goodnightmoon1991-blog

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #11

Using Children’s Picture Books

About Autism as Resources

in Inclusive Classrooms

Miranda L. Sigmon,Mary E. Tackett,Amy Price Azano

The beginning to this article states how it is important to use the tool of pictures books to teach children about autism and other disabilities in school which made me think of when I was younger. We never learned about other kids having disabilities. Teachers would sometimes state that the class had kids that learned at a different pace but it was never explained to us.

“students can better understand

that, although autism has common characteristics,

individuals with autism are still individuals.” pg 4

—- its important that kids know there isn't one term that represents one type of person , just like kids that don't have a disability are all different

Finally, teachers may need to address and discuss

the context in which labels are used in the picture

books. One specific example is the word special,

which is sometimes used to describe a child with

autism. In Waiting for Benjamin (Altman, 2008), an

older brother says, “I don’t want a special brother”

(n.p.), referring to his younger brother with autism.

Although we generally use special as a positive term,

the context of this sentence presents “being special”

as a negative characteristic. This could serve as an

instructional opportunity for discussing with students

that some labels can be hurtful. In doing so,

the teacher is highlighting why empathy and using

influential language is important in creating a community

of care.

— kids start labeling each other so young, from saying you're weird, girls cant do that, boys are yucky, etc. they need to know that they cant label each other this way very young or it will escalate

To focus on the unique qualities

of the individual characters with autism, read a

different book each week and discuss how the characters

are alike and different. — is there time to do this in schools??

we

caution against using books that serve only as examples

of celebrating change rather than teaching

acceptance.

Be sure to make it clear to parents that your goal

in introducing students to these books about autism

is to increase students’ awareness and acceptance

of autism, not to single out their child. Working with

parents to create a partnership and to identify your

goals to promote an inclusive philosophy is important

in the relationship and experiences of students

with autism in the general classroom and their

families (Kluth, 2003)

— Very important that teachers talk to the children with disabilities before they do anything

Exploring elementary students’

perceptions of disabilities using

children’s literature

Julia Wilkins, Kathryn Howe, Maddie Seiloff,

Shelly Rowan and Elizabeth Lilly

“Children’s reactions to the books often began with what appeared to be honest

responses, but then switched to ‘expected’ responses. For example, when describing

Janine, students initially said she ‘looks funny’, and used terms such as

‘weird’ and ‘strange’, but when asked shortly afterwards if they would like to go

to her party, students exclaimed in a choral manner, ‘Yes!’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Yes!’ and

‘Me!’ ‘Me!’ ‘Me!’ Because students had been taught adages such as, ‘Be nice to

everyone’, they knew how they were expected to react to Janine”—- instead of asking why she looks that way they use terms that are in their vocabulary. If someone does not look like them they find it odd but when it came to the party they wanted to be included and not left out

“When asked what they thought the author’s purpose was in writing Janine, students

asserted: ‘Don’t judge’, ‘Don’t bully’ and ‘It’s okay to be different’. When

asked if they would like to meet the main character in Emmanuel’s Dream, one

student stated, ‘I’m not going to judge him’. From these explanations, it appeared

that rather than giving thoughtful responses to the questions, students were

merely repeating the messages they had been taught by teachers, families and

others in their communities”

“There were examples of students responding with what they thought was the

desired sentiment in all read-alouds.”

“Students’ academic responses led to a lack of critical thinking about the stories.”

The quotes above all spoke to me because the children are so used to hearing these phrases like don't judge, and don't be a bully, its okay to be different but they are just saying it because it is engraved in their minds. These phrases arent spoken about more deeply, children need to know why these terms are important and how they are applied in everyday life. They need to mean what they are actually saying instead of saying things they barely understand.

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #10

Exploring Issues of Disability in Children's Literature Discussions.

“A definition of disability according to a medical model is "based on the idea that to achieve normalcy, the individual must be made whole and healthy" (Solis, 2004). Children's literature written from this perspective emphasizes qualities like physical "wholeness," good looks, and high intelligence, and are valued and identified with high status individuals; whereas, the qualities of others are demeaned, stigmatized, ridiculed, feared and degraded. Children learn that people with disabilities are more different from than similar to persons without disabilities, and the consequences of such beliefs result in segregation and isolation (Solis, 2004).” 

