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Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Emergent Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Dr. Seuss. (1960). One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. New York:
Beginner Books; distributed by Random House.

Plot: A boy and a girl see many different fish, as well as other creatures, throughout the book and identify
their different characteristics.

Setting: Outside, In a House

Theme: Rhyme, Diversity

Characterization: The author gives the characters in the book many human characteristics.

Style: Rhyme.

Point of View: Third person omniscient.

Reflections: This book reminds me of my childhood. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish was one of
the first books I ever read as a child, and was one of my favorite books to read because it was humorous
to me. Aside from humor, this book is wonderful for children because it gives them the opportunity to
rhyme and the illustrations are very detailed and colorful.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Emergent Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Carle, E. (1984). The Very Busy Spider. New York: Philomel Books.

Plot: A spider builds a web on a fencepost on a farm and different characters try to talk to her, and she did
not answer because she was busy spinning her web.

Setting: A farm.

Theme: Hard work and determination.

Characterization: The author gives the farm animals the ability to talk to the spider.

Style: The animals make their noise, and then ask if the spider wants to join them in their everyday
activities.

Point of View: Third person omniscient.

Reflections: This story makes a perfect art project for students in the primary grades. For instance, in my
Kindergarten internship class, we read this story and gave the students white paper and had the students
draw a spiral in a white crayon. Then, the students drew vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines on the
paper and painted the white paper with black watercolor. This made the spiders web. They thoroughly
enjoyed this activity because not only did they get to do an art project, they found that animals talking
was humorous.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Emergent Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Martin, B. (1989). Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. New York: Simon & Schuster
Books for Young Readers.

Plot: The letters talk to each other in ABC order about going up the coconut tree, but the tree falls down
and the letters get injured. However, instead of staying down, all of the newly-injured letters climb back
up the coconut tree.

Setting: The coconut tree.

Theme: Rhyme, Fun, Determination

Characterization: The author gives the letters human-like injuries when they fall from the coconut tree.

Style: Rhyme.

Point of View: Third person omniscient.

Reflections: This was one of my favorite books I read in school. When we read this story, we all dressed
like the coconut tree. This book gave us a fun reason to learn the alphabet because we were not allowed to
be the coconut tree unless we had learned our alphabet.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Emergent Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Carle, E. (1998). The Very Clumsy Click Beetle. New York: Philomel Books.

Plot: A young click beetle gets stuck on his back and has to learn how to flip back over.

Setting: Outside.

Theme: Determination.

Characterization: The author portrays the young click beetle as helpless and requires the young click
beetle to flip over by himself rather than having other characters help flip him over.

Style: Repetition.

Point of View: Third person objective.

Reflections: The book is great for teaching students that anything is possible when you set your mind to
it.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Carle, E. (1987). The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York: Philomel Books.

Plot: A hungry caterpillar is born from an egg on a leaf. The caterpillar eats fruit every day and ends up
getting sick and wraps up into a cocoon and then turns into a beautiful butterfly.

Setting: On a leaf

Theme: Growing

Characterization: The author gives the caterpillar the ability to get sick.

Style: Chronological.

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: I remember reading this book as a child, and I loved it. Throughout the book, there are holes
from where the caterpillar ate the fruit. This serves as a great connection for students.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Numeroff, L. J. (1985). If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. New York: Harper &
Row.

Plot: A mouse eats a cookie and asks for several other things because he ate a cookie.

Setting: In a house

Theme: There is a reaction for every action.

Characterization: The author gives the mouse human characteristics and shows that a chain of events is
to follow.

Style: Chronological

Point of View: Third person narrative

Reflections: I think this book is really cute and it provides the perfect learning opportunity for studentsthat every action causes a reaction or a chain of events.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Dr. Seuss. (1960). Green Eggs and Ham. New York: Beginner Books;
distributed by Random House.

Plot: Sam loves green eggs and ham and is trying to convince his friend to try green eggs and ham.

Setting: Box, house, car, outside, train, boat

Theme: Try new things

Characterization: The characters are given human characteristics and like certain foods.

