Realistic Fiction

When I Was Young In The Mountains

By: Cynthia Rylant

Realistic fiction

Illustrated by: Diane Goode

Cynthia Rylants’s personal memories of growing up in a four-room house  (and shared with other family members) are expressed in Cool Ridge West Virginia, among the Appalachia Mountains. It is all about family and their faith in an impoverished back hills setting. Unfortunately, only the fond memories permeate through this very simplistic life. The Grandfather worked in a coal mine and only his lips were clean as he kissed the grandchild’s head. The photos indicate she had a younger brother. The food was indicative of south corn bread, pinto beans and fried okra. The girl went to out house with her grandmother in the night, sounds like she ate too much okra. There was a swimming hole that was muddy and dark and full of snakes but the children swam anyway. The girl stopped at country store for white butter. The elderly couple the Crawfords were the storeowners who happened looked alike and smelled of sweet milk (not sure if the fact they looked alike has some symbolism but it has been said that old married couples start looking like each other.) There was no in-house plumbing or a bathroom however, they had an outhouse and pumped water from the well. Baths were taken in the kitchen in and old metal tub. During bathing time grandmother made hot cocoa (on wood burning stove) to help warm them after bathing.  The church and schoolhouse used the same building and she remembers cousin Peter’s baptism in the swimming hole. Peters white wet shirt stuck to him and her grandmother cried. Grandmother new the ways of the mountain, she was tough and would kill black snakes with a hoe (if they would not leave peacefully). Clearly the family did not have cameras but they got a picture with a dead snake from a traveling photographer. There were many quiet evenings on the porch amongst the stars, dogs and birds. Bob Whites grandmother would shell beans or braid hair and grandfather sharpened the children’s pencils. As a child she had no desire to go to the ocean or the desert, she was contented with her home in the mountains.  Side note no mention of her parents at all in this story and this was not memories of summer visits she indicates she lived a portion of her childhood in this setting. Overall, this was an enjoyable story with great illustrations. I liked how it was realistic and obviously true to a mountain lifestyle. 

I Can Be Anything!

By: Jerry Spinelli

Realistic fiction

Illustrated by: Jimmy Liao

 This is a book based on the concept of “ what I want to be when I grow up.” Each line rhymes throughout the story for example “Pumpkin grower-dandelion blower, Paper plan folder-puppy dog holder, Puddle stomper-apple chomper, mixing bowl licker-tin can kicker, barefoot hopper-bubble gum popper, snowball smoother-baby-sis soother, gift unwrapper-jump and clapper, cheek to cheek grinner-dizzy dance spinner, cross legged sitter-make believe critter, deep hole digger-lemonade swigger, honey suckle smeller- silly joke teller, best part saver (took a piece of birthday cake)-good bye waver,” to name a few. There is a double fold out sheet at end of story that says, “So many jobs, They’re all such fun! I’m going to choose...(pages open) EVERY ONE!”

The book is bright and beautiful. The animation depicts a little boy doing the

actions listed above. Animals seem to be in each picture enjoying the fun with him.

The main repeating animals appear to be these adorable rabbits and penguins.  This is a refreshing look at the employment opportunities in life from a child’s perspective. Wouldn’t it be great if we could keep some of this fun alive in what we do as adults? It would appear from the jacket descriptions that both the author and the illustrator are doing just that. The author dreamed of being a cowboy when he grew up and the illustrator still dreams of being a train driver. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The imagination is endless even while reading this as and adult.

 

Owl Moon

By: Jane Yolen

 Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: John Schoenher

Shares the love of owling with the writer. Artwork is displayed in galleries.

True story from their family home in Massachusetts where her children were taken out on these cold late night winter journeys to see the great owls with her husband David (the illustrator used the actual farm for the illustrations). This was a special father child experience. Evidently “owling” is a hobby shared by many.  The writer seems to make the woods come alive with her detail to descriptive phrases throughout the story. For example, “The trees stood still as giant statues. The moon was so bright the sky seemed to shine, The trains sang out and the dogs joined in.

Soon the silence was as quiet as a dream. Our shadows made different shapes.”

Silence appears to be a must with this type of venture into the woods. Here is a direct quote that states the importance of silence, “The moon on Pa’s face made it look like a silver mask. The cold felt as if someone’s icy palm was against my back.

If you go owling you have to be quiet and make your own heat.” My favorite excerpt of the pieces are as  follows:

The shadows stained the white snow.

Mouth felt furry over the scarf which was wet and warm.

The clearing in the woods from the moon looked whiter than milk in a cereal bowl.

The owl came I looked so hard my eyes got cloudy from the cold.

Pa put the flashlight on the owl.

