Alyssa Dekany

Language to Literacy

2/17/11

Sayre, April. 2003. One is a Snail Ten is a Crab. Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Candlewick Press.

Summary: For every limb an animal has, it is given that number. A snail is
1, a human is 2, a dog is 4, a crab is 10, etc. Every increment of 10 is given
a page in the book, and is made with different animals. For example, 40=
crabs or 10 dogs.

Artwork: Colorful animals with a beach background

Mathematical devices: Counting, adding, and multiplying

Curriculum Tie-in:
• Classify objects and count the number of
objects in categories.

• Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

• Understand addition as putting together and adding to

• Decompose numbers less than or equal to 10 into pairs in more

than one way, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each
decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 5 = 2 + 3 and 5 = 4 +
1).
Huneck, Stephen. (2008). Sally Gets a Job. New York: Abrahms Books
for Young Readers

Summary: While Sally’s family is not home, she thinks about all of the
different jobs she could get to keep her occupied. After thinking of
many different jobs she could have, she remembers that she already
has the best job; taking care of her family.

Artwork: Every page has a picture of the dog Sally in front of the scene
of whatever job she’s thinking about. The Art is colorful and simplistic.

Literary Devices: First person, Irony, Personification, Allegory

Curriculum Tie-in: Social Science – Life lesson. Students learn

different about different occupations they could possibly be interested
in having when they grow up.
Willems, Mo. (2006) Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! New York:
Hyperion Book for Children

Summary: The pigeon’s father asks the reader to please not let the
pigeon stay up late. Then, the pigeon goes on to say that he’s not
tired and he’s in the mood for a hot dog party. He then tries to
convince the reader different reasons why he should stay up.
Throughout the book, the pigeon starts to get tired and yawns, but
immediately afterward claims to not be tired. Eventually, the pigeon
falls asleep and dreams about hot dogs.

Art: The pigeon with a speech bubble, with different color backgrounds

Literary devices: Personification, Foreshadowing

Curriculum Tie-in: Social science – Life lesson – Children like to stall

and stay up late, even when they really are tired
Newman, Leslie. (2010). Miss Tutu’s Star. New York: Abrham’s Books

Summary: Selena joined ballet because she loved to dance. At first, she
wasn’t very good at ballet, but her teacher always encouraged her. Miss
Tutu told her that what mattered most was that she was dancing with heart.
After two years, it was time for Selena’s first performance and she was very
nervous. Miss Tutu told her to relax and the world would love her dance.
The audience loved her and screamed “bravo”.

Literary devices: Rhyme, Metaphor

Curriculum Tie-in: Social Science – Practice makes perfect, Motivation gives

children the confidence to do better
Zion, Gene. (1956) Harry the Dirty Dog. USA: Harpers Collins Publishers.

Summary: Harry was a white dog with black spots. He hated getting a bath,
and ran away one day when he heard the bath water running. He got very
dirty while he was out playing, until he looked like a black dog with white
spots. When his family saw him, they didn’t recognize him and though he
was a different dog. He tried very hard to show him that he was Harry by
doing tricks, but that didn’t work. He found a scrubbing brush and jumped
into the bath tub. His family gave him a bath and once he was clean, they
noticed it was him! He was so happy to be home and he was equally happy
that his family finally recognized him again.

Literary Devices: Foreshadowing

Curriculum Tie-In: Social Science – Even though you may not like doing
something, sometimes they need to be done. Things that aren’t fun can be
good for you.
Cameron, C.C. (2003). One For Me, One For You. Connecticut: Roring Book
Press.

Summary: The little elephant and the little alligator are eating cookies.
There were 4 cookies, and they we trying to decide how to split them. The
elephant wanted to take three cookies, and only give one to the alligator, but
the alligator said it wasn’t fair! Each decided to take two cookies. Next they
decide to play with toy cars. There were 3. Because the cars belong to the
elephant, he thinks it’s fair that he gets two cars and the alligator gets one.
But the alligator wants to get two because he’s the guest. The mom says
playtime is over. But then the elephant decides that the mom can have a
car too and then it’s even!

Artwork: Colorful animals with a swirly yellow background

Literary Devices: Rhyme

Curriculum Tie-In: Social Science – Children need to share

Brown, Margaret (1949). The Important Book. USA: Harper Collins
Publishers

Summary: The book lists many objects, such as a spoon, a bee, rain and
many other things. The books ends by telling the reader that the most
important thing about them is that they are themselves.

Art: Simple portraits if the important items

Literary Devices: Repetition

Curriculum Tie-In: Social Science - Teaches children that things are

important for many different reasons and that the most important thing
about being you is that you are yourself.
Willems, Mo. (2004) Knuffle Bunny. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Summary: Trixie, a young girl who couldn’t yet speak, went on errands with
her father. On the way home, Trixie realizes that she lost her stuffed animal,
Knuffle Bunny. When she couldn’t find him, she tried to tell her dad, but he
couldn’t understand her. After making a fuss, her dad finally took her home.
When Trixie’s mom opened the door, she noticed that Knuffle Bunny was
gone. Trixie and her parents re-traced their steps and found the stuffed
animal in the washer at the Laundromat. When Trixie saw the stuffed
animal, she screamed “Knuffle Bunny!” which were the first words she ever
spoke.

Artwork: Black and white photographs with colored cartoon characters

Literary Devices: Onomatopoeia

Curriculum Tie-In: Language and first learning to speak

Choldenko, Gennifer. (2007). Louder, Lili. New York: Penguin Young
Readers Group

Summary: Lili was very quiet and had a hard time speaking up. When the
teacher took attendance, she was so quiet that she got marked absent.
During recess, she stayed in side with the class guinea pig, Lois. When it
came time to get partners for a class project, a girl named Cassidy asked Lili
to be her partner. Cassidy took all the credit for Lili’s work. After that,
Cassidy said that Lili was her best friend and they always spent time
together, even though Cassidy wasn’t very nice. Lili was too shy to stand up
for herself. One day one the class had a substitute teacher, Cassidy decided
to cut Lois’ hair. Lili told her not to do it or she’d tell the teacher. Then,
Cassidy wants to put glue in Lois’ water. Lili screams “DON’T DO THAT!” and
Cassidy listens. Everyone could hear Lili scream. After that, Lili was no
longer afraid to speak up, and the next time it came to picking partners, she
asked a nice girl named Rita to work with her instead.

Artwork: Detailed, colorful pictures of kids at school

Literary Devices: Dialogue

Curriculum Tie-In: Social Science – Children need to stand up for themselves

and speak up when something isn’t right
Grave, Keith. (2010) Chicken Big. California: Chronicle Books.

Summary: On a tiny farm, a humungous chick was hatched. The other

chickens thought he was too big to actually be a chicken, and they kicked
him out of the coop. The flock constantly guesses what kind of animal the
big chick actually was; an elephant, a squirrel, an umbrella and may other
silly things. After the big chick helps all of the other chickens and saves their
eggs from a sneaky fox, the flock realizes that the big chick is a chicken after
all. They let him move back into the coop, even though he still doesn’t fit
and there isn’t any room for the rest of them.

Artwork: Colored pencils

Curriculum Tie-In: Social science - Just because someone looks different, it

doesn’t mean that they are weird and that you can’t be their friend.
Everyone is different and should be accepted for who they are.