Style: Rhyme

Point of View: Third person

Reflections: This book is very fun for kids and has a lot of rhyming words that are perfect for children
learning to rhyme.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Freeman, D. (1968). Corduroy. New York: Viking Press.

Plot: There is a teddy bear who is missing a button for sale and a young girl wants to buy him but her
mom wont let her because he is missing a button.

Setting: Department store

Theme: Dont judge something based off its appearance.

Characterization: The characters are portrayed to support typical gender stereotypes.

Style: The author writes adventurously.

Point of View: Third person narrative.

Reflections: I think this book is important for children because it teaches them that there are more to
things than what they look like.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Picture Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Brown, M. W. (1947). Goodnight Moon. New York: Harper.

Plot: The rabbit has a bedtime routine where he goes around the room and says goodnight to everything.

Setting: A rabbits bedroom.

Theme: Rituals are important in everyday life.

Characterization: The rabbit cannot go to bed without completing his every day ritual, like many of us.

Style: Repetitive- the rabbit continuously says goodnight to things around his room and has a ritual for
doing so.

Point of View: Narrative.

Reflections: I think this book is perfect for children because it teaching children that everyday rituals are
important to life. For instance, it can teach kids that upon going to sleep, you need to say goodnight to
things and people that are important in their everyday life.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fictional Picture

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Allsburg, C. (1985). The Polar Express. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Plot: A child goes to the North Pole on Christmas Eve and Santa fixes his lost bell.

Setting: The North Pole and the boys house.

Theme: Imagination.

Characterization: The author allows the boy to go to the North Pole and continues to allow him to hear
the bell until he gets older unless he believes in the spirit of Christmas.

Style: The author has the words written above the pictures.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: This book is great for children because it teaches kids to believe no matter what.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fictional Picture

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Henkes, K. (1991). Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot: Chrysanthemum goes to school and her classmates make fun of her because of her name, but her
teacher has as unique of a name and her classmates all want to be named after flowers now.

Setting: School, home.

Theme: Every individual is special and unique in their own way.

Characterization: Some of the characters in the book are named after flowers that have long names.

Style: The author uses different, complex names for the characters.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think this book is important for students because it teaches them that each individual is
important and unique. This is important because throughout everyday life, humans forget this.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fictional Picture

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: O'Niell, A. (2002). The Recess Queen. New York: Scholastic.

Plot: No one is allowed to play on the playground until Mean Jean does until Katie Sue comes along and
refuses to listen to Mean Jean.

Setting: Playground.

Theme: Bullying is not okay.

Characterization: The author portrays Mean Jean bigger than the rest of the character.

Style: The book is written in a way that children can easily understand.

Point of View: Third person

Reflections: I think this book is important for elementary aged children because it is important to teach
children that bullying is not acceptable whatsoever.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fictional Picture

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Silverstein, S. (1964). The Giving Tree. New York: Harper & Row.

Plot: The tree gives the boy everything she can until she is left as a stump.

Setting: Base of the tree.

Theme: Be happy as long as youre helping others.

Characterization: The tree gives the boy everything that she can to please the boy.

Style: The book is written simply.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think this book is important because kids need to know that it is important to help others,
and that is how a happy society is formed.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick
Press.

Plot: A girl meets a dog in Winn Dixie and names it Winn Dixie.

Setting: Florida.

Theme: Friendship

Characterization: The author makes the characters relate to everyday life through their emotions and
actions.

Style: Chapter Book

Point of View: First Person

Reflections: I think this book is important for students because it teaches the value of friendship.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Clements, A., & Selznick, B. (1996). Frindle. New York, N.Y.: Simon &
Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Plot: A boy invents a new word for a pen- a frindle. The word gets out of control, and his parents and
teacher wants the word to stop being spread around because, after all, it is just a made up word.

Setting: School.

Theme: Power of language.

Characterization: The boy is smart and continuously asks questions to get out of learning, and creates a
new word for pen. His teacher is incredibly observant and does not fall for his antics.

