Running head: Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 1

Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal

Rebecca Horgan
Towson University
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 2

Background
This summer I was fortunate enough to read various extremely deep and thoughtful books with
many different styles of writing. Many times I found myself laughing aloud, crying tears of joy,
sadness, and fear, or having many flashbacks to my own life because it was easy for me to
connect to the main characters. One things for sure, I couldn’t stop reading the books once I
started. Every book was what I like to call a page turner with the constant urge to skip ahead and
make sure that the story turned out OK (which sometimes occurred). After alphabetizing my
reading list by author’s last name I made my trip to my local library (Long Branch Library,
Takoma Park). In two trips (some items were put on hold) I was able to get every book I needed.
Here are my personal responses and reactions to each.
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 3

The Crossover (June 22nd, 2015)

By Kwame Alexander
I was excited to read my first book especially since it
was a Newberry award winner and I was able to finally sit
down and absorb the literature. When I first opened this book
I was a little surprised to see the format. The book was
divided into six sections, all times of what a basketball game
would be like. Also, short lines, some rhyming, words
moving around the page? This was different for me. As I
began reading I found how easy it was turn this book into a
page tuner. I was happy that I was able to read this narrative
poem from the perspective that I am not accustomed or
acquainted with. The story of a young, twin, African
American boy. I believe that children reading this book would
be more motivated to write poetry, possibly seeing it as a
story telling tool, especially boys and basketball enthusiasts.
Although I was not used to this perspective and learned a lot, Image source:
I had some connections to the game. Many of my childhood https://www.worldcat.org/title/crossov
memories of playing basketball (age 9 and on) came up during er/oclc/842316307
his practices and games. I remembered my coaches, one coach
in particular, whose daughter was on our team, and how much she shouted at the sidelines during
games. I knew she wanted the best for our team, and her daughter, but it was definitely stressful,
like Josh, his twin, and dad displayed during the games. I found myself learning about the family
dynamics, how the parents spoke to each other, how the twins grew apart (due to girl problems
aka Miss Sweet Tea), the father and mother figure for the twins, and the circle of friends and
teammates. I found myself laughing hysterically at the Josh’s nickname and his family backing
it. Then I was able to see many instances of foreshadowing which made me nervous for the fate
of their father with the mother nagging often about his eating (especially his secret Krispy Kreme
addiction), his grandfather’s cause of death, and the father’s symptoms. Tears and fear filled me
up in the poem/ chapter “At Noon in the Gym”. I really thought that was it for dad, but it still
came later in “Game Over”. I wondered if Josh felt regret for continuing to play while his father
was in the hospital, but it seemed he knew that’s what his father would’ve wanted. Overall, I
thoroughly enjoyed reading and absorbing this poetic story of a boy facing life’s challenges of
his family, school, and basketball.
Memorable Quotes
 All Basketball Rules:
o #1 – pg. 20 “…your family is the court and the ball is your heart…”
o #2 – pg. 51 “…work smart live smarter…”
o #3 – pg. 66 “…the sky is your limit, sons. Always shoot for the sun and
you will shine”
o #4 – pg. 71 “If you miss enough of life’s free throws you will pay in the
end”
o #5 – pg. 93 “When you stop playing your game you’ve already lost”
o #6 – pg. 129 “A great team has a good scored with a teammate who’s on
point and ready to assist”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 4

o #7 – pg. 146 “Rebounding is the art of anticipating, of always being

prepared to grab it. But you can’t drop the ball”
o #8 – pg. 191 “Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away to
get the best shot”
o #9 – pg. 214 “…Grab the ball. Take it to the hoop.”
o #10 – pg. 230 “…True champions learn to dance through the storms”
 Pg.8 “It fits you perfectly, Josh, she said: You never clean your closet, and that
bed of yours is always filled with cookie crumbs and candy wrappers. It’s just
plain nasty, son”
 Pg.9 “That’s my boy out there. Keep it funky, Filthy!”
 Pg. 202 “As in: dad’s in a coma because of a myocardial infarction, which is the
same thing my grandfather died of. So what does that mean for me and JB?”
 Pg. 237 “I watch the ball leave his hands like a bird up high, skating the sky,
crossing over us.”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 5