I believe this is why children start bullying in the first place. they arent taught at an early age about the differences between people. kids think that everyone has to be like them and when someone is not its hard for them to understand at a later age. 

In interrogating texts from a disability studies perspective, students might come to understand that a disability is not fixed and dichotomous, but rather it is fluid and continuous (Lane, 2005). --- this is key 

 Ms. Schild, the second­third grade teacher with ten years of teaching experience, and Mrs. Stone, the fourth­fifth grade teacher with 8 years of teaching experience, recognized that the children in their multiage classrooms had difficulties interacting with and respecting their classmates with autism, learning disabilities, and developmental disabilities. Each teacher thought it would be important to plan a curricular unit about disabilities that would build awareness, understanding, and tolerance of disability issues within the classroom.--- its very important that children understand others and learn how to behave and treat others that could be a bit different than them. being around other kids that have disabilities and teaching about it is a good step 

As children explored the definitions and characteristics of disability, the question of "what is normal" arose. In a discussion of Crow Boy (Yashima, 1976)-- i think the term normal is thrown around way too much to children, what is normal anyway

Children responded to the images in texts but also brought their own beliefs to the interpretations of stories, and their understandings of disability were enriched by the multiple viewpoints expressed by others in the classroom. This study shows that classrooms could be democratic places where child-- literature goes a long long way! its best to teach children about this stuff that way they have open minds and see everyone the same and treat others with kindness, and put themselves in kids shoes 

not going to lie but this article was written a little weird 

Exploring Representations of Characters with Disabilities in Library Books

Book reading positively impacts not only children’s early literacy and vocabulary development, but also supports other areas of development, such as children’s personal, social-emotional, and intellectual development

Children’s literature serves several purposes. It provides a context for understanding social norms and behavior, helps children learn how to adapt to society, and facilitates the development of appropriate social-emotional skills. In addition, children gain information from texts, learn to relate words and pictures, are motivated and entertained, and learn about perspectives that may differ from their own-- i really like the last statement about how they learn different perspectives, its very important for them to see how other people live and how that too is okay 

Search terms used included disabilities, young children, and special needs. These searches resulted in a list of 80 books. Following the online searches, a ‘‘manual search’’ at one local library was conducted, resulting in an additional 125 books that featured characters with disabilities. Thus, our search resulted in a sample of 205 children’s books. -- not very good 

The majority of the 102 books found in local libraries in a Midwest community represented characters with disabilities in ways that highlighted their strengths and inclusion in classroom environments and society at large, while several books were deemed problematic.-- there are several topics not just with disabilities that really need to be addressed. there are books out there but there are not enough GOOD ones to be showing to children, books are the most important way for kids to be learning about others besides interating with kids different from themselves 

Research also suggests that attitudes about individuals with disabilities are influenced by direct experiences (e.g., interactions with individuals with disabilities), indirect experiences (e.g., books, media), and children’s primary social group (e.g., family members, peers) -- many kids do not get to experience kids that are different from them so when they do come across someone different they do not know how to react 

It is important to carefully review books prior to reading them to young children. Family members, educators, and other professionals need to be aware of evaluative criteria to consider when examining books that include characters with disabilities-- people need to be more educated about what is right and what is wrong because many of us dont know much about disabilities 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

Death In Childrens Literature

Find my reading of Cry Heart, But Never Break Below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9039I5Uuvc&feature=youtu.be

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #9

Death in Children's Literature Francelia Butler

Right when I began reading Butlers article about death in children literature she starts off with how before the 17th century adults and children shared literature. This says a lot about how things began developing. I believe in the present time we live in parents often hold their kids back from knowing the truths and reality of the world to make them less cynical and be able to enjoy being a child. the problem with sugar coating things that are 100% going to happen like death, kids wont be prepared well or know how to handle such matters. Now children are geared for money making purposes. Children are the main targets for the consumerism of the world and if that happens to be with literature so be it. 

its really shocking that there arent that many childrens books about death and they mostly hear it just from adults themselves. 

On page 106 she states “Children themselves seem to begin with this same simple acceptance of death” which i believe is true. children are very flexible with what life throws their way and if you tell them the truth at an early age it will be much easier for them to understand things later on in life. 

Later on she mentions Life and Death, by Herbert Zim and Sonia Bleeker and says that it is explicit but has actual facts. To me this book perfectly explains what really happens. Why should we have to explain it in any other way. 