Style: Chapter Book

Point of View: Third person omniscient.

Reflections: I think this book is important because it shows students how powerful words can be, whether
theyre creative, harmful, etc.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Cole, J. (1989). The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body. New York:
Scholastic.

Plot: The kids go to a museum to learn about the human body, but the bus ends up shrinking and the
students end up taking a field trip through the human body.

Setting: Inside the magic school bus, inside the body.

Theme: Human body

Characterization: The students and Mrs. Frizzle shrink as the school bus shrinks, too.

Style: This book is written as a field trip, which is always appealing to students.

Point of View: Third Person.

Reflections: I LOVED the Magic School Bus as a student. I learned so much through the Magic School
Bus books and movies and feel that this series benefitted me as a student.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Olson, K., & Lohse, O. (2005). The assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press.

Plot: The Lincolns go to Fords Theatre, and Abraham Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth. President
Lincoln is then moved to a boarding house where he dies.

Setting: Fords Theatre.

Theme: The assassination of President Lincoln.

Characterization: The characters are based off of real life teachers.

Style: The readers are taken back in time to the assassination of President Lincoln.

Point of View: Third Person.

Reflections: I think this book is important for children because it teaches the students about the
assassination of President Lincoln.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Tesar, J. (1998). The Planets. Reed Educational and Professional Publishing.

Plot: Introduces the nine planets in the solar system starting from the closest to the Sun to the farthest.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: The Planets of the Solar System.

Characterization: No characterization.

Style: The book dedicates a page for each planet.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think this book is important, because students need to know that Earth is not the only
planet. In the future, knowing the planets helps in several different aspects of science.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Welsbaucher, A. (1997). The Earth. ABDO & Daughters.

Plot: Introduces the Earth as a structure and identifies different components of the Earth that give it the
ability to sustain life.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: Earth.

Characterization: No characterization.

Style: Speaks of new topics through pictures and facts.

Point of View: Third Person.

Reflections: I think this book is important because it is important for students to know about the place
they live.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Meister, C. (2001). Bulldogs. Edina, Minn.: Abdo Pub.

Plot: Talks about the history of bulldogs and each species of bulldog.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: Bulldogs.

Characterization: No Characterization.

Style: Introduces different topics through order of importance.

Point of View: Third Person.

Reflections: Although not entirely too important, I think this book would be beneficial to students who
have bulldogs at home or are interested in getting a bulldog.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Tang, G. & Briggs, H. (2005). Math Potatoes: Mind Stretching Brain Food.
New York: Scholastic Press.

Plot: Each page has a different poem regarding a different math topic.

Setting: Each page has a different setting.

Theme: New math concepts.

Characterization: No characterization.

Style: Rhyme.

Point of View: Some poems are in third person, some poems are in first person,

Reflections: I think this book is important because throughout their school career, students learn different
math concepts that they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Leedy, L. (1995). 2x2=Boo! Holiday House.

Plot: Two witches cats wait outside and share stories about creatures that attack them. They then explain
what happens when you multiply different creatures by different numbers.

Setting: Different settings throughout the book ranging from outside of the store, the witches houses, and
outside.

Theme: Multiplication

Characterization: Different characters appear to make the book interesting for students to learn how to
multiply.

Style: Comedic.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think this book is important because it gives the students the ability to learn multiplication
without having to listen to someone explain multiplication to them.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Information Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Abells, C., & Shem, R. (1986). The Children We Remember: Photographs from
the Archives of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, Jerusalem, Israel.
New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot: The story begins with children before they are taken away by Nazis, and goes through the events of
the Holocaust that these children were a part of.

Setting: Countries that were under Nazi control.

Theme: Holocaust.

Characterization: The survivors of the Holocaust are the characters in this book.

Style: Relies mainly on pictures.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think it is important for students to learn about the Holocaust because it is an important part
of history that society needs to make sure doesnt happen again.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Historical Fiction

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Lowry, L. (1989). Number The Stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Plot: The characters run away from German soldiers so they can keep their lives (they are Jewish).

