Ok, I don't know how many of you felt the same way I did, but I cried! I went to the movie thinking that there was know way that it was going to effect me like the book did, but it did, and I still cried! I will admit that there were some definite differences, like the fact that Jess never wore shoes when he ran and that Lesleigh was a very pretty girl in the movie and barely recognizable as a girl in the book. However, even though there were parts different from the book in the movie (which I have just come to the realization is bound to happen), I still got that warm, fuzzy feeling when I watched it.
The mother in the movie was very different from what I was use to in the book. In the book, I really could stand the mother. She was never as loving and kind as the movie mother. The one faught the movie mother seemed to have was the "shoe switch", and I think that that was just a misunderstanding about how boys at that age would not want to be caught dead in a pair of old girl sneakers. Jess's father in the movie was exactly as I had pictured him to be in the book, personality wise. However, in the movie, he did seem to show a bit more interest in Jess's paintings and drawings, or at least not to shun it so. Ms. Edmunds was perfect! The casting for that role was done well, though in the book it made her closer to Jess from the beginning of the story. I still wonder about Ms. Edmunds's personal life. How did a music teacher like herself end up teaching in a "hole-in-the-wall" town like Lark Creek? Was she married? Did she have any romantic attachments? Prince Terrien was a little disappointing, because I had always pictured him to be a Labrador or a Golden Retriever.
As I wrote before, the movie made me cry, and that is not something I typically do. I thought about it all the way home and into the next day, trying to devise a plan on how to take my third graders on an out-of-school field trip (after we've read the book of course).
Therefore, I give the movie three and a half stars!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
In November, by Cynthia Rylant and Illustrations by Jill Kastner - Picturebook
Fall just happens to be one of my favorite times of year, so when I saw the book In November in my school libraray, while I was looking for Cynthia Rylant books, I just had to read this. The book is basically about the month of November. The seasons are changing, the world is growing colder, and wildlife is settling in for the long winter months ahead.
The illustrator of this book is Jill Kastner. The pictures draw the reader in, almost like going to an art gallary and wanting to gaze at the painting to find every little detail. The colors are warm hues of oranges, reds, browns, yellows, and golds. This adds to the warmth of the book as the reader goes through the pages. It actually begins outside on a snowy page with a little mouse looking for shelter. I was reminded of days when the summer had long been over done and this part of the country seemed to be anticipating snow and colder days in which we could snuggle by a fire with hot chocolate in our hands. The animals are beginning to burrow and hibernate for the colder season and families are getting together for Thanksgiving dinner.
The author talks of the smells of the month being like squash and pumpkins and that everything tasts like cinnamon. I feel like I am there, smelling the harvest smell and preparing a peacan pie for Thanksgiving.
The text is simple, only about on sentence per page. The entire story seems to be leading up to something, with all the animals snuggling away and all the food preparations in the homes. The author writes that the "stars are brittle" and "the world has tucked her children in, with a kiss on their heads, till spring". That imagery in the words, paired with the soft colors of the pictures makes me want to put on comfy pajamas, get in a big, fluffy bed and go to sleep! Good night!
The illustrator of this book is Jill Kastner. The pictures draw the reader in, almost like going to an art gallary and wanting to gaze at the painting to find every little detail. The colors are warm hues of oranges, reds, browns, yellows, and golds. This adds to the warmth of the book as the reader goes through the pages. It actually begins outside on a snowy page with a little mouse looking for shelter. I was reminded of days when the summer had long been over done and this part of the country seemed to be anticipating snow and colder days in which we could snuggle by a fire with hot chocolate in our hands. The animals are beginning to burrow and hibernate for the colder season and families are getting together for Thanksgiving dinner.
The author talks of the smells of the month being like squash and pumpkins and that everything tasts like cinnamon. I feel like I am there, smelling the harvest smell and preparing a peacan pie for Thanksgiving.
