Module 2: Harriet the Spy

SLIS 5420 / Module 2 / January 21-28

Books for this module
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhough

Bibliography
Fitzhough, L. (2000). Harriet the Spy. New York: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

Harriet the Spy
by Louise Fitzhough

Summary:
Harriet M. Welsch wants to be a writer. In order to achieve this goal she sets about writing down everything she sees everyday, both the good and the bad, in her green notebook. Unfortunately, Harriet's green notebook is found by her friends one day and Harriet's life is turned upside down as her painfully blunt comments are read aloud. This sets into motion a series of events that any child who has ever gone to school recognizes as Harrit stumbles about trying to stay true to herself as well as make amends.

Impressions:
I never read Harriet the spy as a child and was pleasantly surprised by how touched I was reading it as a 23 year old. I was almost brought to tears when Harriet lost Ole Golly, the only adult that truly understood her. I think that Harriet the Spy is such an enduring children's book because Louise Fitzhough has managed to capture universal aspects of childhood and growing up. From the sting of a friend's betrayal, that almost any reader can empathize with, to learning that making amends can sometimes mean humbling yourself, Harriet has many life lessons to impart. I would recommend this book to both children and adults in a flash.

Review:
School Library Journal
"Gr 3-6-Louise Fitzhugh's novel (HarperCollins, 1964), comes to life in this superbly narrated recording. Harriet M. Welsch, an intensely curious and intelligent 11-year-old, aspires to be a writer when she grows up. Encouraged by her nurse, Ole Golly, she practices for this future vocation by spying on people on her after-school route and writing about them in her secret notebook. She is a keen observer of all that goes on around her as she tries to make sense out of life. When her classmates find her notebook and read her painfully blunt comments about them, Harriet finds herself an outcast. Even her best friends, Sport and Janie, desert her. Harriet has to find a way to win back her friends without giving up her own individuality." (School Library Journal, July 1, 1999)

Library Setting:
Harriet the Spy would be a welcome addition to any middle school or elementary library since she is such a realistic protagonist that children can identify with. It might also be fun to include Harriet in a Public or School Library display about detectives, spys, and/or writers.

Reference Review: Elizabeth, B. (2012, June 1). School library journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/12/top-100-childrens-novels-17-harriet-the-spy-by-louise-fitzhugh/
Image:
http://ca.pbsstatic.com/l/20/0120/9781557360120.jpg

Module 1: The Rainbow Fish

SLIS 5420 / Module 1 / January 14- 20

Book for this Module

Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Bibliography
Pfister, M. (1992). Rainbow fish (J. A. James Trans.). New York: North-South Books.

Summary:
The Rainbow Fish has sparking shimmering scales, he is the most beautiful fish in the sea. He is also proud and vain. Because of this he has few friends and is lonely. Rainbow Fish turns to a wise octopus to learn a valuable lesson about what is truly important in life.

Impressions:
Rainbow Fish from the onset is a beautifully illustrated book with a pink, purple, green, and blue color palette. Between the illustrations and Rainbow Fish's special foil scales, children will be drawn to Rainbow Fish immediately. The story itself is pretty simple and the translation seems a little clunky in places, but the pictures and words together create a total that is far greater than the sum of their individual parts.

Reviews:
School Library Journal
"The delicate watercolors of underwater scenes are a perfect foil to the glittering scales that eventually form a part of each fish's exterior. This is certainly a story written to convey a message, but in its simplicity, it recalls the best of Lionni. Besides, what three-year-old doesn't need reinforcement about sharing?"

Library Setting:
Storytime or Program
In a public library or even a kindergarten class I think that children would enjoy storytime with Rainbow Fish. Not only does the book reinforce a valuable message about sharing and giving, but the storytime's leader could also introduce a coloring or craft project focused on this message that also incoporates the watercolor technique or glittery scales of Rainbow Fish.

Review. (1992, Nov.). The Rainbow Fish [Review of the book The Rainbow Fish]. School Library Journal. Available from: http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:4442/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|15193504|1329877&mc=USA
Image from: http://northsouth.com.p4.hostingprod.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/RainbowFishCvr.309101304_std.jpg