“Long ago people had the idea that death was like a long sleep. Children think so too. This belief is far from the truth. A sleeping animal or a sleeping person is alive. He breathes, his hearts beats, he moves, dreams, and will react to a touch or a poke. Someone who is dead does none of these things.38 Later on, the book candidly tells the child: After burial a body, which is composed of nearly threequarters water, soon changes. The soft tissues break down and disappear first. Within a yearonly bones are left.”

to me an explicit story is this:

“Look, look, mama! What is that mess That looks like strawberry jam? Hush, hush, my child! It is papa Run over by a tram. 112 Ushy gushy was a worm A little worm was he He crawled upon the railroad track The train he didn't see. Ushy gushy!”

i guess they are trying to make light of what happened but to say that a person looks like starwberry jam is pushing it a tad. 

Death in Children's Literature: Taboo or Not Taboo?

Lois Rauch Gibson, Laura M. Zaidman

I didnt even think about how as time went on humans started living longer and longer and this had to do with why parents stopped explaining death like a normal thing. Although death of children in books have stopped books do still including the death of parents quiet a bit. Death has also moved from the home to hospitals which is another reason it in not as talked about which is so true! i have yet to see a childrens book about hospitals or what goes on in them.

“But our society, which has long worshipped youth and beauty, seems to have finally begun recognizing the need to explain death to children”-- it is a basic “fact of life” 

“Why is death so difficult to read and write about? Most adults feel uncomfortable facing the ultimate reality of their own mortality, and they have unresolved conflicts about death.”-- i think this is why. adults themselves are uncomfortable with the subject so they believe it will be even worse for someone young, which is not the case. 

Many say it is a “personal” subject just like sex but if that is the case then dont read it!

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #8

The fractured fairy tale I chose is The True Story Of The 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka 

What narrative strategies and conventions are employed in telling story? How do these subvert or change power relations encoded in the traditional tale? Who is telling the story? Who is focalizing events and persons and from what position?

The first difference that the reader sees right away is that the story is told from the wolf’s point of view instead of the 3 little pigs. The pigs have always been the victims in the story and always portray the wolf as a mean and cruel character. This time the wolf lays it out to the story that this was not his fault but the pigs. 

How are male and female characters differently represented in regard to issues of gender and power than in traditional tales? In what ways are young women or young men/ princesses and princes empowered? How are gendered relations between young men and women re-imagined?

My tale does not have a male/female issue since it is told through viewpoints of an animal but what I do like about the story is how you get to see a different perspective. It is really important for children to see. We always see stories told by a princess that needs a hero but it is important especially for girls to know that that is simply one view point. They need to see that just because you are reading a book that does not mean that that is the view point or the reality. They should learn at a young age that there is always another side to a story and just because it is the norm or it is in print that this is not how you should think.

I do love my story because at the end of the day the wolf gets a bad reputation but in this he states that he is a wolf and his diet needs meat. At the end of the day it is the circle of life. I also do like how it is about animals and gender doesn’t have to be the main topic point like most fairy tales. It is a nice change to just think about animals and not battling how women are perceived. 

This book is really just stating what really happens in life. There is always a chain of power when it comes to the animal specie. 

To what extent are values and ideologies encoded into discursive formations constructing story that challenge and resist ideologies encoded into traditional tales? Which semiotic practices does a writer use to guide a young reader in deciding which values are significant in the text?

I enjoy how in the first page the author goes right in and says let me tell my the real story, my side of the story. Then the wolf introduces himself and sets up what happens. The pigs were actually not very smart and thats how they ended up dying. In real life wolves do have the upper hand which is exactly what ends up happening in the book. It ends with the wolf going to jail because of the death of the pigs but he tells the reader he was framed because he never did blow the house down or huffed and puffed. It is such a lovely story and I much rather prefer this version than the original because it is so realistic, well as realistic as it can be. 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #7

The two articles I will be using are Walk Tall in the World: African American Literature for Today's Children by Rudine Sims Bishop and Children’s Books by Paulette Childress White. 

In the White article she mentions how our book Mufaros Beautiful Daughters a book about triumph and good vs evil.