The text is simple, only about on sentence per page. The entire story seems to be leading up to something, with all the animals snuggling away and all the food preparations in the homes. The author writes that the "stars are brittle" and "the world has tucked her children in, with a kiss on their heads, till spring". That imagery in the words, paired with the soft colors of the pictures makes me want to put on comfy pajamas, get in a big, fluffy bed and go to sleep! Good night!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson - Realistic Fiction
“The Queen is dead! Long live the Queen!” the voices resounded through the trees, announcing the passing of one queen’s life and magic and the entrance of another. Terabithia would forever be changed, but never be lost!
That is how I felt at the end of the book, Bridge to Terabitha. My soul was profoundly moved throughout the story. I fell in love with some of the characters and wanted to shake some sense into other characters. Trying to write this response reminds me of Jess, trying to draw the pictures in his head, but never feeling like he was doing them justice. They never seemed to be right. That is exactly how I feel about this story. I have words and feelings in my head and heart, but what I put down just doesn’t seem adequate and fitting for so tremendous a book.
I’ll start with Jess; Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr. to be exact. I could probably tell you that I have seen this boy in my classes at various times throughout my life. A true “diamond in the rough” as our beautiful Miss Edmunds called him. This boy is so different than everybody else and so wants to fit in. However, he is special. He has talents that are far beyond anyone’s understanding, at least anyone at Lark Creek Elementary. With the exception of Miss Edmunds and Lesleigh Burke, Jess is seen as a nobody. He is a child who is wanting to act out his imagination, but is struggling to act like a man in his family. It’s as though Jess has lived a life that has only been serious and sad, until Lesleigh comes. She opens up his mind to the dreams that he has long kept a secret. She allows him to be himself and teaches him that he is great and powerful. He, and only he, can be a true king of Terabithia.
Lesleigh is beautiful. Oh, not on the outside, but does that really matter? She has the ability to create a world in her mind and change the simple life of Jess Aarons. The reason the others at school disliked her so much was because she reminded them of what they never could be. She possessed a spirit that very few at Lark Creek Elementary ever dreamed of and they found this fearful and different, so they shunned her and made her feel like an outsider. Little did they know that what they feared was greatness and freedom. They were living in their closed off little world, feeling safe and comfortable with their game shows and baseball, and in walks Lesleigh with her scuba diving and active imagination. Lesleigh showed them that this little world that they lived in was not everything and that there was so much more. That is why I think Jess’s father was so down hardened. He understood that there was life outside of Lark Creek, but would never be able to provide this for his family. He didn’t really despise Jesse’s ability of art and dreams of being an artist, it just scared him, because he didn’t understand it. He recognized that Jesse was different. That he was not meant to stay a farmer or construction worker. This scared his father because he knew that he could never provide opportunities for Jesse outside of the manual labor jobs. I saw him as a man who tried his best for his family, but never seemed to be able to make ends meet.
The way the author’s words were used in the story really matched to the town and community way of life. Things were very simple and people barely spoke good English. This goes for Jesse, too, until the entrance of Lesleigh. She taught Jesse that he could be powerful and great, and with that, the reader can see Jesse’s words change from “small town” to “regal ruler” of Terabithia. When Jesse enters Terabithia and is expected to act like a king and talk like a king, he struggles at first. But, like a flower opening up with growth, Jesse opens up with the warmth of Lesleigh’s friendship and imagination.
After hearing the author talk about how this story was written in memory of her son’s best friend who was killed tragically, I realize now how much heart went into this story. I found myself reliving my father’s funeral and understanding how Jesse felt the morning he woke up and was not really clear what had happened the night before. He thought it all was a nightmare, but it was over now and he and Lesleigh would soon go to Terabithia and talk about all the fun he had had in Washington. I remember waking up and feeling the exact same way, not really wanting to believe the reality of what was happening after someone close to you dies. I also remember feeling that everyone was ready to move on and forget about our lost loved one, just like Jesse was feeling that Monday morning when he found Lesleigh’s desk moved from the classroom.
