Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds)

Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds)

by Geoffrey Kloske and Barry Blitt

Summary:

 Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds) is a collection of fractured fairy tales, a few nursery rhymes, and  bible story all told by a father who just wants his child to go to sleep. The desperate dad keeps cutting the stories shorter and shorter until they all lived...

Evaluation:

 This is one of my favorite books yet! The authors have taken well known and loved tales and nursery rhymes and turned them into a hilarious collection. The overall story of the dad trying to get his child to go to sleep is perfectly interwoven within the collection of fractured fairy tales, folk tales, nursery rhymes, and bible story he is telling. 

Princess Pea for example:

Every young girl wanted to marry the prince.

To find a princess, the prince's mother put a pea 

Under the mattress to see how each would sleep.

They all slept soundly, except one-she was so sensitive,

She had not slept well.

And so she married the prince.

Is there a pea under your bed?

Then what's your excuse?

Go to bed.

The watercolor illustrations in this book are as wonderful as the stories. My 4 year old daughter is already reading this book along with me every night. We both laughs ourselves silly every time we read it. Now she is even taking other fairy tales and retelling them herself.

Genre and Age Group:

3-5 years and up

Folk Tale

Fairy Tale

Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

Summary:
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby retold by Karmina Amin is a traditional folk tale about trickster, Brer Fox who hates Brer Rabbit. Brer Fox plays a trick on Brer Rabbit by means of a tar baby. When the tar baby doesn't answer Brer Rabbit, he gets mad and starts to fight the tar baby. Brer Fox thinks he finally has done in Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit is too fast a thinker for Brer Fox and ends up tricking him instead.

Evaluation:
This was one of my favorite stories growing up and this is a wonderful rendition of the classic southern folk tale. The illustrations in this book are amazing and very modernized so children of any race and background can focus on the actual story and the lesson it has to teach. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Age & Genre:
folk tale
9-11 years and up

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Brer-Rabbit-Friends/dp/0756618134/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358640637&sr=1-5&keywords=brer+rabbit+and+the+tar+baby

the Lion and the Mouse

Summary:
the Lion and the Mouse Retold by Jerry Pinkney is a traditional animal story tale about an unlikely pair that learn that everyone needs help sometimes. This version is the picture only version of Aesop's fable where the king of the jungle spares the life of a small mouse. In turn, the mouse ends up saving the lions life when he is caught by poachers. 

Evaluation:
This is my favorite version of the classic tale. The reader is free to use their own words to retell the story of the Lion and the Mouse. Pinkney's illustrations are out of this world! My daughter loves this book because she is able to follow a pictorial story line and tell her version of the fable.

Age & Genre:
0-2 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
http://www.dltk-teach.com/fables/lion/index.htm
http://suzyred.com/pbks2010_Lion_and_All_The_World.html
http://www.teachyourchildrenwell.com.au/english/bigbooks/Stage%201%20Language%20Unit%20-%20The%20Lion%20and%20the%20mouse%20-%20WHOLE%20DOCUMENT.pdf

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Mouse-Jerry-Pinkney/dp/0316013560/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358638506&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lion+and+the+mouse

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Summary:
Tikki Tikki Tembo Retold by Arlene Mosel is a traditional tale about a little boy,  Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo who fell in a well. Having such a long name turns out to be very problematic for the little boy. He is eventually pulled out of the well by an old man with a ladder but it is too late. After the incident people decide that from now on Chinese children would only be  given short names, thus changing history forever.  

Evaluation:
This book is a great book. Saying the name Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo is fun for both the reader and the child alike. The illustrations, repetition  and moral lesson are great for young children. I loved to read this as a child and now my children love to have it read to them.

Age & Genre:
3-5 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
*have children make a ladder with toothpicks to remind them of the story's lesson
http://pbskids.org/lab/activity/nametowers/
http://www.lessonpathways.com/Pathways/Detail?path=%2FLangauge_Arts%2FYear_1_Language_Arts_Guided_Journey%2F13Tikki_Tikki_Tembo
http://saxonpublishers.hmhco.com/HA/correlations/pdf/p/Phonics_K_Lit_Extensions.pdf


Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Tikki-Tembo-Arlene-Mosel/dp/0312367481/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358636959&sr=1-1&keywords=Rikki+Tikki+Tembo

The Gingerbread Man

Summary:
The Gingerbread Man Retold by Jim Aylesworth is a traditional tale about a little old woman and a little old man who decide one day to make a Gingerbread Man. The Gingerbread Man comes to life when they open up the oven door and causes chaos throughout the town until he is stopped by a sly hungry fox.

Evaluation:
This book is a great read for ages 3 years and up. The illustrations are captivating and the rhythm and rhyme are great for young children. My daughter loves to say: "Run! Run! Fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the Gingerbread Man!" and  "No! No! I won't come back! I'd rather run than be your snack!"

Age & Genre:
3-5 and up
folk tale

Classroom extension activities:
http://www.lauramurraybooks.com/resources/gb-tl-website-extension-ideas.pdf
http://www.kidzone.ws/thematic/gingerbread/index.htm
http://www.teachingheart.net/gingerbreadman.html

Parent activities to do with your child:
make a gingerbread man with your children
http://pinterest.com/jnase1/gingerbread-man-activities-freebies-and-more/

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Gingerbread-Man-Jim-Aylesworth/dp/0590972197/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358636104&sr=1-3&keywords=the+gingerbread+man