Biography Annotation

Helen Keller: A Photographic Story of a Life

By Leslie Garrett
2004
DK Publishing
Biography Characteristic of Difference Ability / Disability Deaf and Blind
121 pages
Summary:
As can be expected from a biography, this was a look at Helen Kellers life, but also that
of her teacher, Annie Sullivan. The book began with a look at what Helen Keller accomplished
in her life but then went back to what caused her to become both deaf and blind. There was then
information about the start of Annie Sullivans life and what brought her to the Kellers
household. The remainder of the book looked at what Annie did to teach Helen, how Helens
education continued beyond what Annie taught her, how the two women worked to spread
awareness of Helens condition and that of others who are deaf and blind, and looked at the final
days of both Helens and Annies lives.
Personal Response:
This book hit on so many areas of Helens life that I did not know about, such as her
work on the behalf of those in poverty and others affected with blindness, that it was really a
learning experience for me as well. I have heard the basic story of Helen Keller, how she was
deaf and blind and became a terror for her family until Annie Sullivan came along, but I had no
idea that she had accomplished so much with her life and met so many important and influential
people. The sheer number of presidents that she had met with at one point or another amazed me,
and kind of reminded me of the Queen of England. All in all, I enjoyed this book.
Strengths / Weaknesses:

The main strength of this book is that it looks at the rest of Helen Kellers life, not just
that which is typically discussed. It also has a lot of photographs which helps to make the life of
Helen Keller seem more real and makes her world more accessible to students. The writing is
also extremely straight-forward which makes it easier for younger students to understand.
Finally, there is a notation on the back cover that this book supports the Common Core State
Standards which means that it is easy to incorporate into a curriculum.
The only weakness that I could really find with this book is that there are a couple of
minor grammatical errors, missing prepositions and improper verb tenses, which distracted me
while I was reading. For students who are reading very fluently, they likely would not notice
these errors. However, for students who are still focusing on reading every single word one word
at a time, it may confuse them or throw them off.
How this book might be used:
Based on how simple the language of the book is but also looking at the length of the
book (there are eighteen chapters), I would most likely use it starting in third grade, potentially
with advanced second graders, though I would also be willing to use it as a resource for any
grade above third. As it is a biography, it is always easy to say that it would be used as part of a
biography unit in which students would select a biography to read and then do additional
research about that person. However, I would also be willing to use this book as a read aloud,
and would definitely drop it to second grade at that point (with a few parts of the story left out),
due to the fact that she did leave an incredibly interesting life and I think it is important that
students know more than just a couple facts about Helen Keller, especially since I learned so
much from reading this book.

Fantasy / Science Fiction Annotation

Tuesdays at the Castle
By Jessica Day George
2011
Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
Fantasy Characteristic of Difference Gender Female Main Character
225 pages
Summary:
Celie is the youngest child of the King of Glower and the one that the Castle of Glower
likes the best. The Castle of Glower is similar to a living, breathing object it changes and adds
rooms, decorations, and hallways to suit the needs of the royal family or to demonstrate the
needs and wants of the castle. A long time ago, the younger son, Rolf, was selected to be the next
king and the older son to join the College of Wizardry. One day, the king and queen travel to see
their older son graduate and are attacked by a group of bandits on the way back. Suddenly, Rolf
is forced to become king with a regency council made up of people who want him dead. The
only person who has enough knowledge of the castle is Celie and she is the only one who can
use the castle to the advantage of her family in order to save her brothers life and bring the rest
of her family back.
Personal Response:
I really loved that the concept of the book was based around a castle that can move and
grow because I think thats a topic that really has not ever been explored, at least not in any
books that I have encountered. I also really got drawn into Celies story and her relationship with
the castle. The fact that she was always able to find the passage that she wanted and that the
castle worked in her favor helped to demonstrate how being kind can benefit in ways that you
never expected.
Strengths / Weaknesses:

