Babushka's Doll by Patricia Polacco

Babushka's Doll is the story of a girl named Natasha who is spending the day with her Babushka, which is grandmother in Russian. Natasha is being a bit naughty and asking her grandmother to do feed her and push her around in a goat cart on their farm. Her grandmother has many things to do and keeps telling Natasha to be patient or do something herself. They do inside and Natasha see's a doll of her grandmothers. Her grandmother explains she has only played with it once. Her grandmother leaves for a bit and Natasha is left with the doll. All the sudden the doll comes to life and Natasha, though frighten at first, begins to play with the doll. After a while, the doll is commanding things of Natasha. It makes Natasha feed it, push it on the swing and in the cart, and iron its dress. Natasha is not happy with this because she is just a little girl and is finding the doll to be very rude. When her grandmother comes back so tells her what happened and explains that she never wants to play with the doll again. As grandmother puts the doll away, it winks at her and Natasha was never naughty again.

This story is a fun way for kids to learn to be a bit more respectful to their elders. At first when the doll comes alive, I think it is very exciting and will give Natasha some to play with, but then you see how naughty the doll is. It was a fun twist for Natasha to get a taste of her own medicine. Many children are like Natasha and become very selfish and demanding of their parents and grandparents. It is hard for them to know they are doing this, so this book is very clever and teaches Natasha a lesson. It is not fun to have someone boss you around and order you to do things for them. You have to be polite and then they will want to things for you.

I think this book would be a great addition to my classroom library. It has a nice message that children can understand and maybe relate it. It is for ages 4-8 years old. The pictures, also done by Patricia Polacco have a very old fashion feel to them which I like. It may not be as appealing to kids, but I really enjoyed this book and think that kids will find it fun and learn from it as well.

The Misfits by James Howe

The Misfits is the story of a group of friends, Bobby, Skeezie, Addie, and Joe. They are transitioning into their teenage years. They are the outcasts of their school. Bobby is overweight, Skeezie is the "hooligan", Addie is the activist, and Joe is just beginning to discover his sexuality. Addie decides to take a stand and form her own political party at school to run for student council. They are sick of the popular kids running the school. Middle School is a tough time for many kids who do not feel like they belong and this group of misfits takes a stand for outcasts everywhere.

I think this book, though controversial, is a book that I would want to read with my students. I know that many schools ban it, so I probably would not be able to. Though this book deals with issues like sexuality, I think it is important for students to learn about that in school and through literature rather then from things they may hear from others. In middle school everyone is discovering who they are and trying to fit in. The misfits shows students that it is OKAY to be different and to stand out. It shows that you can stand up for what you believe in and be who you are.

I would read this book with 6-8th graders. 6th graders might be a little young for the content, so maybe just 7th and 8th graders. It is a quick and easy read. I think that this book would make for great conversation in the class, especially because it has been banned. When books are banned it makes students want to read them more. They are curious and want to know why the book was banned. The friendship between the friends is what I really liked about the book. They accepted each other for who they were. I think everybody needs friends like that, especially in middle school.

Glogster

William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

William's doll is a book about a boy named William who desperately wants a doll. He wants to hold it and take care of it as if it were his own. His brother makes fun of him and calls him a sissy for wanting a doll. His father buys him "boy" toys like a basketball and a train set. William is good at basketball and plays with the train, but it does not take the place of wanting a doll. William spends some time with his grandmother and tells her how much he wants a doll. She is not taken a back by this at all and takes him to the store and buys him one. When he comes home with it, his father is not happy. He says he is a boy and needs to play with "boy" toys. His grandmother explains that having a doll and taking care of it will prepare him for when he is a father. He then can buy a doll for his son who can also practice being a father.

I personally did not find anything controversial about this book. I understand that a doll is not a toy that is typically for boys, but I think it is time that these stereotypes between what is considered a girl toy or a boy toy is broken. When I was a kid I enjoyed playing sports and video games that were boy oriented. My parents did not find anything wrong with this and neither do I. William still plays basketball and with his train, he just also wanted a doll to take care of. I think this is an important thing because boys can learn as a young age to become more nurturing. Most people consider fathers the disciplinary one and not the nurturing one.

