The Man Who Walked Between The Towers

Summary: This is a true story of a young man who believes in his dreams of tight rope walking from one Twin Tower to the other. He embraces perseverance and doing what it took to reach a goal. The end of the story mentions that the Twin Towers are no longer there.

Bib Info: Gerstein, M. (2003). The man who walked between the towers. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press.

Interest Level: K-3

Impression: This story teaches about reaching one’s dreams and working hard to achieve them. The illustrations in the story are captivating and the way the book is written is poetic.

Reviews and Awards: 2004 Caldecott Medal, 2004 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books

Reviews: PreS-Gr. 3. Here's a joyful true story of the World Trade Center from a time of innocence before 9/11. In 1974 French trapeze artist Philippe Petit walked a tightrope suspended between the towers before they were completed. Gerstein's simple words and dramatic ink-and-oil paintings capture the exhilarating feats, the mischief, and the daring of the astonishing young acrobat. He knew his plan was illegal, so he dressed as a construction worker, and, with the help of friends, lugged a reel of cable up the steps during the night and linked the buildings in the sky. As dawn broke, he stepped out on the wire and performed tricks above the city. Gerstein uses varied perspectives to tell the story--from the close-up jacket picture of one foot on the rope to the fold-out of Petit high above the traffic, swaying in the wind. Then there's a quiet view of the city skyline now, empty of the towers, and an astonishing image of the tiny figure high on the wire between the ghostly buildings we remember.
[Review of the book The man who walked between the two towers by M. Gerstein]. (2003, November 1). Booklist, 107, 19. Retrieved from: http://www.booklistonline.com/

"Once there were two towers side by side.... The tallest buildings in New York City." Another September 11 book? No -- and yes. Gerstein's story takes place in 1974, when the World Trade Towers' construction wasn't quite finished. Philippe Petit, the French street performer and high-wire walker, couldn't resist the temptation to dance between the twin towers. "Once the idea came to him he knew he had to do it! If he saw three balls, he had to juggle. If he saw two towers, he had to walk! That's how he was." Gerstein is in top form, pulling the reader into his story with a conversational style extended by playful pen and paint illustrations. Like Petit, Gerstein conceals much careful planning behind an obvious enjoyment of his subject. As the book starts, rectangular paintings are set well inside the edge of each white page. When Philippe and his co-conspirators, disguised as construction workers, toil through the night setting up the wire, the area between the illustrations' borders and the edge of the page fills with a gray-blue wash, providing the visual equivalent of foreboding background music. As dawn breaks and Philippe gets ready to step onto the wire, the blue fades away. Now we're ready to be exhilarated and terrified -- and on two successive foldout pages, we are. The first heart-stopping image shows Philippe from above as he moves to the middle of the wire. The tiny buildings below him seem terrifyingly distant while on the far right his destination, the top of the tower, is shown with exaggerated perspective, taking our eye down, down, and off the bottom of the page. Next we see the same scene from the ground with the book turned on its side. People on the street look up in surprise and fear while a cop calls for assistance. The denouement takes us back to solid ground and back to the rectangle-on-white illustrations. Philippe is arrested, as we knew he would be, but the kindly judge sentences him to perform in Central Park. Finally, the last pages bring us to the present ("Now the towers are gone"), showing the current empty skyscape. "But in memory, as if imprinted on the sky, the towers are still there." And so they are on the last page, translucent against the clouds, with a tiny Philippe on his wire connecting the towers to each other and the past to the present.
[Review of the book The man who walked between the two towers by M. Gernstein]. (2003, November/December). Horn Book. Retrieved from: http://www.hbook.com/

Use in library setting: This story is also available in video format. The book and video can be used for a compare and contrast activity.

A Ball for Daisy

Summary: Daisy is a dog with a favorite ball. Daisy is saddened when her ball is popped accidentally by a fellow dog at the dog park. Daisy is sad and her owner can tell. Daisy’s spirits are lifted when she returns to the dog park and is presented with a new ball to play with by her fellow dog’s owner. The story ends with Daisy happy and curled up with her new ball.

Bib Info: Raschka, C. (2011). A ball for Daisy. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Interest Level: K-3

Impression: This story touches upon the emotions associated with caring, friendship, and loss. I think children will be able to relate to the book and will enjoy the colorful, wordless story.