 “ Nyasha's triumph and Manyara's unhappy fate describe the ends of good and evil - sans the shadings that might be available in a more contemporary tale. Parents may take the opportunity the book presents to discuss the cultural values it represents as well as its historical context” 

White did not really mention anything about it being fractured. To me it of course has a good and evil dimension to it and shows how kindness and honesty always wins. On the other end of it the daughters are focused on enchanting a Prince and getting married to him. Instead of being strong and not caring about impressing a man they are tested by him. In the end he really chooses who he wants to be with just because of her kindness. Sure it is a nice aspect of this Prince to want to be with the kinder woman but why does he get to choose? It is always up to the man in many of children stories. Girls are always being tested for their character and not the other way around. 

In the  Bishop article she talks about the illustration side of the story. 

“ A picture book integrates text and illustrations into an artistic whole; the pictures are as important as the text. Thus, the picture book illustrator plays a vital role in the creation of the images of African Americans that are offered to children through their books.” 

This article goes really into many important African American writers and how even in the 70s when many books were published by African American writers most were by non African American ones. The trend on going back to African folktales didnt start until 1985 because it was hard to find them. What caused the major spark was  Virginia Hamilton's acclaimed anthology, The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. A very big part of the folktales had to do with animals which was seen in our own Mufaros book, by the Prince pretending to be a snake to see which sister was kinder. 

The illustrations and the portrayal of animals is a big part of Mufaros Beautiful daughters tying it back to african folktales. Also the folktales also had a message of good vs. evil. 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #6

Breaking The Magical Spell 

Jack Zipes 

What were some of the differences between folklore and fairy tales that stood out to you?

Why/how are fairy and folk tales necessary?What functions did they serve? What are your thoughts on these functions, both historically and in the present?

What kinds of opportunities for oral/community storytelling exist? Have you participated in these?

“Over the last three centuries our historical reception of folk and fairy tales has been so negatively twisted by aesthetic norms, educational standards and market conditions that we can no longer distinguish folk tales from fairy tales nor recognize grasp and symbolic depiction of social realities”pg 4

“folktales were autonomous reflector of actual and possible normative behaviour which could strengthen social bonds or create more viable ones

Tales used to bring people together and bring social problems to light

 When you compare a folk tale to a fairy tale im not going to lie , i would choose the fairy tale. the point of the fairy tale is to have a utopian dream that you will never get to live. folk tales brought people together because of common issues and as much as that is amazing for a group to share the same interest and maybe find a resolve at the end of the day sometimes i dont want to read or talk about my problems but maybe think of something more magical (queue harry potter). fairy tales will always intrigue people more just because it is something so different from what they will ever experience. sure i do love to know the real stories behind these so called fairy tales like cinderella who was not at all like the disney gal. 

when it comes to folk tales of course there was always a king and queen which definitely helped the lead into fairy tales... 

there is always a heirarchy in life and for people to come together , usually lower class, it was a nice way of seeing that you were not alone and in fact had a community. 

when these folk tales were written though it was of course appropriated by the bourgeoise which is ironic since they didnt understand what the lower class was going through

the word fantasy came from the bourgeoisie ? ...

I have never participated in any types of story telling and im really not sure who does this still. no one i know has any sort of story telling community . it obviously still exists and i do wonder how each community goes about it

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #5

What does it mean for a text to be "culturally authentic," in the broadest sense?  (Cite quotations that ring true for you)

This is a hard question to answer because wiritng is one of the trickiest things. It can either lead you to the right place or the wrong place. Many a times have I been online and read something about politics, something im very interested in, and been lied to. Reading especially now is a tricky matter. I sometimes cant believe everything i read, not even on sites I trust. Even in my own culture... i dont know everything about it, so something that rings true to me might not to someone else that grew up with similar traditions. 

What are some aspects of cultural authenticity that are complex or confusing for you--areas where you are not sure how you feel?  Hopefully, your second article explores these issues in more depth, and you can cite the second article here.  

(wrote about my article below)

What is complex about cultural authenticity is that I dont know everything about every culture so how am i supposed to trust what someone is writing about? culture is very different for everyone even if they come from the same place or have the same beliefs. everyone makes their own little traditions and cultures. I might be a certain religion but i dont follow the rules others do which is what makes it beautiful in its own way. 

Have you given much thought to these issues before?  How do you feel about the questions being raised here? Are they important? Why?  Or, do you feel the debate is problematic? If so, why?

These issues always come up especially regarding films because i feel like more people are likely to see them than pick up a book. these questions are super important and should be talked about but this debate is always always going to be problematic. this debate is like debating religion. it is something i and people hold so so dear and there is nothing in the world that is going to change their minds. its important to just even be talking about it instead of being ignorant to what is going on. 

