Picture Book Pleasure Reading: Hiccup by Mercer Mayer

Title:
Hiccup

Bibliographic Information:

Mayer, M. (1976). Hiccup. New York: Puffin Pied Pipper

Weekly Requirement:

Picture Book Pleasure Reading


Plot Description:
Two hippos go on a boat ride together. The girl hippo starts hiccuping and cannot stop. The boy hippo tries to make the hiccups go away by throwing water on her, which makes her mad. The water works temporarily but then she starts hiccuping again, so he tries to scare her by yelling boo! The hiccups do not stop so he gets annoyed and hits her over the head with an oar, which makes her mad. She starts hiccuping again and he pushes her out of the boat. He pulls her back and is happy that the hiccups have stopped. She is angry and crosses her arms and looks away. They get to shore and he starts to hiccup. She smiles and hits him over the head with her umbrella and then yells boo, which scares him and makes him fall in the water. She sticks her tongue out at him and walks away.

Quantitative Reading Level:

Flesch-Kincaid 97

Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level 0.7

Qualitative Reading Analysis:

There is very little text in the book, just four words: hiccup, boo, & the end, so the black and white illustrations convey most of the meaning. The expressions on the hippos faces convey their emotions, which helps tell the story. There is some foreshadowing decipted in the pictures. For instance, when the male hippo raises his oar above his head there is an implication that he is going to hit the girl hippo on her head. This does require the reader to deduce what will happen on the next page, which makes it more complex for young readers. The hippos are an example of personification because their behavior is like human beings and not like hippos.

Content Area:
English Language Arts Kindergarten Standards

Maine Common Core Content Area Standard:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.3
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.5
Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).

Curriculum Suggestion:

Early elementary literature, best suited for kindergarten. This book can be used to teach about how to learn what will happen next through clues in a story. It can also be used to teach the importance of people treating each other as they wanted to be treated. It is a good example of how being mean to a person will make them be mean back, so the book is a great tool to help students remember to be kind as well.

Personal Thoughts:

This is one of the funniest children's books I have ever read!  I would encourage teachers to read this to students to help them laugh and to teach the importance of treating each other kindly. I would also encourage teachers to talk to students about what each hippo might be feeling on each page. What the hippos do to each other looks funny to the reader, so it is important for students to understand that even though the book is funny copying the behaviors are not. Teachers can decide whether or not to have this discussion based on how well they know their class and if they feel it is necessary. My biggest advice is for teachers and the class to have fun with this hilarious book!

Pleasure Reading High School/Middle School: The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Title:

The Last Holiday Concert


Bibliographic Information:

Clements, A. (2004). The last holiday concert. New York: Scholastic, Inc.


Weekly Requirement:
Pleasure Reading High School/Middle School

Plot Description:

The Last Holiday Concert tells the story of  sixth grader Hart Evans, the most popular student in his grade, and choral director Mr. Meinhert, who unbeknownst to his students is about to lose his job due to budget cuts. Mr. Meinhert cares about his students but also gets frustrated with them because they do not pay attention or respect him. When Hart hits Mr. Meinhart with a rubber band it's the last straw for Mr. Meinhart and he tells the students that they are now in charge of putting on their holiday concert.  Hart is elected as the leader and quickly learns that putting on a concert is not as easy as it looks. Both Hart and Mr. Meinhart learn important lessons and grow in the months leading up to the concert, and in the end the concert is beautiful and memorable for everyone.

Quantitative Reading Level:

Lexile 800

Qualitative Reading Analysis:

The story is told by a narrator in the third person in American English and told in chronological order from the beginning of the school year and ends in December after the concert. The book is divided into twenty-one chapters. In each chapter the narrator describes things happening to Hart, things happening to Mr. Meinhert, or things happening to both of them, such as their interactions with each other during choir rehearsals. Since the story is told in a linear fashion readers do not need any background knowledge to follow the narrator's changing focus in each chapter.

Content Area:
English Language Arts Standards Grades 4-6

 

Maine Common Core Content Area Standard:

 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text. 

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.5
Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3
Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

 

Curriculum Suggestion:

Reading grades 4-6. The story can be read either as a class or for students to read individually. This is an excellent book to read near the December holidays. It is also an excellent book to read during National Music in Our Schools month to help teach students the importance of music in a school curriculum. It is also a good book for teachers or librarians to suggest to students who are interested in leadership roles in their school because they can learn about Hart's leadership experience.

Personal Thoughts:

The book is touching and beautifully written. One of my favorite things about the book is that it showed the point of view of Mr. Meinhert. Had it just shown Hart's point of view Mr. Meinhert would have seemed like a mean teacher, but instead his story shows him as a human being who is simply going through a difficult time. I think this book is an excellent way for students to learn that sometimes things are not what they seem with teachers, or anyone, and that patience and empathy are important virtues.

Subject/Themes:

December holidays, music, leadership

Awards:

A 2007 National Education Association poll ranked this book as one of the Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children.

Pleasure Reading High School/Middle School: The True Story Lost Trail Nine Days Alone in the Wilderness by Donn Fendler

Title: 

The True Story Lost Trail Nine Days Alone in the Wilderness

Bibliographic Information:

Fendler, D., Plourde, L., & Bishop, B. (2011). The true story: Lost trail: Nine days alone in the wilderness. Camden, ME : Down East Books.

Weekly Requirement:

Pleasure Reading High School/Middle School


Plot Description:

Lost Trail a graphic novel based on the true story of Donn Fendler, who at the age of twelve was lost on Maine’s Mount Katahdin in 1939. Fendler’s disappearance made the national news and was later made into a book. Fendler was on a family hike and became separated from his family during a storm. The separation happened because panicked and rather than staying put with his friend he attempted to return back down the mountain to find his father. He quickly realized he was lost and began to panic. For nine days he walked through the wilderness alone, battling the elements, hunger, and fatigue. He was found in Stacyville, Maine, and shortly after reunited with his family.

Quantitative Reading Level:

Flesch-Kincaid 89.9

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 5.2

Qualitative Reading Analysis:
The book is written in American English. It begins with Fendler as an old man remembering his experience and then flashes back to his nine days lost on the mountain. The non-linear sequence of the text adds complexity to the story and may require students to need additional support to understand the timeline. The book is organized in ten sections, one for each day he was lost and tenths one for when he was found and reunited with his family. The book includes real excerpts from the Bangor Daily News that follow the investigation for Fendler. The newspaper excerpts adds another presentation of information in the story, which adds to the story's complexity. There book is illustrated with black and white cartoons.

Content Area:

Reading Literature Grade 4 and 5

Maine Common Core Content Area Standard:

English Language Arts Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.7
Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.7
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.9
Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Curriculum Suggestion:

Since the original story Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Donn Fendler is a required reading for the fourth grade in the state of Maine Lost Trail is an excellent option for fourth graders who are reluctant readers or reading below grade level. Teachers can also do compare and contrasting lessons with the book by either comparing the graphic novel to the original story. It can also be compared with a story like Hatchet to compare and contrast the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Fendler also makes personal appearances at schools throughout Maine to discuss his experience, so a teacher could have students read the book and then create their own questions to ask Fendler when he visits. One of the things Fendler discusses is wilderness safety, so teachers could use the book and his lecture for a safety unit. Teachers can also have students read the book and then do a lesson on reading maps by downloading the map of Fendler's journey from http://donnfendler.com/.

Personal Thoughts:

I loved this book! My fourth grade teacher read us the book and I found it captivating, so I was thrilled to discover another version of the book that is more accessible to reluctant readers!