I think I would include this in my classroom library because it is different. All the students in my classroom will be different and will like different things. This is just one example of a boy liking a toy that some may consider not for boys and shows that it is okay. Some boys may be embarrassed to admit that they like something that is not normally for boys, but after reading this book they can see that is it okay. This book is for pre K-2nd graders. Although this book may stir up some controversy, I think it is worth included in my classroom because it is not offensive and will help break down these stereotypes we have created about boys and girls.

Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite

Daddy's roommate is the story about a young boy whose parents are divorced. His dad has a new roommate who lives with him and it is another man. His dad and his dad's roommate do many things together like sleep together, shave together, and sometimes even fight. The boy also spends time with his dad and his dad's roommate at the park, the zoo, baseball ball games, and many other fun activities. His mother told him that his dad and his dad's roommate Frank are gay. His mother explained what that meant to him. She explained that being gay is another kind of love and it makes his dad happy. If his dad is happy then he is happy too.

If I had read this book as a child, I may have been confused at first seeing a dad with another man. The book does a nice job of explaining what being gay means in a way that a child can understand. This is a tough topic to talk about with young kids depending on their backgrounds as well as explaining it in a way that they can understand. I would be a little hesitant about including this in my classroom library simply because some parents may have more conservative background and not feel comfortable with their kids reading books about this subject. I personally feel that this book explains homosexuality in a mature and easy to understand manner. Their are going to be students in my classroom from all different kinds of families and this book explains one kind. If a student with homosexual parents sees this book they may feel comforted by it.

I am hesitant to include this book simply because I would not want parents to complain, however I think that this topic is important for kids to understand. They do not have to agree or disagree with it, but just to learn that their are different kinds of families out there that may look different then their own. This book is for preK-2nd graders. I think learning about this topic at a young age may make children more aware and more accepting of homosexuality. Though it is a sensitive subject, children will need to learn about it sooner or later, so why not sooner.

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi

Everyone Poops could be considered a controversial childrens book that explains to children that they are not the only people in the world who poop. It also explains that animals, as well as grown ups do it too. Animals all poop different shapes and sizes. Some do it on the move, and other do it in place. Some are small and some are big. Though everyone's is not the same, everyone still poops.

I remember buying this book for a friend as a joke in high school. I was so mortified to ask the lady at the book store where it was. Though the topic is a little be embarrassing to talk about, the truth of the matter is everyone does indeed poop. Some children may be embarrassed about this, but maybe if they know that they are not the only ones it will make them feel more comfortable.

This subject is a little bit touchy and can make teachers and parents feel a little uncomfortable. I still think it is a good book to include in a classroom library for students in 1st and 2nd grade. It is informative and humorous at the same time. It will allow children to feel more comfortable about this uncomfortable subject. The pictures in the book are a little bit much. They show different animals along with their poop. They also show a few nude pictures of young boys. They are not overly detailed, but children will most certainly take notice and point it out. I would use discretion when including this book in the classroom. Consider the maturity level of the students as well as what you would want them to get out of the book.

"Where Did I Come From? The facts of life without any nonsense and with illustration" by Peter Mayle

I discovered this controversial book at a friends house only a few short years ago. We flipped through it and laughed at the images, but I did not sit down and actually read it till now. "Where did i come from" is a book that parents can use if they want to teach their child about how babies are made. This is a very sensitive subject to talk about with young kids. There are parents who avoid the subject and wait until they learn about it in health class, while some like to be honest and upfront with their kids.

For parents who want to be upfront and honest with their children at a young age, then this book is fun for them. It expresses the act of a mother and father making a baby in terms that children can understand. I would say this book should be used for third graders and up, third being the absolute youngest. The book starts out by explaining the different body parts in a boy and a girl. It then goes into the act of "making love". This part I feel is a little to graphic, but that is why this book could be considered controversial. It does not leave out ANY detail. After the book explains "making love" it goes into the stages of pregnancy until the baby is born. I found this to be very informative and a good way to explain the stages of pregnancy.

The illustrations, all in cartoon form, show the differences between the male and female form. They are graphic, but are still suitable for children. Though I can see why parents would use this book to explain the miracle of life to their children, I personally do not think that I would use it until my children were in middle school even. There were many things about this book that I liked and found informative, but it is also a bit much for young children and might cause them to ask more questions. It is something that is entirely up to the parent. I would feel somewhat uncomfortable reading this with young children and am sure many parents would.