Begin to delineate which aspects cultural authenticity are most important to you.  Be concrete and specific in defining the questions you, as a reader, need to ask about a text to determine whether it feels authentic to you.

to me, authenticity is how the main character portrays themselves. the only way i can become picky about something is if they are writing about my own beliefs but then in that case i need to realize that people do have different ones from me. i think there is a fine line between writing about a culture and being racist towards a culture. Ad Marc Aronson points out. if you want to write about something that you are very passionate about you must work VERY hard to make it right and not just come up with your own conclusions. everyone has a right to have likes and if you really like one culture you must really take your time to learn about it. 

Chapter 7

Marc Aronson 

A Mess Of Stories 

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS CHAPTER!!!!!

“the heart, after all, is raised on a mess of stories, and then it writes its own”pg 78 .... fell in love with this quote, it could not be more true. 

culture does “not stand still” pg 78 this is a very good quote because it shows how cultures move around and many people learn about cultures that arent theirs and that it is okay to do so. it is good that culture does not stand still. everyone should know its okay to have your own but be mindful youre not alone on this planet and you should be respectful of other ways of life 

“is the only that that matters in judging a a book the ancestry of the author?” 79

“no. the multiculturalism i propose is much harder to write. i say that if we look closely at any culture we will see all kinds of conflicting and mixed values, all sorts of opinions, and many different points of view”---- KEYYYY

talks about a song called “children go where i send thee” and many people claimed it to be theirs but after marc researched he saw how it went back to 1625 and even earlier to a jewish song named “Had Gadya”

culture authenticity is often hard to say because people have taken things for centuries and turned them into something else. 

He then mentions a group of japanese artists that sing salsa. he made such a good point that taking something and not being able to share it is a travesty. people from many different cultures can enjoy others music or traditions in beautiful ways, as long as they are respected. 

“why can we allow this cultural crossing in music and not in books for children?pg 82  

He goes to make a great point about how if one works so hard to understand another culture why cant they write about it? Sure there are going to be criticism along the way but people will just have to work “harder”. 

“I repeat, I am not suggesting a return to the days of white authors doing pallid books about “exotic people”. Instead I am challenging all authors to trust their passions, while still demanding the highest standards of artistry, honesty, and understanding” 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #4

“The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children's Literature: Why the Debates Really Matter." 

Please include highlights or key quotes from the article above, and respond with your thoughts, concerns, questions, interests, etc.

“Howard states that we cannot ignore what the book does to the reader, and she argues that we know a book is “true” because we feel it deep down, saying, “yes, thats how it is”pg5   I have been thinking about our last class and how some people didn’t have stories that they could picture themselves in. When I was a child I wanted the exact opposite. I wanted a story that was so different from my life that I could not see myself in it at all. When I read the quote above I could not find it to be more true but thats how I feel now, as a child I never saw a book as a way my life could be. I wonder why that is...

they keep touching upon the definition of cultural authenticity and to me why does there have to be a definition? why cant it be based upon how we feel, culture is always open to interpretation because even if we come from the same place we have experienced totally different things 

Equal access to publishing- KEY 

By publishing more books from across the globe people across the world can become more aware of how people live and become more knowledgable about culture in its self but its the very thing that keeps certain people from being able to publish 

A question that I have always thought about and still do is can outsiders write authentically about another culture....

“should be able to write without subjecting his or her work to critical scrutiny” a very good point but at the same time it does depend on how something is written no? i think i am always going to battle with this question....

cultural authenticity- no matter a childrens book or a book for adults its very important to have that be correct and understood 

i definitely do believe that if an author is writing about something not totally in their world they must have great knowledge about it or have a connection to it in some way 

how does an author get across the right message on why they wrote the book? would they write a blurb about in at the end? does it always have to be shared 

culture authenticity matters so so so much. especially for a chid. its very important for a child at an early age to understand that there are people millions of people that are going to be different from them and that its okay. by learning that early on the child develops much more open minded and doesnt second guess another culture not like theirs. Investing into childrens education is the most important. their brains are new and developing and they are so understanding. if this was taught early on once they start growing up people would understand everyone is different and there is nothing wrong with it. 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (via meeroonna)

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #3

My “Roxaboxen” 

When I was a child my dolls and stuffed animals were a big part of who I was. I am an only child so when I was not having playdates I had to entertain myself. Sure my parents would play with me but I had to find other ways to have fun. I remember I would always make up story lines; sometimes taking them from the tv shows I was watching or making my own up. My favorite magical place was being a teacher. I would sit all my dolls and stuffed animals in a circle and write on my white board. Other times I would go into my Disney tent, which was my favorite thing ever and bring in my mickey and minnie dolls who were my favorite and pretend we were somewhere else. I wish I could remember more about more magical moments as a child but a lot of my memories are skewed since I moved to the US when I was eight. 

