Children's literature & Literacy

For my final review, I chose to read Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lowell. This story is appropriate especially for lower elementary grade levels, but has a meaningful message that any reader can take away from. The story begins by introducing Molly Lou Melon and each of her unique traits. She is very short, sings like a bull frog, and has huge buck teeth. However, while she has these notable differences, her Nana makes sure that Molly Lou Melon takes pride in her uniqueness. When Molly Lou started at a new school, it was her Nana’s advice that kept her confident. Each time the class bully, Ronald Durkin, laughed at her differences, Molly Lou demonstrated kindness and showed the other students how special she was. On the last day, Ronald even brigs Molly Lou a penny to stack on her buck teeth, as a sign of friendship.

The moral of this story is an important one for modern students. By using this story to build my future students’ confidence, I hope to instill a strong sense of self worth in my students. Even though she appeared different, Molly Lou’s strengths were always recognized. It proves the point that everyone has their own unique strengths and differences, and we should all stand tall just like Molly Lou Lemon.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon tells a story of a girl named Camilla Cream who comes down with a bad case of stripes. Camilla loves lima beans; however, her friends at school do not like lima beans. Scared to be different or judged for eating lima beans, Camilla stops eating lima beans all together. Her anxiety regarding judgement from her classmates results in Camilla getting a bad case of the stripes, that causes her to change color and shape. Luckily, once Camilla is “cured” by eating lima beans, she becomes content with herself.

This is a story that demonstrates the negative effects peer pressure can have on students, even if unintended. By worrying about what others think, we can never be our true selves. By reading this book to children, we can begin discussions that celebrate our students’ quirks and promote a safe, classroom environment where each child feels safe to be themselves. The visuals are bright and engaging, with a story that will keep students engaged to figure out how Camilla will end up. By using Camilla as an example, we can teach our students that it is ok to be themselves and begin to help our students feel comfortable with their own identities.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister tells a story of a vain, but beautiful, Rainbow fish who struggles to make friends. However, once he learns to share his prized possession, his glittering scales, he begins making friends. By letting go of his selfishness and offering the “best” of himself, he is able to let go of his snobby attitude and let true friends into his heart.

This book was engaging, and can be used to teach simple morals like “sharing is caring” or more complex ideas such as “by sharing our best qualities with others, we can make friends.” The art is lively, and students can complete a wide variety of activities associated with the book. Hailed as a modern classic, The Rainbow Fish does not disappoint.

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine is a story that documents Henry Brown’s journey from the South to the North during the time of slavery in America. This book is moving, and should be paired with a unit dealing with the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, or segregation issues in America. The story begins by telling readers that Henry has no age, as slaves’ ages and birthdays were not kept track of and then follows Henry to the day he gets to celebrate his first birthday, the day he became free.

This story offers a gripping and emotional perspective of slavery, that will help students understand just how evil slavery was, and why it is so important that they learn about the topic. This story gives both context and a face to one of the 100,000 slaves that utilized the Underground Railroad to escape to the North.

I would recommend using this to add an emotional, human dimension to units on slavery. Students will remember Henry’s story, even if they do not remember all the specific “hard” historical facts, and that is invaluable as emotional responses linger in our minds long after we have forgotten the specifics.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena is a beautiful picture book to read to any child with its naturally optimistic approach to observing the world. The story begins with a little boy named CJ, and his grandma boarding onto a bus. CJ, is inquisitive and curious to know about the world around him. However, he does wonder why certain people do not have to do the things he and his grandmother do. Things like riding the bus and going to the soup kitchen after church are a few subjects of CJ’s curiosity, as well why certain children have expensive, new things that CJ does not have. While CJ seems to be bitter at first, his grandma always maintains a positive viewpoint. Instead of fretting over not owning a portable music device, CJ’s grandma points out that there is a man playing live music on the bus, and that is even better.