Time stood still…1 minute 3 minutes 100 minutes as they watched.

The owl pumped its wings and flew away.

All you need when owling is hope.

The kind of hope that flies on silent wings.

            Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this piece; it was a simplistic read that symbolized this girl’s culture. The beauty and mystery in the night reminded me of being outside in the dark. I would suggest this book to someone else in the future, great bedtime story.

The Lemonade Club

By: Patricia Polacco

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: Patricia Polacco

This is the story of two fifth grade girls and one of them is battling cancer (leukemia). The teacher Miss Wichelman is loved by all her students and makes her classroom a nurturing environment for the children to grow and learn in. Her favorite line from the book is, “When you get lemons add sugar and make lemonade,” as well as, “If you dream it then it can be! “ Marilyn began to lose weight and felt tired all the time. Shortly after she was diagnosed and Mrs. Whchelman discussed with the students what cancer was. She also explained how some people live and some die from it. Traci was Marilyn’s best friend and tried to encourage her the day Marilyn’s hair fell out. From this Traci, Marilyn and Miss Wichelman became good friends. The teacher told the girls she was engaged to get married and wanted both the girls to be in the wedding wearing lemon yellow colored dresses.  The entire class welcomed Marilyn back to school after her chemo by shaving all of their hair off too even including Miss Wichelman. Then she shared her dream with the girls of someday becoming a doctor and shortly after told the girls she was battling breast cancer herself. The girls were aware their teacher was probably going to have a mastectomy. Five years later, the teacher married and had became a doctor who treated cancer. Surprisingly her husband was a doctor too and the entire class came to the wedding.

Overall, I enjoyed how this was a true story by the author and that her daughter was Traci. I think it was great how the author was able to turn a very common reality into a fiction book. This is a great tool for families or teachers to show children the different aspects (hair loss) of cancer in an optimistic way. I would most definitely recommend this book to a classroom.

*The Doorbell Rang

By: Pat Hutchins

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: Pat Hutchins

This book is about two young children who come home from school with a dozen warm cookies that their Grandmother made waiting for them. Every time they are about to split the cookies another friend enters the room and they divide the batch again. This process continues until there is one cookie for each friend in the room. When they hear the doorbell ring for the last time everyone gets nervous because there are not enough cookies. They reluctantly open the door and there is one of their friend’s Grandma standing in the doorway with an arm full of warm cookies. This book is a good way to help children recognized problem solving strategies.

*Mrs. Nelson Is Missing

By: Harry Allard

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: James Marshall

         This story emphasizes children regretting teaching their students badly. When Mrs. Nelson’s students are treating her badly she decides to go away and have a substitute Mrs. Viola Swamp come and teach. When Viola Swamp is there the children are miserable because there are no fun activities going on, just learning. The students begin to miss having Mrs. Nelson as their teacher and regret the way they were treating her. I believe this is a great book to read on the first week of school or when you are absent from class. I plan on using this book in my classroom.

*I Want an Iguana

By: Karen Kuafman Orloff

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: David Catrow

         This brightly colored children’s book is about a boy who desperately wants an Iguana. He wants one so badly that he writes a letter to his mother explaining all of the reasons he can take care of one. As the story unfolds through letters between himself and his mother hints of sarcastic cues are displayed. In the end his dream comes true and he gets an Iguana. I enjoyed how the book was formatted in letterforms. It is a first hand example of how to write a letter and a good way for children to realize they can write their feelings down too. I would love to have this book on my classroom library shelf.

*St. Patrick’s Day In The Morning

By: Eve Bunting

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: Jan Brett

         This story is about a young Irish boy who wakes up before everyone in his family. It is the morning of St. Patrick’s day and every year the older patrons walk up the highest hill in their community and celebrate the holiday. On this morning, the young boy decides that he is now big enough to walk up the hill (despite his parents disregard). He walks through his town and up the hill with his dog. When they reach the top of the hill he puts a flag in a glass bottle marking that he had made it up to the top of the hill. He climbs all the way back down the hill and goes back inside his house before anyone in his family wakes up. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend this book to any classroom especially on St. Patrick’s day. 

*We’re going on a Bearhunt

Retold by: Michael Rosen

Realistic Fiction

Illustrated by: Helen Oxenbury

            This is a re-vamped version on the traditional story. This family goes on a bear hunt and in order to ‘get away from the bear,’ they squish and stomp through the water, grass, mud, and even snow.  Which each event they go through a new sound is introduced to the plot. As I read this story I could sense the plot building, with each page I turned. I feel like this is a great story to get the involved with the story in. For example you could have the children act out each sound and movement as they were described on every new page. Overall, I think this is a great story to incorporate in your story.