El Deafo (June 24th, 2015-June 25th, 2015)

By Cece Bell
This was the first graphic novel I have read since my long
summer days in middle school, reading Archie comic after
Archie comic. This specific graphic novel was not only an
entertaining and comical story, but it was also a memoir (minus
being a bunny rabbit) of the author’s life growing up being deaf
and the technology associated with it. It was when I saw the
Polaroid of Cece and her friend with the caption of “1974” that
I flipped to the end to read about the author, and there it was,
the photograph of (human) Cece with her hearing aid. At first I
was surprised how easily I remembered how to read this type of
text, but it did help that I had recently researched the various
components of graphic novels furthering my understanding of
the flow of a typical graphic novel. I assumed that with
minimal text I’d finish the book in a breeze, but with so many
Image source: clear and crisp graphics, I found myself looking all over and
https://www.goodreads.com/book/sho finding little bits and pieces of the text hidden, as well as the
w/20701984-el-deafo details of each setting. One example were the numerous
amounts of Cece’s thought bubbles which not only had text, it even had an image to explain her
perspective. I found myself feeling sorry for her and her family, especially when they first took
her to the hospital. It was interesting to see how the words disappeared for her using empty
speech bubbles because for her, there was no sounds. Then there was the aspect of friendship.
Several of her experiences with “friends” I am sure everyone has gone through at one time or
another. I imagine that relationships among family and friends are parts that go along with
growing up and facing them head on, but to see that she was responding to not only this obstacle,
but in addition, her deafness. Ultimately, this is another book I will unquestionably recommend
not only to other educators, but to students as well because I believe they should see how this
character was able to preserver, despite the barriers of being deaf, and demonstrate how able she
was to succeed in anything. In 2nd grade, when we learn about persistence and motivation, we
read the biography of Helen Keller, next year, I will hopefully have the time to read this graphic
novel too!
Memorable Quotes
 Pg. 1-2 “I was a regular little kid.” “But then everything changed.”
 Pg. 43-45 “I have amazing abilities unknown to anyone!” “Holy hearing aid, Batman” “I
will amaze everyone”
 Pg. 127 “I lip read Martha saying, “Did you just turn your hearing aids off on me?”
 Pg. 232-233 “Ok. I think it’s finally time to tell you all about…EL DEAFO!”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 6

Love that Dog (June 27th, 2015)

By Sharon Creech
Once again I was amazed at the amount of children’s
literature in poetic form. The poetic and diary narrative style
makes it easy to quickly absorb each page and feeling. In this
book the poetry is very direct. Its childhood memories bring
up a lot of unanswered questions and thoughts that cross
through the mind while learning about poetry and life’s
lessons. Every year I teach poetry in 2nd grade and I always
find that as we learn about the various forms of poetry, each
student finds one they adore and they really just don’t stop
writing. Since I am an animal person, the adoption their dog
Sky was a part that really connected to me. I myself have
three dogs and growing up, starting at the age of seven, have
always had dogs become part of my family and my life. I
currently have a dog named Sky, too. Not only that, I had a
very similar and depressing experience. Sky, Tank, and Image source:
Coco’s older sister Roxy was only six months old when it http://www.amazon.com/Love-That-
happened. I had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree Dog-Sharon-
from Towson a week before. It was the end of May, two days Creech/dp/0064409597#reader_00644
09597
from Roxy’s surgery to be spayed, she ran into the street.
Being a Rat Terrier Roxy was only maybe five pounds and still not fully grown. It was right in
front of my house and all of it occurred so fast. One second she was my little baby, the next she
had been run over by a large white truck. No longer was she breathing. When I was reading the
rest of the book after that I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing all the way to the poem “Love
that Dog”. Since I fell in love with this book, and have two kittens, I must read the book Creech
has also written, “Hate that Cat” which sequels to this book.
Memorable Quotes
 Pg. 13 “Yes, I used to have a pet. I don’t want to write about it. You’re going to ask me
Why not? Right?”
 Pg. 26-27 “and his long tail wag-wag-wagging as if he were saying Me me me! Choose
me!”
 Pg. 44 “…when I had my yellow dog I loved that dog and I would call him like this- I’d
say- Hey there, Sky! (His name was Sky.)”
 Pg. 86
“Love that dog
like a bird loves to fly
I said love that dog
like a bird loves to fly
like a bird loves to fly
Love to call him in the morning
love to call him
“Hey there, Sky!”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 7

