Stargirl

Stargirl
Jerry Spinelli
Random House Children's Books
Copyright 2002
Pages: 208
Reading Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
Summary:
Leo Borlock got a porcupine necktie as a goodbye present from Uncle Pete as Leo's family moved to Mica Arizona. He decided to start collecting porcupine neckties, but was never able to find any until one birthday two were left on the doorstep for him. In Leo's junior year in high school, Stargirl showed up. She was as different from normal as you could get. She sang Happy Birthday to students during lunch, wore costumes to school, and made her desk into a personal space for each class. The whole school falls in love with her and wake up from the hibernation they had been in. Students started to go to sporting events, they developed their own personal styles, and they were excited about life. Stargirl was invited to join the cheerleading squad and she cheered for everyone, she even cheered when the opposing team scored a point. The school began to loose spirit when Stargirl ran to the aid of the opposing team's star player. They turned on her when they lost. Stargirl was invited to be on hotseat and it turned into a bashing contest, everyone on the jury tried to put her down the best. After this, Leo and Stargirl start to date. Leo finally realizes that nobody talks to him when he's with Stargirl (which is most of the time). He talks to Archie who asks Leo who's opinion does he care about more, the school's or Stargirl's. After this, Leo talks Stargirl into trying to be normal for a while. She does her best, using a normal name, wearing name brand clothes, acting normal, doing things that normal kids do, winning the speech contest, but to no avail, still nobody will talk to her or even look at her. The next Monday, she goes back to being Stargirl. Leo doesn't ask her to the last dance of the year, and she goes on her own. She starts the bunny hop and leads almost everybody around, they've warmed their hearts to her again. After the bunny hop is over, Stargirl leaves the dance and is never seen by anyone in Mica again, but she does send Leo a porcupine tie for his birthday long after graduation.
Recommendations and Conflict:
I would recommend this book to every kid in the sixth grade. The conflict I see in this book is the shunning.
Reactions:
This book is about being yourself even if nobody else appreciates it. When I read it, I wanted to cry for all that Stargirl went through and I wanted to yell at Leo and the rest of the kids in the entire high school. The thing is though, you have to remember where you were in your life when you went through high school and understand what part you would have played in this book.

The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Filly Hopkins
Katherine Paterson
HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright 1987
Pages:192
Reading Level: 10 and up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Summary:
Gilly is a tough ward of the state. Her mother is her one source of hope of getting out of the system. Gilly does her best to get moved out of the homes she is placed in as soon as she can. Her newest foster mother is Trotter. Trotter lives next door to an elderly blind black man named Mr Randolph, who eats dinner with them every evening. William Earnest (or W.E. as Gilly calls him) is another of Trotter's foster children. Gilly schemes of a way to get to California where her mother lives. She writes a letter to her mom explaining how horrible life is with Trotter, trying to get her mom to come get her. Gilly finds money in one of Mr. Randolph's books and decides to steal it and look for more latter when she has more time. She goes back later under the pretense of cleaning and finds out that Mr. Randolf doesn't have any more money in his books than Gilly already took. She finds Trotter's paycheck and goes to the bus station to get a ride to San Fransisco. The ticket guy gets suspicious and calls the police about a runaway. They pick her up and call Trotter and Trotter is disappointed in Gilly. She makes Gilly pay Mr. Randolf back and forgives her. Thanksgiving rolls around and Trotter, W.E., and Mr. Randolf all get sick and Gilly runs around trying to take care of all of them. Gilly's grandmother rings the doorbell during all of this (Gilly's mom wrote to her mom to get Gilly) and is shocked by what she sees. Grandmother writes to Social Services and gains custody of Gilly, by this time, Gilly has learned to love Trotter, W.E., and Mr Randolf and doesn't want to leave them. Grandmother and Gilly learn to get along with each other and  Gilly's mom comes for Christmas, but she makes it obvious that she doesn't intend to stay.
Recommendations and Conflict:
I would recommend this book to any young kid who is having a hard time in life to show them that life can be what you make it to be. This book has language problems, lying, an uncaring mother, and at first racial issues.
Reactions:
I had a hard time relating to Gilly at first because she was so hard, by the time I could try to start getting into her head, I was at the end of the book. I enjoyed the story and the progress that Gilly went through, but I couldn't relate to her.

