Book Fiesta: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day

Bibliographic Information: Mora, Pat. (2009). Book Fiesta: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day. New York: Rayo.

Plot Description: Children are all special and so are books. This bilingual book in English and Spanish celebrates both. It depicts children from diverse backgrounds reading and enjoying books alone or together and at the library. The children are shown listening to stories with their families and reading in various modes of transportation: cars, planes and trains. Children are also shown reading with pets. Then things get fantastical as children are shown reading where books can take their imaginations, such as riding an elephant, sitting in a whale’s mouth, riding in a submarine or in a hot air balloon with a giraffe. Then children are shown in bed reading to the moon and finally flying away with books.

Quantitative Reading Level: Lexile Measure: AD520L Interest Level: Lower Grades

Qualitative Reading Analysis: The book is bilingual Spanish and English, with the Spanish and English next to each other on the same page. The English section includes a few words that are left in Spanish and not translated. Students who do not speak Spanish will be unfamiliar with these words, but most will be able to determine meaning through context clues. The sentence structure is simple and compound. Register is casual and mostly familiar. Illustrations help readers imagine the events of the text, but are not necessary for comprehension. Figurative language is used to emphasize the power of books to transport readers. Metaphors are used to show some of the places readers can go with their imagination and a book. For example, there is an illustration of children reading in a hot-air balloon with a giraffe. The text says, ‘we read in a hot-air balloon,’ which is a metaphor for the children being transported on a hot-air balloon ride by reading a book.

Content Area: Reading, Literature

Content Area Standard:

English Language Arts Standards for Reading: Foundational Skills: Fluency: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

English Language Arts Standards for Reading: Literature: Craft and Structure: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.

Curriculum Suggestions: Have students find the places children read, according to the book. Ask them to share their favorite places to read. Have students look for unfamiliar vocabulary and then use context clues to work together to discover the meaning of the vocabulary. Have a classroom (or schoolwide) celebration of Children’s day/Book Day. Decorate the classroom for the event. Have students dress as their favorite storybook characters.

Supporting Digital Content:

http://www.rif.org/documents/us/Book-Fiesta-ALL.pdf

http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DIA_brochure_WEB.pdf

Día Song

Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Book, Américas Commended List, Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts, Pura Belpré Illustrator Medal Book

Character names/descriptions: There are no characters in the book. Different children are depicted enjoying books in the story, but no one child is featured throughout.

Personal Thoughts: Lovely illustrations showing some of the countless adventures a book can take you on.

High interest annotation: Use this book to get started celebrating Children’s Day and Book Day.

I’m In Charge of Celebrations

Bibliographic Information:

Baylor, Byrd (1986). I’m in charge of celebrations. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Plot Description: The story is narrated by a girl living in the south-western desert. People think that she should get lonely out in the desert by herself, but she laughs at the idea. How could she be lonely when she is the one in charge of celebrations. The narrator goes on to explain that it is true, when they are incredulous. She describes how last year she made one hundred and eight celebrations and details the amazing things she witnessed and experienced. Not everything merits a celebration. She is picky about what she writes down in her book. The experience has to make her heart pound and be something she wants to remember all her life. She goes on to share some of her celebrations and what she does to commemorate them, saving the most important, New Year (which comes in spring) for last.

Quantitative Reading Level : Lexile Measure: 700L, ATOS Book Level: 3.9, Interest Level: Middle Grades (4-8), AR Points: 0.5

Qualitative Reading Analysis: The story is told by a first person narrator (a girl living in the desert). The text is written in prose and includes themes of nature and recognizing its value. It is laid out in the typical way students have seen poetry, with line breaks and stanzas. The tone is conversational, but at the same time seems lyrical, due to the layout of the text and the choices in line breaks. Organization is clear and the language is mostly contemporary and familiar, though it may seem a bit unfamiliar because of the poem like layout of the story. Illustrations are used to support meaning of text, but are not necessary for understanding. The book explores several themes, some of which are subtle. The events and experiences portrayed will likely be unfamiliar to students. However, some may be able to connect with the themes of nature or recognition and celebration of the wonder in seemingly simple occurrences.

Content Area: English, Literature

Content Area Standard: English Language Arts Standards: Writing

Text Types and Purposes: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CA CCSS Writing Standards K–5

Range of Writing 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences

Curriculum Suggestions: Have students start their own journal to record the things worth celebrating that they encounter in their daily lives. Have students record words or phrases from the story that convey imagery to help them visualize the story. After a discussion of the senses have students make a list of the them and record words for each sensory category as they listen to the story.

Supporting Digital Content: 

http://blogs.bullittschools.org/barbaraaccordino/files/2010/06/Lesson-Plans-May-2-6-2011-Sensory-Images.pdf

http://www.strongnations.com/inc/files/lesson-plan-i%27m-in-charge-of-celebrations.pdf

http://creativestarlearning.co.uk/literacy-outdoors/im-in-charge-of-celebrations-earth-day-book-activity/

Character names/descriptions: The narrator is a girl who shares her special desert celebrations.

High interest annotation: Not everything merits a celebration. It has to be something that makes your heart pound and that you want to remember for the rest of your life.