Out of my Mind (June 27th, 2015-June 29th, 2015)

By Sharon Draper
Inspiring, awe dropping, and unbelievable! I was
intrigued after reading that Melody had eidetic memory,
something that I have strived for after falling in love with and
growing up with the Cam Jenson series as the main character
has this ability. Not only does this young lady Melody have
such a challenging road due to her loss of body control (except
limited arm and hand), she is in fifth grade. I remember that
year being especially difficult for myself and friends because
that was the year when kids can get pretty inconsiderate to say
the least. At some points this book had me shouting expletives
out loud. I couldn’t stand that teacher Ms. Billups. I couldn’t
stand some of those classmates. I couldn’t stand her “team
members”. I couldn’t stand that she couldn’t communicate
when she really needed to, especially that moment with her
younger sister. What a moment! I screamed, I had to keep Image source:
reading ahead to make sure Penny was fine, and alas, she was http://www.amazon.com/Out-My-
taken to the hospital which was a good sign. But, after the way Mind-Sharon-
I felt I despised certain people in her life, it truly established Draper/dp/1416971718#reader_1416
the annoyance that people with Melody’s abilities have to face 971718
on a daily basis due to the fact that there wasn’t a way for her to express her needs. I loved that
she could show them all what she was truly capable of. When, through the use of her computer,
she was finally able to show off her eidetic memory and all her studying that really paid off.
Memorable Quotes
 Pg. 1 “Words. I’m surrounded by thousands of words. Maybe Millions.”
 Pg. 2 “I have never spoken one single word. I am almost eleven years old.”
 Pg. 126 “I tap out the question for Catherine: Computer for me? “I have no idea!” she
replies. “Let’s check it out.”
 Pg. 138 “…the machine speaks the words I’ve never been able to say. “I love you.””
 Pg. 190 “But yesterday Melody blew us all away. She got every single question right.”
 Pg. 261 “The morning started out like crystal, but the day has turned to broken glass.”
 Pg. 276 “I shrieked, I screeched, I yelled. The rain poured. The thunder roared. Slowly,
the big car rolled backward. I felt the soft thud. I became deadly silent”.
 Pg. 289 “Why did you leave me?”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 8

Wonder (June 29th, 2015-June 30th, 2015)

By R.J. Palacio
Hands down my favorite perspective was Auggie.
I think that was how it was supposed to be, but, I almost
long for more. Luckily Palacio has cooked up some more
books in this series. Once I return these books I know of
several books that’ll be on my check out list. It was
amazing to read how little Auggie impacted so many
lives even outside his family. In many parts I was teary
eyed reading about his true friends Summer and Jack.
How his true friends look more deeply into Auggie,
including his sister and her friends. This book is a great
“growing up” story where not only the main character
faces the everyday challenges of going to school, making
new friends, losing touch with the old, and then
rekindling. I loved diving into the secrets that Auggie
pondered, or his sister, then going back in time to find out Image source:
what happened and why. I found myself going to the http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-
previous perspective to the time where the next would J-Palacio/dp/0375869026
start, just to jog my memory of what Auggie or someone
else was doing or thinking. I think that kids might do the same, interacting with this unique style
of writing with various points of view. I am definitely excited to see that there are even more
perspectives available to sneak a peek into someone else’s thoughts in the world of Auggie and
abilities academically and to imprint wonder on all who meet him.
Memorable Quotes
 Pg. 3 “But I know ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in
playgrounds”
 Pg. 73 “For me, Halloween is the best holiday in the world. It even beats Christmas. I get
to dress up in a costume. I get to wear a mask. I get to go around like every other kid with
a mask and nobody thinks I looks weird. Nobody takes a second look. Nobody notices
me. Nobody knows me.”
 Pg. 274 “But something was different. Something had changed”
 Pg. 310 “You really are a wonder, Auggie. You are a wonder.”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 9