Setting: Denmark during the Holocaust

Theme: Growing up

Characterization: The author shows the characters growing up and performing tasks more mature than
they should be at their age.

Style: Written from the main characters point of view.

Point of View: First person.

Reflections: This book made me think about whether or not I could have lived during the Holocaust. This
book would serve as a perfect book project book for older elementary grades because it shows how
sometimes you have to be older than your age.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Historical Fiction

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Crispin: The Cross of Lead. (2002). New York: Hyperion Books For Children.

Plot: A fugitive flees his home and has to gain his freedom.

Setting: England during the Middle Ages

Theme: Family and Friendship

Characterization: Portrays characters in a way that you somewhat feel sorry for them.

Style: First person point of view makes the reader wonder what other characters are thinking.

Point of View: First Person.

Reflections: Overall, I would not use this book in my classroom. I feel that it is too dark for elementary
aged children, and at the elementary age, students do not know much about the Middle Ages.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Biographies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Berne, J. On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein.

Plot: Goes through the life of Albert Einstein.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: Dont judge a book by its cover.

Characterization: The author portrays Albert Einstein to be considered weird by the other characters
although he is a genius.

Style: Picture Book

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: This book would be wonderful to keep in the classroom. I think it is important for students to
know the history of Albert Einstein because he is a reason we have many of the things we have today.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Biographies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Bauer, M. (2010). My First Biography: Harriet Tubman. Scholastic.

Plot: A woman escaped slavery and helps other slaves fight for equality.

Setting: 1800s.

Theme: Dont stop fighting for what you believe in.

Characterization: This book shows that anyone can make a difference.

Style: Picture Book

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: I think this book would serve well in a classroom that is learning about the Civil War Era
and slavery. I think it is important for students to understand the past.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Biographies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Winter, J. (2011). The Watcher: Jane Goodalls Life with the Chimps. New
York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Plot: Shows chronologically Jane Goodalls life.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: Jane Goodall.

Characterization: The book shows Jane Goodalls life.

Style: Picture Book.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I think this book would serve well in a classroom because not many people think of
observing animals as an everyday thing. It allows students to use their imagination for what they could
want to be in the future, and would serve as a great book to do a project on.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Biographies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Ferris, J. (2012). Noah Webster and His Words. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.

Plot: The book goes through the chronological events of Noah Websters life.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: How the dictionary was invented.

Characterization: Uses pictures to show Noah Webster as he ages.

Style: Picture Book

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: When we read this book in my Emergent Literacy class, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.
Although I enjoyed this book, I do not think elementary aged children would.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Biographies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Tieck, S. (2009). Selena Gomez. Buddy Books.

Plot: Chronology of Selena Gomezs life.

Setting: No setting.

Theme: Selena Gomezs life so far.

Characterization: Shows pictures of Selena Gomez.

Style: Lists facts about Selena Gomez.

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: Personally, I do not think that someone who is the same age as I am should have a
biography- I think biographies should be reserved for those who have passed on, or for those who have
impacted the way we live our lives now. However, I would probably have this book in my classroom
because my students would know who Selena Gomez is.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Traditional Literature

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Perrault, C. (1999). Cinderella: A Fairy Tale. New York: North South
Books.

Plot: Cinderella is forced to do all of the housework by her stepmother and stepsisters. Her fairy
godmother helps her attend the princes ball and she loses her glass slipper.

Setting: Cinderellas house, Prince Charmings castle.

Theme: Dreams can take you far.

Characterization: The author gives the stepsisters and stepmother nasty attitudes, but makes Cinderella
humble.

Style: This book was translated from French to English.

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: This story is the closest story to the one that we are all familiar with. I would keep this in my
classroom because it would be a familiar book to my students based on the Cinderella movie by Disney.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Traditional Literature

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Climo, S. (1993). The Korean Cinderella. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Plot: Pear Blossom cannot go to the festival until all her chores are done, but animals help her go to the
festival.

Setting: Ancient Korea

Theme: Good things happen to good people.

