What Literacy Means To Me

  There are so many books that shed light on life’s experiences, but it is always a joy when a book is written that a specific culture or group of people can truly relate to.  A realistic fiction picture book that I would like to highlight is titled Amazing Grace .  This book is written by Mary Hoffman and illustrated by Caroline Binch,   Each of us is wonderfully made in the sight of God and each of us are given our own individual gifts.  We are all created equally.  This book let’s Grace know that it is conceivable for an African American girl to believe that she can be anything that she wants to be, with hard work.   This supports the concept that she should not allow racial prejudice to discourage her from working toward her dreams .  The reason that I truly enjoyed this book is because it encourages girls of color to not set limits on their potential in life. The second book that I would like to highlight a contemporary realistic cha...

  There are four types of folklore, but the two that I am choosing to write about are fairy tales and fables.  A fairy tale is a short story that typically features magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful beings that usually ends in a happily ever after scenario.    A fable is a short story that features  animals ,  creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that have human characteristics, and illustrates or leads to a particular moral lesson .   They are similar because they both entertain us with a short story full of adventure.   They differ because fairy tales are meant to elevate us to new destinations full of beauty and splendor while fables are written to teach us important life lessons. An example of a fairy tale is Cinderella.   Cinderella was originally written by Charles Perrault and illustrated by Arthur Rackham.   It is considered a fairy tale because i t’s a story about a girl whose indifferen...

  This Is Not My Hat , A Ball For Daisy , and Watercress are all beautifully illustrated picture books that children of all ages can enjoy.   These books are considered picture books because they all rely on their illustrations to help the reader follow along with the story.   This Is Not My Hat uses clear, simple pictures that have a realistic look to them to help the reader follow the quest of finding the missing hat.   A Ball For Daisy is a wordless book that allows the reader to use their imagination to create the story about a little white dog and her favorite red ball.   Watercress uses realistic pictures to take the reader on a journey of understanding the importance of how our heritage defines who we are.   This Is Not My Hat was written and illustrated by Jon Klassen.   It has won the following awards: 1.       Caldecott Medal 2.       Notable Children’s Books 3.    ...

          Holes written by Louis Sachar talks about a teenager who is sent away to Green Lake Camp to do 18 months for a crime that he did not commit. Stanley Yelnats IV found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time to experience an unfortunate accident. The book is filled with some magic, the works of a horrible curse, finding true love, and that sweet taste of revenge!   This is all uncovered while doing a little bit of “digging”.   It is a captivating read that keeps you interested by grabbing your attention and making you wonder just what is going to happen next! This book has won: ·        National Book Award for Young People’s Literature ·        John Newberry Medal ·        Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (now known as Vermont Golden Dome Book Award) ·        William Allen White Children’s B...

  The art of reading requires  the reader to use the  skill of  visualizing for true understanding.  In Hot Dog, the 2023 Randolph Caldecott Medal selected book written and illustrated by Doug Salati, the reader is allowed that freedom to develop the story for themselves.   The book uses very few words to take you on a day trip with a dog and his owner.  The author instead uses detailed imagery to draw us into the story.  Through pictures, we are immersed in the hustle and bustle that many experience in a hot overcrowded city that is then calmed by a seaside detour used to decompress from amidst the chaos.  The story then ends with both the owner and dog having a good night’s rest that was filled with pleasant dreams from their much-needed seaside get away.  Through pictures, Salati was able to construct details that added depth to the reading.   We became a part ...

  As a child, my parents always stressed the importance of reading.   Reading is a way to experience new things and explore the world.   I can remember my mother sitting by lamp light in the living room, reading her beloved mystery novels.   She would sit for what seemed to be hours entranced in the pages.   I was always so intimidated by the book’s thickness, thinking it was going to take her forever to read it.   My mom picked up on my fascination with watching her read and would sometimes allow me to hear the happenings that had such a hold of her attention.   By sharing these stories with me, she planted seeds in me that developed into my love for reading.   At first, I wanted to read mystery novels, just like my mother.   I loved trying to figure out the cases before the end of the book.   As I got older, my interest changed to adventures and humor.   Adventure books allowed be to travel to different places.   I read abo...