The Higher Power of Lucky (July 2nd, 2015)

By Susan Patron
Wow, another book to add to my collection of books on
adoption with a Newberry Award! Not only one book, because
this is the first of a trilogy of stories from Hard Pan. I wonder if
they called it that because one, it is “hard” to survive in the
middle of nowhere with sandstorms and what not. There were
so many different diverse perspectives, but I knew adoption
was going to be the one as it has taken a huge part of my life.
This books furthers and confirms what I know and am still
learning about adoption. It is true that many children do feel
unwanted in an adoptive process, as Lucky did. In this story,
Lucky was always unsure how Brigitte really felt about her.
Having trouble reading her, she always assumed to be a
nuisance to her. It didn’t help that she was already unwanted by
her own father, and that Brigitte was her father’s previous
Image source: relationship to her mother. You really can’t get too much more
https://forestofpaper.wordpress.com/2 awkward than that. I actually I loved the way that her friends
012/11/19/the-higher-power-of- were introduced. Miles with his rightful obsession of “Are You
lucky-by-susan-patron-book-review/ My Mother” and Lincoln with his knots, not to mention his
way of correcting the politically incorrect road sign. Many
parts of this book made me laugh, especially how she was able to open with an AA meeting was
definitely original. This was the cause for the title, as in the AA meetings many were looking for
that higher power after hitting rock bottom. With the town population at 43, Lucky had access to
at least a third of the town’s secrets. The way the author portrayed the small town she lived in
made it almost feel like you could see it and you were there yourself.
Memorable Quotes
 Pg. 42 “But what Lucky wanted most was for that sign to stay the same forever, with no
subtracting allowed.”
 Pg. 79 “Right now she had proof that Brigitte was going back to France. That put Lucky
at rock bottom.”
 Pg. 132 “You know if anyone ever hurt you I would rip their heart out.”
Children’s Literature Reading Log Journal 10

Yellow Star
By Jennifer Roy
While reading this book I did so much extra historical
research. I really appreciated the author also including the date
as part of each section of the book. Another surprise that this
book was written a poetic style, as well as the titles
introducing each topic. The author also included historic facts
at the beginning of each time period. This helped me jog my
memory of the various historical events. This reminded of
literature I read in school, a couple of Jewish diaries by
prominent Ely Wiesel and of course Ann Frank. This
particular book I made sure not to skip ahead, from what I had
learned in the many history classes and books I have read was
that an unspeakable amount of Jewish people were killed, I
think if I remember correctly it was around six million Jews
that were murdered, even more if you include famine. Every
Image source: Nazi Syvia and her family encountered I held my breath as I
http://www.amazon.com/Yellow- was sure that would be it for someone in their family that
Star-Jennifer-Roy/dp/0761463100 would be killed or “taken away”. Somehow, choking up I
would be able to keep reading. Sure enough, their distant
family and neighbors were not as fortunate throughout their experience living in the ghetto. I am
relieved that the family could stay together, as both Syvia and her father both followed their gut
to help themselves survive as well as the rest stuck or hiding out in the ghetto. It was interesting
to see this perspective from such a young child, event through the author was related to Syvia,
she was able to portray the dynamics of hiding as a child from the Nazis in the ghetto. This
historical fiction makes me contemplate more about the past and figure out ways we can preserve
the past, this story being a great way to do so, especially for young historians.