Reviews and Awards: ALA Notable Children's Books 2012, Booklist 06/01/11, Caldecott Medal 2012, Horn Book 04/01/12, Horn Book starred 09/01/11, Publishers Weekly Annex 06/13/11, School Library Journal starred 08/01/11

Reviews: Preschool-Kindergarten. This story about loss (and joy) is accomplished without a single word, which is perfect—it puts you directly in the head space of its canine protagonist. The title tells us her name is Daisy, but she is a pretty anonymous little thing, drawn by Raschka as just a few indistinct yet somehow expressive squiggly lines. What’s clear is that she loves playing with her ball, both indoors and out, until the fateful moment that another dog bites too hard on the ball and deflates it. In a heartaching series of nearly identical paintings, Daisy slumps into a sofa as depression overtakes her. Dogs, of course, don’t know that there are more balls in the world, which makes her glee at the end of the book all the sweeter. Raschka uses fairly sophisticated comic-book arrangements—long, narrow, horizontal panels, and so forth—but masks them with soft watercolor edges instead of sharp corners. The result feels like something of pure emotion. Pretty close approximation of what it’s like to be a dog, probably.
[Review of the book A ball for Daisy by C. Rashchka]. (2011, June 1). Booklist, 107, 19. Retrieved from: http://www.booklistonline.com/

The wordless story begins on the title page, where we see a scruffy little black-and-white dog about to be given a big red ball. It's clear from the start that Daisy loves her new toy. After playing with it inside, she cuddles up with the ball on the sofa and contentedly falls asleep. The real drama begins with a trip to the park, where Daisy and her little-girl owner play catch and have a moment of panic when the ball goes over a fence and has to be rescued. All goes well until another dog shows up, joins in the play, and pops the ball. It's a long walk home with gloomy Daisy, and the subsequent nap on the couch is lonely. In fact, the two contrasting double-page spreads of Daisy napping, with the ball and without it, show the ingenious artistry of Raschka, who communicates so much emotion through her posture. Throughout, Raschka uses broad strokes of gray and black paint to outline the dog, and varies the line to echo her emotions: bold, sure lines when Daisy is happy; shaky, squiggly lines when she is upset. Background watercolor washes also reflect Daisy's mood, going from bright yellows and greens to somber purples and browns. Raschka employs a series of horizontal frames to show sequential action, interspersed with occasional single paintings to show pivotal moments, such as the moment near the end of the book when Daisy gets a brand-new ball, this time a blue one, from the owner of the dog who destroyed her first one. It's a satisfying conclusion to a story that is noteworthy for both its artistry and its child appeal.
Horning, K.T. (2011, September/October). [Review of the book A ball for Daisy by C. Rashchka]. Horn Book. Retrieved from: http://www.hbook.com/

Use in library setting: This story could be followed by a song like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”. For the younger students, the color of the ball can be practiced as it is tossed in a circle. The student can first say the person’s name they are tossing it to followed by the word red or blue (based on the color of the ball).

The Story of Ferdinand

Summary: This story is about a bull named Ferdinand who isn’t like all the other bulls. He would much rather sit under his favorite tree and smell the flowers instead of playing like all the other bulls. He is stung by a bee and is chosen to participate in a bull fight, which he does not want to be a part of. When he is released into the rink, he stops in the middle and simply smells the flowers.

Bib Info: Leaf, M. (1977). The story of Ferdinand. New York, NY: The Penguin Group.

Interest Level: K-3

Impression: This story leaves the impression that it is okay to be different from others. There is a twist to the story as Ferdinand accidentally gets chosen to be in a bull fight.

Reviews and Awards: Book Links 09/01/95, Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Child Study Children's Book, Committee 1995, Christian Library Journal 06/01/12, Horn Book, School Library Journal, Wilson's Children 10/01/10

Reviews: With infallible comprehension of childish feelings and a nice precision of detail, the Hobans tell what happens when Frances is allowed to try a permissive diet of bread and jam. The original two-color illustrations have been tastefully and attractively "recolored" so that the book is now illustrated in full color.
[Review of the book The story of Ferdinand, by M. Leaf]. (1993, September). Horn Book. Retrieved from: http://www.hbook.com/

A lively, simple, and playful translation makes this classic story of the misunderstood bull who'd rather smell flowers than stomp and snort an all-time favorite for sharing in Spanish as well as in English. Also published by Scholastic in 1990.
[Review of the book The story of Ferdinand, by M. Leaf]. (2001). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/home/index.html

Use in library setting: Younger students can be provided with a flower template. The students will draw a picture of their favorite thing inside of the template. They will then cut the flower out. The petals and stems can be pre-cut for students or an additional part of the project.

Bread and Jam for Frances

Summary: Bread and Jam for Frances is about a little girl who loves jam. She will only eat jam, but realizes that she would like to eat other foods once her mom only provides her with bread and jam. Frances then realizes that she would like to eat other foods instead of the same old bread and jam over and over again.

