Dana Kleppinger

EDUC 432 Childrens Literature in the Writing Curriculum

June 23 27, 2014

Annotated Bibliography


1. Lithgow, John. Im a Manatee. New York: Little Simon, 2007. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 5-8 years

Summary: This book also includes a CD with the author singing the words as a
song. It is a simple story about a boy who dreams he turns into a manatee. The
boy discovers the sea world as a manatee would and wakes up to a special
surprise.

Mini Lessons:
~ Books written as songs
~ Introductory clauses
~ Word Choice
~ Comma rules
~ Language acquisition
~ Alliteration
~ Repetition
~ Hyphens



2. Young, Judy. R is for Rhyme. Ann Harbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2006. Print
Genre: Poetry
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Age: 8 and up

Summary: This book is an alphabet style set up with each letter representing a
type, format, or tool of poetry. For each letter there is a definition, a poetry
example, and an illustration.

Mini Lessons:
~ Word choice
~ Sentence fluency
~ Poetry formats
~ Poetry elements
~ Visual spacing on the page



3. Sachar, Louis. Holes. New York: Random House, 1998. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 8-12
Section: Narrator explains how the Yelnats curse started.

Summary: Stanley Yelnats is falsely accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and is
sent to a boys detention center, Camp Green Lake. While he is there he meets
friends, foes, and practices the best way to dig holes. Stanley goes on the ultimate
adventure and ends up discovering a treasure connected to his family history and
the Yelnats curse.

Mini Lessons:
~ Organization
~ Flashback
~ Story within a story
~ Page breaks
~ Character development

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4. Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 2002.
Genre: Adult Fiction
Age: Adult
Red Flags: certain scenes are violent with strong language
Section: the first three pages

Summary: It is 1973, and 14-year old Susie Salmon is telling her story from
heaven. Even though she is dead, she narrates her story as her family grieves and
detectives attempt (unsuccessfully) to solve her murder. Instead of the book
reading like a mystery novel, Susie tells the reader in the first chapter who
murdered her. It is a story about love, forgiveness, and how people learn to heal.

Mini Lessons:
~ Voice
~ First person narration
~ Flashback
~ Colons
~ Dialogue
~ Sentence fluency
~ Perspective



5. Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Sydney: Pan MacMillan Australia, 2005. Print.
Genre: Historical Fiction
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Age: 12 and up
Red Flags: war imagery, violent scenes
Section: Chapter 1

Summary: The setting is Nazi Germany in 1939. Our unique narrator, death, tells
us the story of Leisel Meminger, an orphan girl placed with a German family. We
see the war through Leisels eyes and her best friend, Rudy. She shares a bond
with Max, a Jewish refugee hiding in the house, and learns the power of words. It
is a tale of friendship, love, and hope.

Mini Lessons:
~ Voice
~ Narration (the narrator is Death personified)
~ Personification
~ Sentence Fluency
~ Phrases
~ Indentations
~ Sentence Structure
~ Imagery
~ Power of three



6. OBrien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
Print.
Genre: Realistic fiction
Age: Adult
Red Flags: Violent war imagery, strong language
Section: the first three pages of the short story On the Rainy River

Summary: As a Vietnam War veteran, Tim OBrien weaves personal stories with
inventive fiction to create a set of short stories. All of the stories relate to the war
and mirror people he served with in real life. On the Rainy River is a story
based on the time when he received his draft notice and experienced a myriad of
emotions.


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Mini Lessons:
~ Word choice
~ Sentence Fluency
~ Punctuation
~ Imagery
~ Adjectives
~ Strong action verbs


7. Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games Trilogy. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.
Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 12 and up

Summary: Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute in order to protect her sister,
Prim. She endures two Hunger Games, where teenagers fight to the death. In
addition to the challenges faced in the games, she also participates in a war
against the Capitol and struggles to decide what is best for her country.

Focus: I plan on focusing on the development of Primrose Everdeens character
throughout the three novels. She is a perfect example of the importance of a minor
character and provides a strong image with her ducktail shirt.

Mini Lessons:
~ Character development
~ Imagery
~ Sentence Fluency
~ Idea Development
~ Dialogue



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8. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. New York: Scholastic Ink,
1997. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 9-12

Summary: When Harry Potter discovers he is a wizard with special powers, he
enters the magical world of Hogwarts School for witches and wizards.
Throughout his first year, he developments strong friendships, endures teasing
due to his legacy, and fights the most powerful wizard of the time - Voldemort.