The message of this story is beautifully encapsulated by CJ’s grandma’s explanation for why it is “always so dirty” where they live, as she simply tells CJ that without the dirt, they would not be able to appreciate all the beauty around them. By finding beauty in even the worst situation, CJ’s grandma can teach students/people of all ages the beauty there is in our differences. While riding the bus and going to a soup kitchen may not be the most “glamorous” activity, CJ’s grandma shares the benefits of her ability to find beauty in everything by engaging with those around her and appreciating beauty where it exists.

As a future special education teacher, I also find value in the way those with disabilities are represented. The author demonstrates that while blind, the man can “see” through his other senses. He is never portrayed as helpless, and the author focuses on what he can do, rather than let the character be defined by what he can’t do. This book should be shared with any child to share the message of finding beauty in both differences and unlikely places.

The second book we read as a class, Bucking The Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis examines complicated child/parent dynamics in Flint, Michigan. Our protagonist, Luther Farrell is a bright student who happens to be the son of a “slumlord” Sarge. Sarge takes advantage of impoverished people living in Flint by posing as a landlord, only to later steal away the renters’ homes with her fraudulent real estate “business.” Luckily, Luther has compassion for the people his mother schemes, and uses his desire to be a world famous philosopher to free both himself, and Sarge’s residents, from Sarge and Dontay Gaddy’s empire of slum housing.

This story succeeds in its ability to draw readers in to cheer for Luther and his friend Sparky. While most stories showcase adults as full of wisdom and compassion for their children, Curtis spins a story that examines what happens when the adults in a child’s life are toxic. The fact that Sarge was Luther’s own mother, as opposed to a random antagonist, brings to light that sometimes a child’s own parent can be bringing toxicity into their lives. Luther lives in Flint, which is compared to the Titanic by Luther’s friend, Sparky. Luther embodies any child who has ever felt trapped by circumstance, but his story is important to tell in classrooms as Luther’s story is that of triumph. He uses his brain power to free himself from his own unfortunate circumstances. It can prove to students that they are in control of their own fate, and have more power than they may know.

The messages in this story about perseverance are important for today’s students to hear. I would use this novel in a middle or high school classroom, depending on the maturity of the students, and use it to discuss fate and our own control over our own destinies. Its message can inspire hope in students who may also feel like Luther, trapped with no way out and can be used to spark meaningful discussions regarding class, circumstance, and poverty between the teacher and their students.

One of the books we read at the beginning of the semester was Handbook for Boys by Walter Dean Myers. While most are aware of Myers’ work Monster, which is popularly taught in schools, Handbook for Boys was not a work of his that I was familiar with. Myers is known for his unflinching look into the reality of growing up in an urban world. His characters are known to struggle with complex topics such as racism, crime, and poverty. His ability to examine the inner turmoil that comes from living in such an environment is one of his most recognizable strengths as an author.

Knowing of his past works, I expected a lot from Handbook for Boys, and it did not disappoint. Jimmy, our protagonist, was ready to serve time in a juvenile facility due to his desire to appear tough at school. Luckily, Jimmy is taken under the wing of the wise and compassionate owner of a nearby barber shop, Duke. Duke imparts wisdom upon Jimmy and another “troubled” boy Kevin. Through experiences with Duke and his customers, Jimmy and Kevin learn lessons about work, respect, and success.

These lessons, told in the form of short stories by the customers, drive the plot forward as well as giving readers something to take away from. Just as Jimmy learns valuable life lessons from Duke, we, the readers, also learn something from the kindly barber shop owner and his vibrant customers. I would use this text in a middle or high school classroom to promote the idea that we “pick our own road in life,” just as Duke suggests to Jimmy. While the text advertises itself as a literal handbook for boys, this text can be read by anyone of any age. Even in college, I found myself inspired to be the type of mentor Duke was for those boys. I am sure that my students in the future will be able to take at least one nugget of wisdom from reading this novel, and the diverse plot will be relatable to modern students.