Bedtime in the Southwest

Bedtime in the Southwest
Mona Hodgson

Northland Publishing
Copyright 2004 

Pages: 32

Reading Level: 2-3 years

Genre: fiction

Summary:

This book is about animal children not wanting to go to bed. They squirm and fidget and try to distract their parents so that they don't have to go to bed.

Recommendations and Conflicts:

 I would recommend this book to parents to read to their young children. I didn't see any possible problems in this book.

Reaction:

This book has good illustrations and is a nice way of telling kids to go to bed. I would read this book to my kids at bedtime. It is also a easy read and there isn't much plot to it.

My Friend Rabbit

My Friend Rabbit
Eric Rohmann
Roarubg Book Press
Copyright 2002
Page Number: 32
Reading Level: 4-8 years
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
Rabbit tries to help Mouse get a good start on his flight on his plane, but ends up throwing the plane, having Mouse fall out, and getting the plane stuck in a tree. Rabbit has an idea; he gets an elephant, a rhino, a hippo, a deer, an alligator, a bear, a goose, and a squirrel, and stacked them all up, but the plane was still out of reach. Finally, Squirrel held Mouse who grabbed the plane, but then all the animals fell and weren't happy with Rabbit. But Rabbit meant well, and did get the plane back, even if he made Mouse crash after the plane got down.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I would recommend this to a kindergarten or first grade class with some imagination.
Reactions:
I enjoyed this book, especially since the storyline requires the pictures. I liked having pages where you had to come up with your own words for what was happening.

The Story of the Statue of Liberty

The Story of the Statue of Liberty
Natalie Miller
Childrens Press
Copyright 1965
Pages: 30
Reading Level: 11 and up
Genre: Non-Fiction
Summary:
In 1865 There was a meeting of artisans in France to discuss a gift to the USA. Auguste Bartholdi decided that he wanted a statue of his design to be the gift. Soon there was war and Bartholdi had to fight, but he didn't forget his plan. After the war, he visited his mother, who had to share her home with German soldiers, and was impressed by the respect she was given by the enemy. After his visit, he went to the US and on the boat, he sketched ideas for the statue, but threw them all over board. When they were about to arrive, he saw Bedloe's Island and decided that is where he wanted his statue to go. He ran to his cabin and before they were docked, had the statue of Liberty drawn out. He showed his plans to the president who agreed to come up with the base, if France came up with the statue.  Bartholdi went back to France and the committee who had originally met approved his idea. Bartholdi was asked if the statue could be completed for the 100th anniversery of the US, but the rough model was no where near completion, but he promised to have the arm and torch completed in time. Miss Liberty's head went to the Paris World Fair in 1878. Mr. Eiffel's men built a framework so that Miss Liberty wouldn't fall over in the wind. The statue was finished in 1884, but the base wasn't due to conflict over funding. Joseph Pulitzer published in the World that Lady Liberty was for all America, and he got other newspapers to run the same article turning the public view and gaining the needed funding. The statue of liberty was packaged in 214 crates and shipped to the US in 1884. It wasn't finished and dedicated until 1886 when Bartholdi unveiled it too soon, cutting off Mr. Evart's speech. Today, it stands as a symbol of freedom for the whole world.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I would recommend this book to fifth graders because it would be a challenge for fourth graders. I don't see any possible conflicts in this book.Reaction:
This book had a good story and was simplified so that younger students would be able to understand it, but it is still too complicated for young children. I thought it was interesting that the book only five colors: had black, white, green, gold, and blue.

Dear Mrs. LaRue Letters from Obedience School

Dear Mrs. LaRue Letters from Obedience School
Mark Teague
Scholastic Press
Copyright 2002
Pages: 32
Reading Level 5-8 years
Genre: Fantasy
Summary:
 Mrs. LaRue sends her dog, Ike, to obedience school because he has behavior problems. Ike writes Mrs. LaRue every day and tells her how bad it is and tries to get her to come take him home. Ike makes up all the horrible things that he tells Mrs, LaRue about Obedience school and runs away on the tenth day of "incarceration."  He goes to America, still writing Mrs. LaRue, and decides that the place that he really wants to be is home with Mrs. LaRue, so he returns home. When he arrives in town, he sees Mrs. LaRue crossing the street with a truck barreling down towards her and he pushes her out of the way. Mrs. LaRue throws a welcome home party for Ike with all his favorite dishes.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I recommend this as a classroom book for first and second grade teachers. The conflict I see in this book is that Ike lies about his situation, runs away, and then is rewarded.
Reaction:
I enjoyed reading this book and being able to look at the pictures and seeing the difference in the words in the letters and what is actually happening in the story.