The strengths of this book are that it takes a rather played out theme, royal families who
have surrounding regions attempt to invade them, but does it in a new and exciting way. I also
think this book is a fantasy book that does not read like a typical fantasy book because the
fantastical features are so naturally woven into the story. This makes it a good book for students
who are reluctant to read the fantasy genre.
The main weakness of this book is that the names of characters and places are rather
strange and do not necessarily follow the typical pronunciation of English words, which could be
frustrating for students who are still relying heavily on sounding words out to understand how to
pronounce it because it might not sound the way they expect.
Both a strength and a weakness of this book is how simple the vocabulary used is. It is a
strength in that it can help struggling readers to read a longer book because they will know most
of the words without a problem. However, for stronger readers, there is nothing to challenge
them in the reading of the book and the storyline is not challenging to follow either.
How this book might be used:
I would most likely use this book as a read aloud or as a book for small group discussion,
mainly based on the length of it. I think that it could be used easily in any classroom 3rd grade
and up because the students will be interested in the story and able to read it themselves. I think
it is really good for introducing the topic of fantasy because it is not a typical fantasy book so
students may not even realize that it is a fantasy book until discussion happens.

Historical Fiction Annotation

Is It Night or Day?
By Fern Schumer Chapman
2010
R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company
Realistic Fiction Characteristic of Difference Immigration and Religion Judaism
260 pages
Summary:
Edith is Jewish and living in Germany in 1938. Her family conspires to find a way to get
her to America, specifically Chicago, in order to join her uncle and her older sister. The book
covers her journey through Germany, during Hitlers rise to power, as well as what life is like for
her in America. Throughout the book, she receives letters to provide updates on how her family
that stayed behind is doing. This book provides a very unique look at the terror of the Holocaust
through the eyes of a child who manages to survive early on, a perspective not generally
examined or even always acknowledged.
Personal Response:
I loved the perspective of this book which is really what drew me to it in the first place as
well as the fact that it is a book dealing with the Holocaust, my personal favorite time period in
history. Both of these aspects kept me reading the book, however I really struggled to really get
into the book. I dont think this is a result of the story, writing, etc., but rather my personal
response to reading this past week. This is definitely a book that I will make sure to read again in
the future when I have the chance to fully appreciate the story and actually get into it.

Strengths / Weaknesses:

The main strength of this book is that it looks at the Holocaust through a perspective that
is generally fairly ignored. I think that this book would be able to spark good discussions on what
other perspectives we might be missing out on as well as how many people actually would have
had a similar experience to Ediths. This book also deals with living in a new country where you
dont speak the language which may resonate with others, demonstrating how the problems that
kids face can be universal, even when it seems to be specific to a certain time period.
The main weakness of this book is the fact that there are lots of German and Yiddish
phrases throughout the book. While this is to be expected from a book dealing with a different
country, it can make it challenging, and occasionally distracting, to read the book since the
English translation immediately follows.
How this book might be used:
I am not entirely sure when students begin learning about the Holocaust but I would
probably try and use it during a Holocaust unit with 5th or 6th graders. The book itself is really
easy to read, so I might even use it with younger students but the content is certainly more
challenging. I would likely use this book (Is it Night or Day?) as well as My Family for the War
and Number the Stars as book club books during the Holocaust unit. Each book deals with a
different aspect of how Jewish children made it through the Holocaust and World War II and the
individual books would lend easily into large group discussions beyond just the book club
groups. I would also make sure the book was available on my bookshelf for grades 4 and above,
even if the Holocaust is not discussed, since the horrors are of the Holocaust are not really the
focus of this book. Therefore, it would act as a decent introduction to the topic without hitting all
of the heavy stuff instantly.

Nonfiction Annotations

Social Studies Text

Title: George vs. George The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides
Author: Rosalyn Schanzer
Illustrator: Rosalyn Schanzer
Publisher: The National Geographic Society
Year Published: 2004
Pages: 57
Summary: This book looks at the entirety of the American Revolution from the sides of
the Americans and the British. It begins with background information about King George
III and George Washington, comparing their upbringing and their basic beliefs. Next is
information about what really caused the American Revolution, the various taxes, and
looked at how and why each side made the choices that they did. Then the actual
revolution is talked about, including some of the major battles as well as how each army
was set up / the resources they had available. It then talks about how the nation of
America was actually created, from the Continental Congress to the final battles. Finally,
the remainder of King George III and George Washingtons lives are mentioned.
Related CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Standard:
From Iowa Core Social Studies Standards: Understand how and why people create,
maintain, or change systems of power, authority, and governance. (SS.3-5.H.2)
Understand the role of individuals and groups within a society as promoters of change or
the status quo. (SS.3-5.H.4)
Understand the effect of economic needs and wants on individual and group decisions
(SS.3-5.H.5)
From Core Knowledge: 4th Grade Social Studies Curriculum
1. The American Revolution
A. Background: The French and Indian War
Also known as the Seven Years War, part of an ongoing struggle
between Britain and France for control of colonies in various regions
around the world (in this case, in North America)
Alliances with Native Americans
The Battle of Quebec
British victory gains territory but leaves Britain financially weakened
B. Causes and Provocations
British taxes, No taxation without representation
Boston Massacre, Crispus Attucks
Boston Tea Parth