Bib Info: Hoban, R. (1964). Bread and jam for Frances. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Interest Level: K-3

Impression: I think it is important that children are willing to try new foods as they grow up. Some children may relate to this book in that they relatively like to eat the same types of foods over.

Reviews and Awards: Booklist, Horn Book, Elementary School Library Collection 06/01/00, Reference and Research Book News

Reviews: Frances is determined to eat only bread and jam for every meal. She likes it so much she makes up rhymes in honor of her favorite food. She also makes up rhymes about food she does not like. She sings about the egg her parents want her to try: "I do not like the way you slide, I do not like your soft inside…" However, "Jam on biscuits, jam on toast, jam is the thing I like most…" Her parents encourage her to try veal cutlets, chicken salad, and spaghetti and meatballs. At school, her friend Albert enthusiastically takes out a variety of foods from his lunchbox, but, thanks to her parents' wisdom, it is not long before Frances willingly asks for something to eat besides bread and jam. Being picky about food is a trait to which many children can relate, and new readers will enjoy seeing how Frances learns to appreciate new foods. The use of repetition and rhyming create a sense of predictability and fun, and the simple yet warm and expressive illustrations bring this story to life. This is part of the "I Can Read" series.
Ryles, V. (n.d.). [Review of the book Bread and jam for Frances, by R. Hoban]. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from: http://www.childrenslit.com/

Frances the badger always faces life with an original song on her lips. She composes with calculation, as in Bedtime for Frances and A Baby Sister for Frances, leaving her alert parents to get the musical message. This time Mother and Father Badger guide her through one of the most maddening stages of childhood. It all starts when Frances croons to her breakfast egg that "I do not like the way you slide,/ I do not like your soft inside..." and makes inroads on the bread and jam. Frances passes up some mouthwatering menus that day and sticks to herself imposed diet with perfect juvenile logic: she won't try anything new because "... when I have bread and jam, I always know what I am getting and I am always pleased." From that point on, Frances gets nothing but bread and jam and her eating problem is completely cured by the saturation method. The lunch she carries to school becomes really chi-chi-gourmet. The Hobans have done it again: a sly text attacking a real juvenile problem and attractive illustrations.
[Review of the book Bread and jam for Frances, by R. Hoban]. (1964). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: http://www.kirkusreviews.com/

Use in library setting: Collaborate with the classroom teacher to incorporate this book linking it to science and nutrition. The children can also create their own song about their favorite food like Frances does about Jam.

Children's Book Trailers

Below you will find book trailers for a few children's books that I recently read and loved.  I created them using Animoto.  I hope you enjoy them!


Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

The Job of Organizing

According to Pam Berger and Sally Trexler (authors of “Choosing Web 2.0 Tools for Learning and Teaching in a Digital World”), “School librarians need to become leaders, advocates, and change agents willing to embrace the digital environment to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.” Technology is continuously changing at a constant speed.  Librarians need to ensure that their skills are up to par in order to help others organize, access, and utilize Web 2.0 tools.  There are so many different uses for Web 2.0 tools (blogs, collaboration through wiki’s, bookmarking sites, presentation tools, etc.).  The implications of the librarian if everyone is able to organize information is understanding how to collaborate with teachers, students, and patrons in order to share the knowledge and see to it that Web 2.0 tools are being implemented and that the user’s understand what they are doing.  In order for a librarian to teach someone else, she must understand what she is teaching and should be able to explain why a program is being used or what uses the program has available.  Diigo (http://www.diigo.com) is a bookmarking site that allows users to organize websites.  I believe that my Diigo tags would be helpful to others.  As a librarian, we must be able to organize and share information.  My tags would be helpful toward collaboration with others on campus, but they could also be helpful for others outside of the school library setting.  I believe staying organized is a key point to being successful in helping and sharing with others.    

The Machine is Us/ing Us

I watched “The Machine is Us/ing Us” by Professor Wesch on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g)  and read chapter one in “Choosing Web 2.0 Tools for Learning and Teaching in a Digital World” by Pam Berger and Sally Trexler.  I had to take a moment and think about the title “The Machine is Us/ing Us”…What does it mean? It all seemed to make sense after watching the video post.  The machine really is using us by using information we input in order to make suggestions to us.  The machine continues to be able to gain information from us each time we allow it to by giving it information.  For instance, if you click a link on the internet the machine used the information from your click in order to respond to us (be it through web suggestions, paid advertisements, etc.).  How many of you have a cell phone? When you text, does your device suggest words so that you don’t have to type the entire word? T-9 offers suggests to us of different words that have the same or similar letter combinations.  It’s going to pick the word you use the most as a priority suggestion.  Each time you text, your cell phone is learning from you! People are constantly communicating to the machine and the machine continues to pull information from us.