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak
Harper Collins Publishing
Copyright 1963
Pages:48
Reading Level: 2-8 years old
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
Max was getting into trouble and was sent to bed with out dinner. Trees started growing in his bedroom, until his room became a forest world. Max hopped on a boat that was waiting for him in the ocean by the forest and sailed to where the wild things are. The wild things made a display of how wild and ferocious they were, but all Max did was to tell them to be still and to tame them with a magic trick. The wild things made Max their King. And they were all wild, that is until Max sent them all to bed. All Max wanted was some one who loved him for him, and not because he was the king, so he decided to go home. The wild things were sad that Max was leaving and tried to get him to stay. Max got back into his boat and sailed to the forest that had been his room and found a hot dinner waiting for him.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I recommend this book to parents and teachers to read to their kids, because every kid wants to be wild, then they remember someone loves them and wants them home. The only conflict I can come up with is the kid becomes the wildest thing.
Reaction:
I love this book because Max is being a kid and gets into trouble for it, but at the end we see that his mom still loves him.

Libertry Street

Liberty Street
Candice Ransom
Walker Publishing Company, Inc
Copyright 2003
Pages: 28
Reading Level: 6-9 years
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
 Kezia was born into slavery before the civil war. Her dad was sold to pay off her owner's debts. Every day of the week, there was a specific job to be done, and that job was always done on that day. Sunday was the day they had off after dinner was made for the owners. They would walk down Liberty Street to so visit their friends. Before Kezia's dad was sold, people would come visit their family and have fun. One day, Mama told her about a secret school taught by a free woman. Kezia loved school and learning, she would practice the ABC's and spelling while Mama did laundry. Mama was doing laundry one Tuesday (laundry day is Monday) and Kezia asked why. Apparently Missus Grace (their owner) was planning on lending Kezia to her sister in Richmond for an indefinite amount of time and Mama was working hard to try to buy Kezia's freedom.
At school, they hide in the back room to learn their letters and one day the constable stopped outside the door suspicious, but went on his way. Mama put a white shirt on the line, eventhough it was going to rain, she still hadn't saved enough to buy Kezia and Kezia was to leave the following week. The following day, the constable knocks on the door of the house holding school and they all have to be silent in the hidden room so they wouldn't get caught. After the constable left, all the students except Kezia went home. Her teacher tells Kesia about Canada and a secret tunnel that leads under the streets and to the river. That night, with a red shirt hanging from the clothes line, Mama tells Kesia of the same tunnel and tells her that she (Kesia) will be leaving that night through this tunnel and onto a waiting boat to go to Canada, but that she couldn't go with her. That night Kesia is led to the tunnel adn she meets the others who are on their way to freedom. She makes a promise to work hard and to earn enough money to send for Mama
Recommendations and Conflicts:
One possible conflict I see in this book is slavery, and thence racism. I would recommend this book to young readers because the story line is good and the pictures are amazing.
Reaction:
I enjoyed this book because it has good art work and an excellent plot. I didn't realize that Mama was part of the organization to get slaves onto the underground railroad until Kesia recognized it.