This story has so many themes. There are themes of friendship, not hiding who you really are, accepting differences, living life to the fullest, loving one another, seeing the world through “magical” eyes, etc. I could go on and on and never write how I truly feel about this book. I read this story for the first time in the sixth grade and was not really moved by it. I just thought it was sad how Lesleigh died. I read it again in my undergraduate work and only slightly grasped the richness of this novel. Now, finishing it with eyes full of tears and a heart full of love for the characters, I have found a place for this book in my heart. I will always see Lesleigh fighting the giants of Terabithia and going to the sacred grove to honor the gods. I will forever see Prince Terrien lopping along behind the Queen and King of Terabithia, and I will always see Jesse, regal and yet a little unsure as to how to command and react in such a magical place. However, I can also see Jesse going to college and studying art. I can see Jesse going even further and making a name for himself in the world. I can see him never forgetting where he came from, but never really being part of Lark Creek again. He was meant for greatness and great he shall be! I can see him never forgetting Lesleigh and living a life worthy of her friendship. “Long live the King of Terabithia!” Who is your Lesleigh?
That is how I felt at the end of the book, Bridge to Terabitha. My soul was profoundly moved throughout the story. I fell in love with some of the characters and wanted to shake some sense into other characters. Trying to write this response reminds me of Jess, trying to draw the pictures in his head, but never feeling like he was doing them justice. They never seemed to be right. That is exactly how I feel about this story. I have words and feelings in my head and heart, but what I put down just doesn’t seem adequate and fitting for so tremendous a book.
I’ll start with Jess; Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr. to be exact. I could probably tell you that I have seen this boy in my classes at various times throughout my life. A true “diamond in the rough” as our beautiful Miss Edmunds called him. This boy is so different than everybody else and so wants to fit in. However, he is special. He has talents that are far beyond anyone’s understanding, at least anyone at Lark Creek Elementary. With the exception of Miss Edmunds and Lesleigh Burke, Jess is seen as a nobody. He is a child who is wanting to act out his imagination, but is struggling to act like a man in his family. It’s as though Jess has lived a life that has only been serious and sad, until Lesleigh comes. She opens up his mind to the dreams that he has long kept a secret. She allows him to be himself and teaches him that he is great and powerful. He, and only he, can be a true king of Terabithia.
Lesleigh is beautiful. Oh, not on the outside, but does that really matter? She has the ability to create a world in her mind and change the simple life of Jess Aarons. The reason the others at school disliked her so much was because she reminded them of what they never could be. She possessed a spirit that very few at Lark Creek Elementary ever dreamed of and they found this fearful and different, so they shunned her and made her feel like an outsider. Little did they know that what they feared was greatness and freedom. They were living in their closed off little world, feeling safe and comfortable with their game shows and baseball, and in walks Lesleigh with her scuba diving and active imagination. Lesleigh showed them that this little world that they lived in was not everything and that there was so much more. That is why I think Jess’s father was so down hardened. He understood that there was life outside of Lark Creek, but would never be able to provide this for his family. He didn’t really despise Jesse’s ability of art and dreams of being an artist, it just scared him, because he didn’t understand it. He recognized that Jesse was different. That he was not meant to stay a farmer or construction worker. This scared his father because he knew that he could never provide opportunities for Jesse outside of the manual labor jobs. I saw him as a man who tried his best for his family, but never seemed to be able to make ends meet.
The way the author’s words were used in the story really matched to the town and community way of life. Things were very simple and people barely spoke good English. This goes for Jesse, too, until the entrance of Lesleigh. She taught Jesse that he could be powerful and great, and with that, the reader can see Jesse’s words change from “small town” to “regal ruler” of Terabithia. When Jesse enters Terabithia and is expected to act like a king and talk like a king, he struggles at first. But, like a flower opening up with growth, Jesse opens up with the warmth of Lesleigh’s friendship and imagination.
After hearing the author talk about how this story was written in memory of her son’s best friend who was killed tragically, I realize now how much heart went into this story. I found myself reliving my father’s funeral and understanding how Jesse felt the morning he woke up and was not really clear what had happened the night before. He thought it all was a nightmare, but it was over now and he and Lesleigh would soon go to Terabithia and talk about all the fun he had had in Washington. I remember waking up and feeling the exact same way, not really wanting to believe the reality of what was happening after someone close to you dies. I also remember feeling that everyone was ready to move on and forget about our lost loved one, just like Jesse was feeling that Monday morning when he found Lesleigh’s desk moved from the classroom.
