymouse’s big fantasies.

My Impressions of the Book:
This was my least favorite book read this semester. I am not a huge graphic novels fan. I prefer a deeper storyline and less pictures, but I can see where a younger elementary student might love it. I believe struggling readers would like this book because of the overabundance of pictures and its fast pace. It's also has the appearance of a chapter book so it doesn't look babyish.

Uses in a library:
This book could be made into a cute book trailer to feature graphic novels to students.

Module 12: Martin's Big Words

Summary:
Martin's Big Words includes famous quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. and also explains what was happening at the time to reference each quote. Important parts of King's life are highlighted that tie in with each quotation.

Bibliography:
Rappaport, D. (2007). Martin's Big Words. New York: Jump at the Sun Hyperion Paperbacks for Children.

Reviews:
Rochman, H. (2001, October 1). The Booklist Starred, Vol. 98, No. 3.
"Remember if I am stopped, this movement will not be stopped, because God is with this movement."Weaving in Dr. King's own "big words,"this inspiring picture-book biography celebrates the great leader as preacher and politician. Rappaport's spare narrative captures the essentials of the man, the movement he led, and his policy of nonviolence. Only in the case of Rosa Parks is the glimpse too simplistic, presenting her as an individual who refused to give up her seat on the bus, rather than as the political activist she was. Collier's collage art is glorious. Combining cut-paper, photographs, and watercolor he expresses his own Christian faith and King's power "to make many different things one."Stained glass windows are the dominant images, not only in the many church scenes, but also in the play of shape, light, and color in the realistic views of the city. With powerful art and pulsing words ("He walked with them and talked with them and sang with them and prayed with them"), this is a fine book to share and read aloud many times.

My Impressions of the Book:
This book gives the reader just enough snippets of King's life to help them understand his life and struggles. The quotes on each page reinforce King's beliefs and what he stood for. The pictures are the best part of the book, in my opinion, especially the intricate details on the stained glass inside the church.

Uses in a library:
This book would be great to use to honor King's birthday in January or in February for Black History Month.

Flawed Dogs by Berkeley Breathed

Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret