"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

Wow, I can't believe this is my last blog and book discussion. It has been a long semester and hopefully a successful one. I am going to be rather busy this summer due to taking 14 hours in total this summer and having a summer job for the Brazos Valley Bombers. They are a baseball team locally here in the Brazos Valley that will have some summer games and family fun! I also hope that I will complete the full amount of hours this semester and this summer in order to apply for my aggie ring! I have been working so hard in school to get my ring that I will be crushed if I don't get to my goal.

Anyways, I wanted to write about Huckleberry Finn just because this book is so widely known in the United States and is pretty much a requirement to read although there is a lot of controversy about slavery and inappropriate name calling within the book. I believe that this book is pretty essential considering the fact that we have discussed that even in picture books there is the question of "civilizing in today's society." For example, we discussed that in children's literature, such as Dr. Seuss, the children question "soceity and authority" along with "Where the Wild Things Are." where Max pulls away from civilization into his own world.

Huck Finn's moral and lesson from the chapters is to listen to yourself, and consule your own inner gut feeling. It also emphasizes the the natural order of the world when Huck and Jim are traveling on the boat away from society. There are also motifs within the novel with the use of the river, which equals freedom, cleansing, new lifr, and re-birth.

The interesting thing about this novel is that Twain portrays the villians in this novel to be the figures of authority/parents (Huck's father), slavery and racism.

The main adventure of the novel consists about slave escaping to freedom. Not many people realize this though, and that Huck is helping a friend, Jim.

"Where the Wild Things Are" Interview with Author

After learning much in our class on Monday about the picture book story, "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak, I wanted to find out a little more information about him. Surprisingly, I found out that NPR conducted an interview with the interesting author! The following link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4680590

This is Maurice Sendak at 76, as Jennifer Ludden found after a trip into the New England woods to interview the famed author and illustrator of books for young readers, best known for 1964's Where the Wild Things Are.

"Maurice Sendak looks kinda like a Wild Thing," Ludden notes. "Curly hair on a balding head... a glint in the eye... yet a softening smile around the mouth."


^-- it is funny because I thought the same thing when I saw this picture of him. I had a total different look in my mind, and after seeing his true self, it made me think of him as a monster himself!

Sendak changed his style of not a scary book to writing a story called "Bears." The drawings put Max, the hero of Wild Things, in slightly friendlier surroundings. But he still finds himself in the middle of an adventure.

Here is a picture of the book:

Our pesky little Max is no longer against society from his authorative mother. Or maybe it is? I am tempted to go out and look for this book at Barnes and Noble to read!

"Barbie-Q"

I love this short story by Sandra Cisnero's, "Barbie-Q" just because I grew up with playing Barbies when I was little. Cisnero's writing has a lot to do with challenging the feminity within culture and coming together over spanish and english language. Her work is tremendously influential since I actually live in San Antonio, TX and that is where she currently resides.

The narrator within "Barbie-Q" describes the relationship with the plastic doll and description which shows that she had great love. It also gives indication that the little girl's family was not financially "up there." Because of these struggles, the young girl would escape reality into the world of Barbie. The family goes to a fire sale that a department store went down because of a drastic fire. Everything was on sale and that is how the little girl was able to get outfits and Barbie dolls.

It is important to know that Barbie is seen as the "ideal woman" considering the fact that America has set that culture to it and you can tell within the story that the young girl wants to be JUST like Barbie, but don't we all? :)

"Catcher in the Rye"

I had the opportunity to read "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger which is more seen for adolescents, which I can see why... but it still portrays to our young readers that go through similar parallel situations within their life.

Poor Holden Caulifield. He was very outspoken and different compared to the rest of the students. Part of the reason of him being different could be because of the loss of his brother. His brother was not mentioned too much within the novel, but you can tell that Holden truly loved his brother, and whenever someone passes very close to you, you cannot help but change a little bit. I know this through experience. My mother battled breast cancer for two years and sadly passed away on July 2nd, 2007. Although it has almost been a year, I still have a difficult time dealing with her loss. I think about her at least a handful times a day. Not a day goes by without thinking of my mother, and I have changed dramastically as a person after her death.

The significance of "red" is seen throughout the novel. Holden wears a hat that is red whenever he wants to be noticed, and different compared to the rest of the kids at the school. Holden also truly loves his little sister who cares for her so much and even goes out of the way to see her. The book is written as if Holden were speaking out loud, like a transcription of him telling the story to another person. Holden is widely considered to be an unreliable narrator.

Overall, the book was not quite what I expected and after analyzing the story, I have learned much about young teenage boys!!!

Jack & Jill and Big Dog Bill

Since we have been studying picture books lately, I thought I would go on ahead and read a picture book from one of my kids that I babysit. The book mimics the singing ryhmn of "Jack and Jill." Which makes young children understand and know the lyrics because we have all been taught this very popular song ever since we were very little. The use of words within the picture book such as: "Bump. Plop. They all STOP!" shows the children and the dog, Bill falling down on there heads from the pile of snow from sledding. Even though you'd thinking falling down off a hill would hurt, the illustrations show us a humurous way that although the kids fell, it made it funny.

There is also a rabbit within each illustration that follows the kids and dog around the snowy mountain. You wouldn't know that the white rabbit is around unless you look at the illustrations. The rabbit also adds a kind of humor to the illustrations because when the kids and dog fall over, Bill (the dog) almosts lands on the poor rabbit!

The cute illustrations of the dog are so enjoyable, it reminds me of one of my dogs that I had while growing up.

What I found most interesting, which I want to note, there is a boy and a girl involved. My littlest girl that I babysit, mentioned that it was a good thing that both a girl and a boy are in it and not just one or the other. I find it so fascinating that we talked in class that most children really don't recognize a difference, but the girl I babysat brought it up which I find very interesting.

Flight of the Genie

I decided to up and read my little boy, Seth's book that he kept talking about. "The Flight of the Genie" is secrets of Droon by Tony Abbot... Tony creates a world called "droon" which is a vast land of diamonds, floating cities, deep forests, and castles of snow. It kind of reminds me of the author, "Lord of the Rings" who created a mythical world that involves magic and a whole different world where you can get away from. When I started to read this book, this is EXACTLY what I thought! With the different lands, magic, wizards such as Eric within the book.

There is also a bottle or world call the "Ut" which the kids had to take to a giant sand dune. Hoja, the genie is trapped in the city..

In the end, there is a battle with the bad wizard or Lord Sparr who troubles with the darkside and warriors. In the end, the battle is not over and Sparr is still out to get Eric and the rest of the kids. It's kind of like a never ending story!

"The Hobbit" Different Topics Throughout the Book...

Now, I want to discuss about the "Hobbit" since we are currently learning about it in class. I am so excited that we are reading this book in Children's literature because I loved "The Lord of the Rings." Because of owning all three of the movies and having wonderful friends who have read all the books and to ask them questions about it. So when I came to reading the "Hobbit," I was mildly surprised by all the characters and significant detail that I already knew from the "Lord of the Rings" series.

I wanted to discuss about certain topics within "The Hobbit" that I find interesting that we have not yet discussed in class. I wanted to research more about the subject and found the following: Greed is certainly a major role throughout the book (which I kind of figured due to the ring). First, although the dwarves try to claim that their journey is to reclaim their heritage, their real motivation is greed. They have spent over a hundred years in the mines working, not trying to reclaim their heritage. They are not interested until a wizard confronts them with a map and a key. The journey is for gold and treasure. At first, Bilbo is not impressed by their greed, but the idea of treasure becomes attractive to him, and it is one of the major reasons for his significant change of heart.