Holes

Holes
Louis Sachar
Random House Children's Books
Copyright: 2000
Pages: 240
Reading Level: 10-11 years
Genre: fiction
Summary:
Stanley Yelnats is an over weight boy who gets accused of stealing "Sweet Feet's" shoes that were on auction to raise money for the poor. His sentence is to go to Camp Green Lake instead of going to jail. Green Lake used to be a lake with a thriving town, but it started to dry up 110 years ago. Now it is a juvenile correction camp where each boy digs a hole six feet deep and six feet wide every day. Every boy had a nickname which they went by instead of their given name. Louis, or Caveman, has a hard time adjusting to life digging holes everyday with a limited amount of water and only a four minute shower. Stanley finds a lipstick tube with the initals KB on it and gives it to one of his friends who plants it the next day to get the whole day off of digging. Group D digs in the same area for quite some time, but eventually the warden gives up hope of finding anything else in that area. Stanley gets a letter from home and Zero asks him what it says and asks Stanley if he would teach him how to read. Stanley says no at first, but after he takes the blame for stealing sunflower seeds, Zero digs part of his hole for him. Stanley and Zero make a deal where Zero digs part of Stanley's hole for him and Stanley will teach Zero how to read. They go on in this arrangement and one day the other guys in group D get fed up that Stanley doesn't have to dig all of his hole. Emotions rise and they get into a fight. Zero ends up hitting their councilor with his shovel and running away. The warden, Mr. Sir, and Mom (their councilor) ask Stanley if he knows where Zero ran off to, but when he denies knowledge, they plan on destroying the record of "Hector Zeroni," Zero's real name. A few days later, Stanley decides to steal the water truck, but ends up running it into a hole. He gets out of the car and runs away to find Zero. He comes across a boat called the Mary Lou and underneath is Zero, hiding from the sun and surviving off Kissin' Kate's home made peaches. They decide to go to the top of a mountain that looks like a thumb, which is where Stanley thinks his great grandpa survived after he was robbed by Kissin' Kate. Stanley and Hector go to the mountain, but Hector gets sick from the germs that have been living in the peaches. Stanley has to carry him up the rest of the way (which breaks his great, great grandpa's curse for not carrying madam Zeroni up the mountain after getting one of her pigs). Stanley and Hector live off wild onions for  a week and decide to dig one last hole and go back to camp to dig up Kissin' Kate's buried treasure. After they dig up the treasure, the warden shines a light on them and demands that they give her the treasure. When the light is on them, the warden sees yellow spotted lizards hanging out on their clothes and in their hair. She decides to wait the lizards out since she believes Stanley and Zero will eventually be killed by the lizards, but is disappointed when Stanley's lawyer shows up and the two are still alive. The lawyer came the day before to get Stanley, but the warden told her that he wasn't fit to leave and that the lawyer didn't have the proper paperwork. The warden spins the situation and tells the lawyer that Stanley and Zero stole her suitcase from her room that morning and ran into the hole to hide. The lawyer doesn't believe this especially after Hector says that the suitcase has Stanley's name on it. Stanley and Hector both get out of camp and go home (Hector is able to find his mom) and are rich.
Recommendations and Conflict:
I would recommend this book to a fourth grader who hasn't read holes. One conflict I see in this book is that the adults want to kill the kids to get the money. Also it talks about Hector living on the streets as a five year old and having been abandoned by his mom.
Reactions:
I enjoyed this book  better than the movie. It was believable, but many of the images in my head were contradicted by what was written.

George Washington

George Washington
We the People
Houghton Mifflin Company
Copyright 1997
Pages: 12
Reading Level: 6-7 years
Genre: Biography
Summary:
George Washington was a great leader as our first president. There are lots of coins that commemorate this event. Before Washington became president he was a surveyor, a colonel, and he loved music. He was also the general of the US army during the American Revolution.  He is called the father of our country. He and his wife lived at Mount Vernon
Recommendations and Conflicts:
 I recommend this to a first grade classroom because it is too simple for older children.
Reaction:
I think that this is very informative for young children who haven't studied Washington, but that it doesn't give much new information for someone who knows anything about him.

