Traditional
literature is a genre that deals specifically with stories that were passed
down through oral storytelling from generation to generation. These stories also form the basis for many works of more modern literature.
Squids wil be Squids: Fresh Morals, Beastly Fables
By: Jon Scieszka
Illustrated By: Molly Leach
Tracings By: Lane Smith
Reviewer: Brandon Berrey
Grade Level: K-3
Reading Level: 6.0
Fables have been around for a long time. It is not so hard to believe as people have also been pretty smart. However, thousand year old fables need a little freshening up to be relevant today. These new takes on old classics include: A little grasshopper who procrastinates. A frog who believe shoes will make him a better skateboarder. A elephant who breaks his curfew. A pigeon who always wants compliments. Straw who wants to play with matches. The auther gives his own morals for every story, but are they the right ones? A crab and fish who love to argue. A slug who is completely egotistical. Also there are many, many more wonderful stories. Take a look at the book and learn your own morals from the stories.
Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again
By: Dave Horowitz
Reviewer: Mike Slowinski
Grade Level: K-3
Reading Level: 2.8
This spin off of the classic Humpty Dumpty story tells the previously untold story of how Humpty Dumpty copes after his big fall. Unfortunately, all of the king's horses and all of the king's men make fun of poor Humpty, who quickly loses self-confidence and retires completely from climbing. Instead, he sits at home all day, afraid of spiders, a dish and a spoon, and most of all, climbing. However, Humpty's fortunes soon change as one of the king's horses gets stuck on top of a mountain, and there is only one egg who could possibly get him down! This is a good story for young kids who have heard the classic Humpty Dumpty tale. It has a good moral about self-confidence and makes reference to other traditional literature fables within the story. The humor and intertextuality are sure to be big hits with a younger audience.
Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again
By: Alex Flinn
Reviewer: Joseph Diefenthaler
Grade Level: YA
Reading Level: YA
This book is much like the familiar classic, Beauty and the Beast. Unlike the real book though, this is from the Beasts perspective. Kyle is a goodlooking high school students who has everything he could ever want, looks, money, etc. Because of his spoiled rotten behavior, he starts bullying other students in the school, but one student was not going to let him get away with it. Kendra is going to let the world see Kyle as he really is. If you have not seen the movie...you must read the book.