Mini Lessons:
~ Idea development
~ Narration
~ Dialogue
~ Imagery
~ Comma rules
~ Chapter titles
~ Word choice
~ Voice




9. Mass, Wendy. 13 Gifts. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 8-12
Section: Chapter 1

Summary: In order to please her mother, Tara Brennan attempts to fit in at school
by joining a group of girls in an attempt to steal the school mascot, a goat. The
plan is foiled, and Tara is sent to her aunt and uncles house in Willow Falls for
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the summer. She spends her thirteenth birthday in this quirky town and learns
many life lessons.

Mini Lessons:
~ Hooks
~ Capturing the Moment
~ Word Choice
~ Sentence Fluency
~ Parenthesis
~ Comma rules




10. Herriot, James. Bonnys Big Day. New York: St. Martins Press, 1987.
Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 6 and up

Summary: Farmer John Skipton calls the local veterinarian, Herriot, to look at his
retired carthorse, Bonny. Herriot is impressed with the care Skipton provides for
the horse, so he suggests they enter the Darrowby Fair Pet Show. Even though
Skipton is unsure, he brings Bonnie, and they stun the crowd.

Mini Lessons:
~ Exploding the moment
~ First person
~ Narration technique
~ Comma rules
~ Imagery
~ Hyphens
~ Verb choice

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11. Sidman, Joyce. Ubiquitous. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children,
2010. Print.
Genre: Nonfiction
Age: 6-9

Summary: This book highlights animals and organisms that have survived
throughout time. Each page focuses on how and why the organism has
emerged as a nature survivor.

Mini Lessons:
~ Word choice
~ Sentence fluency
~ Comma rules
~ Punctuation
~ Hyphens
~ Rhyme




12. Seuss. The Lorax. New York: Random House, 1971. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 5-9

Summary: In this beautiful story about the importance of protecting the
environment, the Lorax acts as a narrator telling a boy the story of his encounter
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with the Once-ler. The boy is encouraged to not repeat history, and at the end is
entrusted with precious seeds.

Mini Lessons:
~ Persuasive writing
~ Plot (character vs. nature)
~ Setting
~ Rhyme
~ Repetition
~ Capitalization
~ Sentence fluency
~ Question marks
~ Italics
~ Ellipse
~ Onomatopoeia



13. Burleigh, Robert. Home Run: the story of Babe Ruth. San Diego: Voyager
Books, 1998. Print.
Genre: Fiction with Nonfiction notes
Age: 6-9

Summary: This story tells pulls the reader into a moment in time right before
Babe Ruth hits one his many homeruns. Readers experience the thrill and
excitement of being at the ballpark. On each page there is a non-fiction
component that offers facts and statics about Babe Ruth.

Mini Lessons:
~ Sense of era
~ Exploding the moment
~ Structure
~ Thought shot
~ Simile
~ Show, dont tell
~ Power of three
~ Hyphens
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14. High, Linda. The Girl on the High-Diving Horse. New York: Philomel Books, 2003.
Print.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age: 5-10

Summary: Ivy Cordellia spends the summer of 1936 walking the Atlantic City
Boardwalk with her father, a photographer. The beautiful diving girls and horses immerse
Ivy into their world and help her achieve one her dreams.

Mini Lessons:
~ Sense of era
~ Exploding the moment
~ Verb choice
~ Comma rules
~ Sentence fluency
~ Descriptive language



15. Smith, Charles. Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Rolls, and Rhythm. New York: Puffin
Publishing, 2000. Print.
Genre: Fiction
Age: 8-12

Summary: This book is a blend of poetry, short stories, memoirs, and photography. Each
page focuses on an aspect of the game of basketball.

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Mini Lessons:
~ Poetic devices
~ Interior dialogue
~ Word Choice
~ Exploding the moment
~ Sentence fluency



16. Longfellow, Henry Wordsworth. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Washington,
D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1999. Print.
Genre: Poetry
Age: 9-12

Summary: This narrative poem tells the story of Paul Reveres ride to warn the colonists
that the British were coming to invade.

Mini Lessons:
~ Poetry structure
~ Comma rules
~ Prepositions
~ Sequencing
~ Sentence fluency
~ Word choice
~ Free verse
~ Voice
~ Leads
~ Semi-colons



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17. Sidman, Joyce. What the Heart Knows. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for
Children, 2013
Genre: Fiction
Age: 12 and up

Summary: This poetry book is a mix of chants, charms, and blessings. Sidman offers
advice on how to handle difficult times and writes about themes that people of all ages
can relate too.

Mini Lesson:
~ Poetry
~ Sentence fluency
~ Hyphens
~ Capitalization
~ Word choice
~ White space
~ Lines vs. phrases