The Story of the Constitution

The Story of the Constitution
Marilyn Prolman
Scholastic Library Publishing
Copyright 1995
Pages: 32
Reading Level: 8-12
Genre: Non-Fiction
Summary:
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 8, 1776. The colonists realized that they couldn't fight for rights as Englishmen any more and had to become a new and independent country. At first, the colonies were able to work together because of the war, but after they won, they pretty much became thirteen different countries. The Articles of Confederation were limited by the rights and powers of each state. Many things happened during the Confederation, but the national government had little power. Each state minted it's own coin and didn't always accept the coin of other states as payment. Shay's Rebellion showed the country that the government needed to be stronger. A convention was called to fix the Articles of Confederation. This convention ended up writing a new constitution. Madison earned the title of father of the constitution because of all the work he put into it. Washington came out of retirement to work on the constitution, and Benjamin Franklin worked on it even though he was eighty one.
Washington was elected president on the meeting and sat on a chair with half a sun on it. At the end of the convention, Franklin stated that he had wondered if the sun was setting or rising, but he now knew that it was rising on the new nation. During the convention one major issue was how each state was to be represented. It ended in what we have in article one of the Constitution. Each state gets two senators and the number people in the House of Representatives would reflect the population in the state. Article two deals with the executive branch, or the president. Article three deals with the supreme court. Article four deals with the relationship between every state. Article five is how to change the constitution. Article six the new government will pay the country's debts. Article seven stated when the Constitution would become law.
The government was formed, it just needed the support of the people and received enough support that in July of 1788, it became the Constitution of the United States of America. It had the ten amendments added on by June of the following year (which became known as the Bill of Rights). The  Constitution was set up so that it could withstand the test of time and adjust to the needs of the people.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I would recommend this book to fourth graders because the words and concepts would be challenging for third graders. I don't see any possible conflicts in this book.
Reaction:
I enjoyed this book because it broke down the constitution in words that were easy to understand. The pictures in this book are interesting because they are all blue, black, and white.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
John Steptoe
HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright 1987
Page Number 32
Reading Level 3-8 years
Genre: Folk Tales
Summary:
Manyara and Nyasha are the two daughters of Mufaro. Manyara treats Nyasha horribly because of her jealousy of Nyasha's kindness. Nyasha loved to work in her garden and the people said it was magnificent because she sang to it. One day in her garden, a garden snake rested beneath a plant. Nyasha welcomed the snake because it wouldn't hurt her and would be a help in her garden. A messenger came and told their village that the king wanted a wife. Manyara and Nyasha both were to go meet the king. Manyara left before her sister did selfishly wanting to meet the king first. Along the way, Manyara met a little boy who was hungry and refused to give him food. Then she met an old woman who warned her of what she would meet on the path. Manyara ignored her advice and laughed back at the laughing trees and ignored the man who held his head in his hand. In the morning, Nyasha and her father went to meet the king. On the way Nyasha saw a little boy and offered him food. They met an old woman and she gave them directions, Nyasha gave her sunflower seeds as a thanks. Trees bowed down to her and she saw the city as beautiful when she came to the top of the hill. As they entered the city, they heard Manyara scream as she ran from a building in the center of the city. Manyara begged Nyasha not to go into the king, because he was a five headed snake who almost ate Manyara. Nyasha left her sister to be comforted by their father and went in to meet the king. All she saw was the garden snake who had been her friend. The snake transformed in to the king and he told her that he had been the snake, the hungry boy, and the old woman. He knew that she was the most worthy and beautiful of all the women in the land. They got married and Manyara was a servant to the queen.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I don't see any conflicts in this book. I would recommend this to a second grade teacher to read to their class.
Reactions:
I enjoyed this book the first time I read it five years ago and again when I just re-read it. I love that the king was able to find a bride who was worthy of being a queen by meeting them before they met him.

Joseph Jacob's Fairy Tales

The Story of the Three Bears
Jack and the Beanstalk
The Story of the Three Little Pigs
The Rose-Tree
Year collected/published
Reading Level: 9-12
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-1.html

The Rose Tree
Genre: Fairy Tree
Summary:

A man had two children; a daughter from his first wife and a son from the second. His wife hated his daughter. The step-mother sent the girl to buy a pound of candles. The girl bought a pound of candles, but on her way back home a dog ran away with them. She went back twice and the same thing happened each time. She went to her step-mother and told her what had happened. Her step-mother was angry, but pretended not to be. She had the girl lay her head down on her lap, so that she could comb her hair. The step-mother told the girl that she couldn't comb the girls hair in her lap, so she had the girl go get a billet of wood. Then the step-mother said she couldn't part the girl's hair with a comb, so she had the girl go get an axe. No sooner had the girl laid her head down on the wood, then the stepmother cut off her head.
The step mother took the girl's heart and liver and put them in the stew. She fed her husband the stew, but he didn't like it because it tasted strange. She gave some to her son, but he refused to eat it. Instead, he ran out of the house and buried his half sister under a rose tree.
One spring, the tree flowered and among the flowers was a white bird. This bird sang like an angel. The bird went to the cobbler's shop and sang about her mother killing her, her father eating her, and her brother who morns for her. The cobbler wanted to hear the song again, and the bird promised to as soon as the cobbler gave her the shoes he was working on. After the bird sang the song again, she flew off a tree by the watch maker and sang it again. The watch maker wanted to hear it again because it was so beautiful.  The bird promised to sing again, if she could have the gold watch in the watch maker's hand. After singing, the bird went to the millers and sang again. The miller's men wanted the bird to sing it again and the bird promised to if they would give her the mill stone. After singing again, the bird went home and rattled the millstone against the eves of the house. The boy ran out and the bird dropped down the red shoes for him. The bird banged the eves with the millstone and out ran the father. The bird dropped him the watch. They both went back in and showed the step-mother the gifts they had received from the bird. The next time the eves were rattled, the woman ran out and had the millstone dropped on her head, and she died.

