Evaluating Childrens Books

The book I choose to review was Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day by Abby Levine. This book is a great example of children’s literature. One of the things I really liked about this book was prior to beginning the story there was a great explanation to the history of Groundhogs Day. It explained that there are different names for groundhogs, also. This provided a great visual for the students. The vocabulary in this story is amazing. Prior to reading this story we do a brief vocabulary lesson to ensure the children have a true understanding of the meaning of the words presented.

What I loved about this story was the life lesson that was presented. In the story, Gretchen Groundhog will be coming out of her burrow for the first time. She is very nervous about everyone looking at her and pointing cameras in her face. Throughout the story she encounters different people who encourage her do come out. It is not until the end of the story that she learns her great-uncle was scared just as she is. Once Gretchen learns of her uncle’s worries she finds it comforting in knowing that other groundhogs felt just as she is. She uses this strength to emerge from her burrow on Groundhogs Day. This is a wonderful lesson for young children. Many young children have fears in completing tasks but do not always find the strength to overcome.

Welcome to the class blog for ELE 616 Research in Children’s Literature!  This is where we will be sharing our evaluations of the children’s books that we will be reading throughout the semester.  This way, you will have an opportunity to see and work with a full-featured blog, instead of what’s in Blackboard, and can see and comment on each other’s reviews.   No one outside the class will be able to write or comment on these reviews, because you will need to be logged into the blog in order to be able to write anything.  Search engines are also blocked, although anyone can read the blog if they know the address.