Believing in magic definitely takes a toll on you once you hit a certain age. When you are a child you have no responsibilities, your mind hasnt been changed to what others want from you, you dont know what being awkward is, you dont care what people think of you, and you certainly dont have a filter. Being able to be free and open allows your brain to be able to dream and discover things adults just cant anymore. Now being an adult and having bills and rent to pay things are just so realistic that you have to add magic into your life doing other things. For me, reading definitely adds magic and excitement into the way I think. This might sound typical and corny but Harry Potter definitely changed my views on finding my inner child and believing in much more than what meets the eye. I have always been imaginative and I have and will always love Disney but somehow Harry Potter still makes me believe that there is magic in the world and there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. What I loved about the books is that even though at the end they do beat the bad guy, he who must not be named, there was a lot of suffering and loss along the way. Life is just like that. Sure not every single one of us has to battle an Evil villain, but we all go through hard times and along the way we get hurt and lose people. In the end you come out strong and it makes you who you are. Not only are there beautiful quotes in these books but the cult that has grown around it is so beautiful. We all have our differences but each one of us wishes we could go to Hogwarts. I have been to Florida to see Harry Potter World, I have seen traveling exhibitions, I used to be on Pottermore when I was a child 24/7 and I will never stop obsessing over it. I will always have an imagination and a hope for magic in my every day life. 

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG #2

Text: Madeline In London

Author: Ludwig Bemelmans

Year Of Publication: 1961  

The books plot:

“Pepito has moved to England. To help celebrate his birthday, Miss Clavel and the girls pay him a visit. When his mother won't let Pepito keep one of his birthday presents--a horse--Madeline is more than willing to help out.”

When i was looking through the children's books what drew me to this book was the name Madeline itself. when i was younger i was obsessed with her and her little outfit and used to watch a cartoon show of the books. i haven't picked up a madeline book since i was young and don't really remember but on how they are written or the tales that are told. i just knew i had to take this one home with me.

What the book shows to children is how important friendship is. Pepito, the Ambsassords son moves to London and he is extremely sad he does not has Madeline and the rest of the girls as friends anymore. His parents and Ms. Clavel do everything in their power to make their son feel better. Even as a small child friendship is very important and much larger than an adult can imagine.

Madeline and the girls get Pepito a horse as a gift but his mother does not allow him to stay. This also shows how children don't realize how animals can be such a huge responsibility. I remember as a child how much I wanted so many different kinds of pets but never really understood what it took to take care of them. at the end of the story the girls leave Paris after visiting Pepito and have to take the horse with them as their own responsibility now.

I went on goodreads to read peoples comments and they were all over the place. Some had rated it  5 stars and other a mere 3

one of the people that gave it a review said it had too much going on while others really love the illustrations.

On amazon people rave about the illustrations and how they are reading it to their kids now because it was such a big part of their own childhood

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/madeline-in-london

“Children will like the pageantry of this story, but the pace is slow. Author/illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans has fun painting a whole new set of architectural landmarks. The Tower of London is in the background, and children will like to pick out Madeline and Pepito among the rows and rows of Beefeaters in front of Windsor Castle.

As in other Madeline tales, the poem contains a few rough spots and forced rhymes. Bemelmans mentions crumpets out of the blue just because the word rhymes with trumpets, for example. Also, the solution to the horse's naughtiness for eating in the garden is to let Madeline, rather than Pepito, keep the horse, which might strike listeners as odd.”