Recommendations and Conflicts:
The conflict I see in this story is so much death. The step mother kills her step daughter, and the daughter in turn kills her step-mother.
Reaction:
 I liked this fairy tale because justice was served.

Charles Perrault's Fairy Tales

Little Red Riding Hood
Cinderella
Puss in Boots
Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
Year Published: 1697
Reading Level: 9-12
http://www.surlalunefairytales.
com/authors/perrault.html

Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper

Genre: Fairy Tale
Summary:
 A man remarried after his wife died and the woman he married was the most proud lady in all the land. She had two daughters who were just as proud as their mother. The man had one daughter who had the sweetest temper and had unparalleled goodness. The stepmother made the girl do all the house work and let her daughters spend their time enjoying themselves. When the girl was done with her work, she would go to the corner and sit in the cinder ashes, which gave her the name of Cinderwench, or Cinderella. Eventhough she wore less fine clothing, she was still far more beautiful than her step sisters.
The King's son gave a ball and invited everyone of fashion to it. Cinderella's step sisters were both invited and spent a long time figuring out what they would wear and Cinderella got their clothes ready and dressed their hair. Cinderella wanted to go to the ball and after her step sisters left, she cried until her fairy god mother appeared. Her fairy god mother turned a pumpkin into a coach, six mice into horses, a rat into a coachman, and six lizards into footmen. She also turned Cinderella's rags into a silver and gold gown and gave her a pair of glass slippers. Her fairy godmother warned her to leave before midnight because then her dress would turn back into rags.
The prince was her escort that night, he never let her leave his side until she left at 11:45. When she got home, she thanked her fairy god mother. Her step sisters came home and told Cinderella of the beautiful princess who was at the ball. There was another ball the next night and Cinderella went again, but her dress was even more beautiful than the night before. She lost track of time and ran out of the ball when the clock struck midnight. The guards were asked if they had seen a princess leave the gates, but they had only seen a girl in rags running out the gates. The two step sisters came home and told Cinderella that the beautiful princess and run out of the ball room at midnight and the prince chased after her, but all he found was her glass slipper.
The prince sent the slipper out to all the kingdom, swearing to marry the woman who's foot fit the shoe. The shoe came to Cinderella's house, and while her stepsisters tried on the shoe, which was too small for either one, Cinderella suggested she try on the shoe. The gentleman who was sent said that he had orders for every maid to try it on. The step sisters were astonished when the shoe fit, but even more so when she pulled out the other shoe from her pocket. Cinderella's godmother came in and touched Cinderella with her wand, and turned her dress into a beautiful gown. The two step sisters, when they realized that Cinderella was the beautiful princess, begged forgiveness for all the mistreatment they had shown her. Cinderella forgave them and married the prince. Cinderella was very good and kind and gave her step sisters lodgings in the palace and matched them with two great lords of the Court.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
 My conflict with this is that evil is rewarded. The step sisters who were cruel to Cinderella end up with two men who are well off, that is contrary to the nature of fairy tales. I would recommend this fairy tale to any child, because it is a happily ever after Cinderella.
Reactions:
I clashed with the end of this fairy tale, because in every version I've read, the step sisters and mother don't get a happily ever after; their eyes are plucked out, they are barred from the palace, they have to be servants and so forth. I found it interesting that the language used to tell this story is very formal, it uses thou's, and shalt's.

Peter Christen Asbjornsen's Fairy Tales

The Billy Goats Gruff
The Princess No-one could Silence
A Story of a Suitor
The Three Aunts
Years Collected: 1842-1843
Reading Level:9-12
http://everything2.com/title/Asbj%25F8rnsen+and+Moe