Characterization: Pear Blossom is mistreated but is kind.

Style: Introduces Korean words

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: This book reminds me of Disneys Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs because the animals in
that movie help Snow White. I would keep this book in my classroom because it provides my students the
opportunity to learn a few Korean words.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Traditional Literature

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Grimm, J. (1978). Cinderella. New York: Larousse.

Plot: Cinderella prays to a wishing tree to go to the festival after her stepmother refuses to let her go and
Cinderella loses a glass slipper.

Setting: Cinderellas house and her mothers grave.

Theme: Coming of age

Characterization: Cinderella is mistreated but consistently prays for her dreams to come true.

Style: The pages are designed make you feel the mood that Cinderella is in.

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: I like that Cinderellas mother was remembered in this story, even if it at her gravesite. I
think it is important to remember loved ones who have passed on. I like the way that the pages are
designed so that the reader can feel Cinderellas moods and can sympathize with her.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fantasy Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Baum, L. (1995). The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Champaign, Ill.: Project
Gutenberg.

Plot: A tornado comes and takes Dorothy and her dog into the Land of Oz and they make new friends.

Setting: Oz.

Theme: Theres no place like home.

Characterization: The book portrays each character as missing something valuable.

Style: Picture Book.

Point of View: Third Person Omniscient.

Reflections: I think it is important to keep this book in the classroom because it is a story that the
majority of students are already familiar with. This book teaches that there is no place like home, and if
you think you are missing courage, a brain, or a heart, that you truly have one already.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Fantasy Books

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Levine, G. (1997). Ella Enchanted. Scholastic.

Plot: Ella was given a gift that is more a curse.

Setting: Kyrria.

Theme: You can make your own choices.

Characterization: The author portrays Ella as inferior, but trying to break free from it.

Style: Written so it reminds the reader of Cinderella, without realizing that it is the same story.

Point of View: First Person.

Reflections: I think my students would enjoy this book in the classroom because the movie Ella
Enchanted is similar to this story. If students are already similar to something, they are drawn to it.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Poetry Anthologies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Scieszka, J. (1992). The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.
New York, N.Y., USA: Viking.

Plot: No plot because there are several different poems.

Setting: Different settings.

Theme: Different themes.

Characterization: Each page has its own story, so each page has its own different characters.

Style: A mix of wording and pictures.

Point of View: Third Person

Reflections: I think most students would know the poems that are in the book, so I think it would be a
great book to keep in the classroom.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Poetry Anthologies

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems & Drawings of
Shel Silverstein. New York: Harper and Row.

Plot: Different plot on each page.

Setting: Different setting on each page.

Theme: Different theme on each page.

Characterization: Each character in the poems are quirky and different.

Style: Poetic.

Point of View: First Person

Reflections: This was personally one of my favorite books to read throughout my childhood. Each poem
made me laugh. Because of this, I think this book would be wonderful in the classroom because it gives
children the chance to imagine and to laugh.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Pieces of Literature

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Burnett, E. (1962). The Secret Garden. Philadelphia: Lippincott.

Plot: Mary discovers a secret doorway that allows her to be transformed.

Setting: Marys uncles estate.

Theme: Nature and human relationships

Characterization: Each character has their own battles they have to overcome

Style: Different flower names are present throughout the book.

Point of View: Third Person Omniscient

Reflections: I think this book would be good to keep in the class because it can give the reader the chance
to know that nature can change someone for the better.

Name: Allison Benthal

Genre: Classic Pieces of Literature

Literary Analysis
Bibliographic Information: Milne, A. (1994). Winnie the Pooh. Burbank, Calif.: Mouse Works.

Plot: Many adventures of a bear and his friends.

Setting: Hundred Acre Wood

Theme: Friendship

Characterization: The animals all talk, and Christopher Robin is the only human in the book, and he can
understand the animals.

Style: Written like we are a character in the book.

Point of View: Third person.

Reflections: I grew up with Winnie the Pooh and I think that this book would serve well as a book to
enjoy reading during leisure time.

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