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

BLOG POST #2

[goodnightmoon1991-blog]

Blog Entry #1 - NYPL

The 58th Street branch of The New York Public Library opened on May 10, 1907 and is now a full-service adult branch in East Midtown.The branch was originally housed in a building built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie.  It relocated to its present site in 1969, and it now occupies part of two floors of an office tower.The library features public computers that can be reserved for 45-minute sessions and unlimited WiFi. The first floor holds an adult collection that includes large-print books, audiobooks, a world languages collection, and a movie collection. There is also smaller collection for children and teens.  On the second floor, there is a community space the neighborhood groups can reserve for free. That’s also where TechConnect computer classes are held. 1)  I visited the New York Public Library on 58th St and Lexington. This is not my closest library to my home but it was the most convenient for me to get to.  Once I walked in the first thing I saw besides the front desk was the children’s section. There was no huge sign anywhere but once I saw the bright rug and the small circular table I knew where to go. I sat down at the small table to see what their eyes were going to be looking at. The section was not very large but very cute. There were several different sections all with different labels:

picture books

easy readers 

fiction

non fiction

children's world languages 

DVD’s 

The consumer is directed right to the specific content they would need by the level of reading they are looking for. 

The section I was most drawn to at first was the Fiction section only because it was the largest but once I started looking through it nothing was really catching my eyes. I moved to the picture book section and once I got there everything was exciting. I loved all the pretty colors and all the funny names to each book. I am most attracted to books directed towards girls. I think thats because I am an only child and growing up I was into fairy tales and anything that was girly. 

After I took everything in and walked around and got up close to everything I sat back down in my small chair and took in how everything was organized again. The first thing I saw was how much space there was around the table and how the shelves were a few feet away. This showed how children need space to walk around and need room to feel free. The way the books were laid out was quiet obvious as well. The picture book section was much lower on the ground then the rest of the books. Within the picture book section there was also buckets containing other books that were labeled 

levels 1-2

levels 2-4 

The table I saw in had several small chairs and right underneath was a large rug. The rug was very educational showing numbers 1-20, colors with their names written right on top and two large benches behind the table in front of the windows. There were several toys like blocks, different shapes to connect to each other, and an educational wooden box with the alphabet on it. Next to the large book shelf was a step stool that was easily accessible for children. 

Besides it being quiet colorful compared to the rest of the library there was a theme running on top of all the book cases for children. Running along the top of each book case were books dedicated to Black History Month. Its really great that the library dedicates these themes to important subjects that children should be learning about at such a young age. 

2.

3. Brief History of the 58th st library taken from their website https://www.nypl.org/about/locations/58th-street :

“The 58th Street branch of The New York Public Library opened on May 10, 1907 and is now a full-service adult branch in East Midtown.The branch was originally housed in a building built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie.  It relocated to its present site in 1969, and it now occupies part of two floors of an office tower.The library features public computers that can be reserved for 45-minute sessions and unlimited WiFi. The first floor holds an adult collection that includes large-print books, audiobooks, a world languages collection, and a movie collection. There is also smaller collection for children and teens.  On the second floor, there is a community space the neighborhood groups can reserve for free. That’s also where TechConnect computer classes are held.” 

The library is located on the Upper East Side right near Hunter College. The library is not very large compared to other public libraries located in manhattan but it was nice to navigate in. I did not feel overwhelmed and it really had everything one would need.The library seems to be dedicated to parents that need a place for their children to go to other than school or their home. I did ask for the librarian that dealt with the children's department but they said she was not in today. I did happen to take a February calendar for children which had all of this months activities on it. Listed were several different activities :

Baby Story Time: Mon , Feb 6, 13, 27 @ 10:15 am

For babies from birth to early walking age. Enjoy singing, reading, and bouncing with your little one, learn how to give your child a great foundation for a lifetime of reading, and meet other families in a welcoming environment.

Toddler Story Time: Tues, 7, 14, 21, 28 @10:15 & 11:00 am 

For toddlers from walking age to 36 months. Join us for lively stories, fingerplays, and action songs, and build early literacy skills. Pick up your ticket at the front desk- space is limited. 

 Afterschool Club! : Mon Feb 6,13,27 @ 3:30pm

Kids ages 7-13, come play board games, card games, or video games, make art, and hang out. Bring a friend!

Chess & Games: Tues, Feb 7, 14, 28 @4:00pm 

Adults, teens, and mature kids can join us for casual strategy gaming. Many games and basic instructions are provided. All skill levels are welcome. 

What I realized from the events available is once ages increase reading becomes less invested in to kids. That is something that I really want to look into and maybe we could go over in class.