The Three Aunts
Genre: Fairy Tale 
Summary:
A girl decides that she wants to earn her bread, so she goes to the castle to work as a servant. While there, she becomes the queen's favorite servant. All the other servants are jealous, so they tell the queen that the girl had bragged about being able to spin a pound of linen in twenty four hours. The queen told the girl that since she had bragged about this, she must do it to prove that it was true, but that she could have more than 24 hours if she needed them.
The girl had never seen the tools needed to spin linen, yet alone used them. She asked the queen for a private room and stared at her supplies and cried. An old woman asks her what is wrong and she answers that she can't do the task set before her. The woman offers to spin the linen for her if she promises to call her aunt at her wedding day. She agrees and goes to sleep. When she woke up, there was all the linen beautifully spun into yarn.
The servants were more jealous of her than ever and told the queen that the girl bragged that she could weave all the yarn into cloth in 24 hours. Once again the queen made the girl prove herself, and the girl didn't deny the supposed ability, even though she had never made cloth before. As the girl was crying, an old woman came in and offered to weave the yarn into cloth if she would call her aunt on her wedding day. The girl agreed and went to sleep. when she woke up, she found all the yarn gone, and the most beautiful cloth in its place.
The servants were even more jealous, and for a while they couldn't come up with any plans for revenge. Finally, they told the queen that the girl bragged about being able to sew the cloth into shirts in 24 hours. The queen had the girl prove herself again, and the girl didn't tell the queen that she had no experience sewing. Like the previous two times, an old woman came to the girl and told her that if she called her aunt at her wedding day, she would sew the cloth for her. The girl agreed, and when she woke up, she found the most beautiful shirts folded finished on the table.
The queen was so pleased, she offered the girl the chance to marry the prince. At their wedding feast, an old ugly woman, with a long nose, came in and the girl rose and said "Hello Aunt." and the prince invited her to sit down. A second old ugly woman with a big broad bottom came in, and the girl rose and called her Aunt. Once again, the prince invited her to sit down as well. Before she sat down, a third old ugly woman with eyes the size of dinner plates came in and was called Aunt by the girl. The prince invited her to sit down as well, thinking how could his beautiful bride have such ugly aunts. Finally, he asked them and they told him it was because of spinning, weaving, and sewing. The prince then swore that his bride would never have to do any of those things if they had a chance of making her ugly.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
Of the fairy tales I read of Asbjornsen, I found no possible conflicts. I would be willing to recommend these fairy tales to younger children than some of the other collectors of fairy tales.
Reaction:
I liked this fairy tale. Since the girl kept her promise to the old women, she didn't have to worry about having to spin yarn, weave cloth, or sew clothes. The old woman gave her a gift and protected her from the consequences of the quality. All she had to do was to be true to her word.

The Grimm Brother's Fairy Tales

Cinderella 

 The Bremen Town Musicians

Little Brier-Rose

The Shoes That were Danced to Pieces

years collected: 1812-1818
reading level: 9-12
http://hca.gilead.org.il/

The Shoes That were Danced to Pieces
Genre: Fairy Tale
Summary:
There was a king who had twelve daughters. They were locked in their room every night, but somehow their shoes were in pieces every morning from dancing. The king promised any man could marry one of his daughters and become the next king if he could find out where they went dancing every night. Any one who tried had three days to figure it out, or they would be killed. Many young men tried to figure out what the solution was, but they all failed. One day a soldier was on his way to the city when he was given an invisibility cloak and was told not to drink the wine he was given and he could find out where the princesses went.

He decided to try his luck and went to the castle. The princesses gave him wine and he pretended to drink it and to fall asleep, snoring loudly. The oldest princess knocked on her bed and it sunk to the floor and they all climbed down with the soldier following behind in the cloak. He decided to bring back some proof and snapped off a branch (scaring the youngest princess). They continued on the path until they reached a river with twelve princes waiting to row the princesses across. The soldier got in with the youngest princess and her escort. On the other side of the river, was a magnificent castle with a ball at which the princesses danced until 3am when their shoes were danced to pieces. They then got back in the boats (this time the soldier got in with the eldest and her escort) and up the path and back into their bedroom (the soldier raced ahead of them to pretend to be asleep).

He followed them again the nest two nights to see the beauty of it. Then the time came for him to tell the king where his daughters danced every night. His answer was "in an underground castle with twelve princes" and showed the king his proof. None of the princesses were able to counter this accusation, so the soldier married the eldest princess and became the king in his time.

Recommendations and Conflicts:
The Grimm's fairy tales are very grim. I would not suggest these fairy tales to elementary aged children
Reaction:
Some of the stories I read were gruesome. I wouldn't want my young students or my own children reading these until they were mature enough to handle them.