This story has so many themes. There are themes of friendship, not hiding who you really are, accepting differences, living life to the fullest, loving one another, seeing the world through “magical” eyes, etc. I could go on and on and never write how I truly feel about this book. I read this story for the first time in the sixth grade and was not really moved by it. I just thought it was sad how Lesleigh died. I read it again in my undergraduate work and only slightly grasped the richness of this novel. Now, finishing it with eyes full of tears and a heart full of love for the characters, I have found a place for this book in my heart. I will always see Lesleigh fighting the giants of Terabithia and going to the sacred grove to honor the gods. I will forever see Prince Terrien lopping along behind the Queen and King of Terabithia, and I will always see Jesse, regal and yet a little unsure as to how to command and react in such a magical place. However, I can also see Jesse going to college and studying art. I can see Jesse going even further and making a name for himself in the world. I can see him never forgetting where he came from, but never really being part of Lark Creek again. He was meant for greatness and great he shall be! I can see him never forgetting Lesleigh and living a life worthy of her friendship. “Long live the King of Terabithia!” Who is your Lesleigh?
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall and Illustrations by Barbara A. Cooney - Picturebook
I decided to read the picture book Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall, to my third graders, because we were studying natural, capital, and human resources. However, I found myself drawn in by the pictures that the illustrator created. The illustrator is Barbara Cooney and she used very basic pictures of a family living more than a century ago. The book won a Cauldcott for the pictures and I think I know why. One would normally think that these pictures were just ordinary, but I believe that they match the theme and story line. Life for the family is very basic, they live off the land during the ox and cart days. They grow produce and make things by hand during the winter, spring, and summer, and the father goes into town in the fall to sell and barter these items to get the things that his family will need. When the father returns, the cycle of growing and creating with the seasons begins all over again. The simple things, like peppermint candy, are small treasures. The reader can draw the conclusion that the family is very happy, just working and being together. Just a simple life of living off the land shown through simple pictures and words.
I wonder what life was really like back in those days? What would teaching school be like? I am sure that the things I cherish and the time I spend doing different activites would change completely. As I read the part in the book about the "sugaring off", I remembered reading about the "sugaring off" in the Laura Ingles Wilder book, Little House in the Big Woods.
When I read that as a child, I wanted to be at the "sugaring off", tasting the maple syrup as it mixed with the snow. I always thought that life in the big woods was grand and was truly surprised that the Ingles family decided to move out into the West.
The Ox-Cart Man represents a time in the past when things were alot simpler, but work was still work. Family was important and doing a job well was the only way to do somthing. I fear that this time is gone, with our instant technology and busy lives. However, books like this make me stop, if only for a second, and try to refocus on what life should be about. This simple little book reminds me that simple little lives can sometimes be the most fulfilling.
I wonder what life was really like back in those days? What would teaching school be like? I am sure that the things I cherish and the time I spend doing different activites would change completely. As I read the part in the book about the "sugaring off", I remembered reading about the "sugaring off" in the Laura Ingles Wilder book, Little House in the Big Woods.
When I read that as a child, I wanted to be at the "sugaring off", tasting the maple syrup as it mixed with the snow. I always thought that life in the big woods was grand and was truly surprised that the Ingles family decided to move out into the West.
The Ox-Cart Man represents a time in the past when things were alot simpler, but work was still work. Family was important and doing a job well was the only way to do somthing. I fear that this time is gone, with our instant technology and busy lives. However, books like this make me stop, if only for a second, and try to refocus on what life should be about. This simple little book reminds me that simple little lives can sometimes be the most fulfilling.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Blogs Away....!
Welcome to my very first blog site! I hope you enjoy browsing through this site and reading the blogs that I post regarding the various books that I am going to be reading throughout my semester at The College of William and Mary! Children's Literature will be the theme throughout! Please read and respond! Therefore, sit back with a great cup of coffee, tea, or hot coco and read away! By the way, what book has you staying up late at night reading? Happy blogging!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)