Linzi's comments (member since Jan 29, 2009)

Linzi's comments from the Spring 09 LLED, Altoona group.

March 23, 2009



Dear Mr. Raczka,

I am a junior at Penn State University. For our class we were each assigned a topic for a children’s book. We each nominated books for each other’s topic. My category is the best children’s rhyming book.
I have chosen your book titled "Snowy, Blowy Winter." I absolutely love this book. I hope to be able to read this book aloud to children during my student teaching. This book would be great to read during the winter season.
You chose great rhyming words when writing this story. It’s very unique and cute. Cramer writes, “ Rhyme is the most universally recognized poetic device.” Children love rhyming books and this book is a great example of one.
So congratulations on winning the best rhyming children’s book. I hope you enjoy the award.
Sincerely,

Linzi Wilkinson

Woks Cited
Cramer, R. (2001). "Creative Power". New York,NY:Longman Publishing.

I nominate the book Alia's Mission written by Mark Stamaty. This book is telling of a true event before the Iraq war were Alia has decided that she wants to save the books from the library before the building is destroyed. She is able to sneak thousands of books from the library. By saving the precious books she allowed many children to be able to read a book. This book would be appropriate for ages 9-12.
(Amy suggested a book for this topic because poems were very hard to find.)

I nominate "The Witch Next Door" written by Norman Bridwell. This is a very cute book about a women who moves into the neighborhood. Many neighbors think that she looks like a witch and knock on her door and ask her to move out of town. She casts a spell on them and turns them into a prince and princess. Everyone is happy. This teaches us that although we may look differently from one another we are all still humans beings.
This book would be good for 1-3 grade. I would use this as part of a read aloud.

I nominate " Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-Tankerous Mommy" by Amelia Frahm. This book is about a family whose mother develops cancer. She has to wear a wig and is sometimes moody and tired. Before Tabitha's mom got sick she liked to laugh, tickle and giggle with her mother. The book ends with them laughing until her face turns pink. This book is very cute! I encourage all to read this book.

I would rate this book for 3-5 grade. This book is well written and is illustrated by Elizabeth Schultz. This book was written in 2001 and published by The Nutcracker Publishing Company.

I nominate "Owen". This book is written by Kevin Henkes in 1993 and published by First Scholastic. This book is a Caldecott Honor book. The author uses mice in this book to represent a child who has a favorite blanket and needs to start school but doesn't want to give up his blanket. I would use this book in a read aloud. This book is for 1-3 grade.

I nominate the book " Wemberly Worried" written by Kevin Henkes in 2000 and published by First Scholastic. This book is about Wemberly and she is scared to begin school until she makes a friend named Jewel who makes her feel more comfortable. They play and have fun together. This book could be used in a read aloud or in guided reading. This book would be good for 1-3 grade.

I nominate the book "Nobody's Nosier Than A Cat" written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe. This book was written in 2003 and published by Hyperion Books For Children.
I really like this book. The author uses rhyming to make funny words. You have to read this book to understand. I would use this book in a read aloud.

I nominate" Julia Alvarez: One Author, Two Cultures" written by Jiang Quingling and illustrated by Michael Hobbs. This book was published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 2004. I would use this book in guided reading. I think it is appropriate for children in 4-6 grade. This book is about Julia Alvarez who moves to New York from the Dominican Republic and she explains the adjustments that she must make and the difficulties she experiences.

I nominate "Froggy's Baby Sister". This book is written by Jonathan London and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. This book was written in 2003 and published by The Penguin Group.
This book is written about Frogs and Froggy finds out that he is getting a baby sister. This book is very cute and the illustrations are absolutely adorable!
I would use this book during a read aloud. This book would be good fro children k-3.

I nominate the book 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth written by the Earthworks Group and illustrated by MIchele Montez. The book was published in 1990.
I really like this book because it has so much information for children included in this book. I would use this book as a read aloud or in guided reading to get the children involved in helping to do things for the environment. I think this is a great book for K-6.

I nominate "Kids Cooking" written by the editors of Klutz Press and illustrated by Jim M'Guinness. There are many useful recipes in this cook book for children. There is a recipe called Homemade Lemonade which could be useful in a classroom. Some of the recipes require an oven which most classrooms aren't equip with. A teacher could use this book in a read aloud and then have the students actually make the recipe.
I like the illustrations within this book and how they have the book separated into different sections with ingredients and tools.

I would suggest this book for K-6 considering an adult would be present to help with the recipes.

I nominate "Where The Wild Things Are" written by Maurie Sendak. This book has wonderful illustrations showing monsters (wild things) that are in the forest. This book won a Caldecott Award in 1964. This book was published in 1963 by Scholastic Book Services. This book is very cute and I would use this in a read aloud for 1-3 grade.

I nominate " Good Morning To You, Valentine" written by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Tomie de Paola. This a a book of poems for children about Valentine's Day. This book has a lot of adorable poems written with love and children in mind. I would say this book is for K-2 and I would read the book aloud to the students.

“I will not play tug o' war. I'd rather play hug o' war. Where everyone hugs instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins.” Shel Silverstein.

This award is used to nominate a book with the best rhymes. Children love books with rhymes. They make you laugh! So please find the best book that you would nominate for this award and have fun!

Have nominations done by March 5,2009. Most children's rhyming books will probably range from kindergarten through third grade.

The following quote is from Taberski on creativity, "Reading is what children need to do most, regardless of their stage." (page 19)
Keeping this in mind rhyming is a stage where children go through in their reading and learning years. So please help me in finding some great rhyming books for children.