Golden: A Retelling of Rapunzel

Golden: A Retelling of Rapunzel
Cameron Dokey
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Copyright 2007
Page Number: 179
Reading Level: 12-14
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
This books starts out with the same beginning of Rapunzel as we've all heard. A husband and a wife want a child and when the wife is pregnant, she craves some rapunzel. The husband goes to their neighbor's yard, who is a witch, and steals some of her rapunzel and is caught. This is where it changes. The witch makes the mother promise that if she does not love her daughter as she is when she is born, that she will give her daughter to the witch to raise as her own. The mother promises, seeing as she can have all the rapunzel she wants until her child is born. When her daughter is born, she has no hair and the mother thinks she is hideous. The witch takes her promising the father that he may see his child again, depending solely on him, not the witch.
Rapunzel grows up happily in the witches care, but never grows any hair. She learns to only ask questions she wants to hear the answer to, because the witch answers every question honestly. When Rapunzel is six, they go into town and there is a fiasco while Rapunzel is playing with other kids in the market place. Melisande looks into everyone's eyes one at a time until they all look down, unable to accept the truth she makes them see with her magic. She looks into Rapunzel's eyes and Rapunzel looks back unflinchingly, proving her courage. A tinker comes by their home for the first time when Rapunzel is about nine. She meets Harry, the tinker's boy and they become friends.
A sickness comes into the town that Melisande and Rapunzel live by and they have to leave before a mob comes blaming them for the illness. Before they go, Harry kisses Rapunzel and they promise to meet up at a tower six days journey from the town. Rapunzel and Melisande and Mr. Jones travel together and on the fifth night, Melisande told Rapunzel of her daughter, Rue, who was locked in a tower by a wizard. Rue needs someone, other than Melisande, to open her heart again to love. Rapunzel takes this challenge on herself and in the morning meets Melisande's daughter. Rue and Rapunzel don't get along at first, but they agree to work together to break the curse. That evening Harry gets to the tower and is mad that Rapunzel is locked at the top of a tower.
Later, Rapunzel is talking to herself when Prince Alexander shows up. He thinks he falls in love with Rapunzel, but Rapunzel knows better. She makes him promise to stay hidden that day and come back the next night. Harry over hears their conversation and gets mad at Rapunzel thinking that she is going to run away from her friends and marry this stranger. Rapunzel's true plan is revealed the next night, when she has Rue show herself to the prince as Rapunzel. They fall in love and the curse is broken. Alexander and Rapunzel (the name Rue has now taken upon herself) are to be married and live happily ever after.
The girl who once was called Rapunzel must pick a name for herself, and she chooses Susan, after her favorite flowers (black eyed Susans). Susan and Harry have fallen in love and decide to marry. Mr. Jones, the tinker, is actually Susan's dad. Everyone lives happily ever after.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I recommend this book to middle and high schoolers who like to see a different point of view. I didn't see any conflicts that might arise from this book.
Reaction:
I really enjoy this book. Cameron Dokey has me convinced that this is the true story of Rapunzel, and not the one I've been told all my life.

Knuffle Bunny

Knuffle Bunny
Mo Willems
Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright 2004
Page number: 36
Reading Level: 4-8 years
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
 A little girl and her dad went to the laundromat to wash their clothes. Trixie brought her Knuffle Bunny with her. She helped her dad put laundry in the washer (or throw them through out the room). On their way home, Trixie realized that she didn't have her Knuffle Bunny, but she was too young to talk, so she couldn't tell her dad with words, so she did her best. Her dad didn't get that she was missing Knuffle Bunny, but as soon as they got home, her mom knew it was missing. The whole family raced over to the laundromat and searched for it. At first they couldn't find it, so they looked harder. Finally Trixie's dad found it and Trixie spoke her first words "Knuffle Bunny!!!"
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I would recommend this book to kindergartners or first graders who have a special stuff animal. I don't see any conflicts this book would cause.
Reaction:
I thought this book was great, countless parents have gone searching for a missing stuff animal to make their kids happy. This pictures in this book are unique. They are black and white pictures with cartoons drawn on top.

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut
Dr. Seuss
Random House Children's Books
Copyright 1978
Page Number 48
Reading Level 5-8 years
Genre: Beginner Books
Summary:
Cat in the Hat is telling young cat all the different things he can read about if he keeps his eyes open. You can read about trees, knees, and bees; you can read about hoses, roses and noses. "The more you know... the more places you'll go." Cat is getting young cat into books and the many possibilities of things to read about.
Recommendations and Conflicts:
I recommend this book to everyone, no matter how young or old. Parents should read it to their kids (even if they are infants) because Dr. Seuss gives kids important lessons.
Reaction :
I love Dr. Seuss and this book is amazing. Who else can make a rhyme about books, in a book, to get kids to want to read books?