The Intolerable Acts close the port of Boston and require Americans to
provide quarters for British troops
First Continental Congress protests to King George III
Thomas Paines Common Sense
C. The Revolution
Paul Reveres ride, One if by land, two if by sea
Lexington and Concord
The shot heard round the world
Redcoats and Minute Men
Bunker Hill
Second Continental Congress: George Washington appointed
commander in chief of Continental Army
Declaration of Independence
Primarily written by Thomas Jefferson
Adopted July 4, 1776
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Women in the Revolution: Elizabeth Freeman, Deborah Sampson,
Phillis Wheatley, Molly Pitcher
Loyalists (Tories)
Victory at Saratoga, alliance with France
European helpers (Lafayette, the French fleet, Bernardo de Galvez,
Kosciusko, von Stueben)
Valley Forge
Benedict Arnold
John Paul Jones: I have not yet begun to fight.
Nathan Hale: I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my
country.
Cornwallis: surrender at Yorktown
Age/ Grade Level: 4th
How It Would Be Used: The book would be read throughout the entirety of a unit on the
American Revolution, as opposed to reading the entire book through at one time. The
teacher could choose to use the book as a read aloud or have students use the book as a
basis of research for a topic from the American Revolution that they find most
interesting. The book can also be used as a way to tie literacy and social studies together,
without necessarily making an explicit connection between the two. The teacher could
read a section or two a few days before or after a similar topic is discussed within the
social studies time period.

Science Text
Title: Science: Witness the Events that Changed the Course of History
Author: Glenn Murphy
Illustrator(s): Alamy, Corbis, Getty, Hedgehog House, iStock Photo, Minden Pictures,
NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The Photo Library, Public
Domain, Shutterstock, Top Foto, and Trinity University Cambridge (the preceding
locations are credited with providing the illustrations and photographs for the book)
Publisher: Weldon Owen Pty Ltd.
Year Published: 2014
Pages: 61
Summary: This book provides information on the following topics: laws of motion,
natural selection, engines and machines, atomic theory, plate tectonics, powered flight,
and electric power. Each topic has its own section of the book and each section talks
about the history of the topic, important people in the field, and the turning point (how
one persons discovery completely changed our understanding or ability to use that
knowledge). There are also lots of infographics and short paragraphs on each page, which
makes it easy to find the information that you most want to learn.
Related CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Standard:
From the Next Generation Science Standards LS4.B: Natural Selection Natural
selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression
of others. (MS-LS4-4)
LS4.C: Adaptation Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one
important process by which species change over time in response to changes in
environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the
new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus,
the distribution of traits in a population changes. (MS-LS4-6)
Age/ Grade Level: Middle School (based on the standard specifically)
How It Would Be Used: Since each of the topics is so diverse, and cover topics that are
not necessarily covered in a single grade level, it would be challenging to use the entire
book in a single classroom. I selected the natural selection topic mainly because it is a
middle school standard and most of the other topics would have been covered previously.
This way, the section about natural selection can be used throughout the unit, with the
teacher reading small sections of the text each day, for areas that will be covered that day
in class or reminders of what was covered previously. The book itself would then be
available in the classroom to be examined at the desire of the students as a review of
topics that they have studied previously. The teacher could also use it to reactivate
students prior knowledge of the topics if necessary for a different topic of study.

Math Text
Title: Positively Skewed
Author: Juliet Aiken
Illustrator: Juliet Aiken
Publisher: Juliet Aiken
Year Published: 2013
Pages: 36
Summary: A little sample, who happens to be positively skewed, gets teased by its
friends for not being normal. Its population has a conversation with it about how all
samples are special and unique. The positively skewed sample then realizes that it has
friends who are bi-modal, platykurtic, and also slightly skewed. The sample then realizes
that most samples are non-normal.
Related CCSS, Iowa Core or Professional Standard:
From the Common Core Math Standards: CCSS.Math.Content.6.SPA.2 Understand
that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be
described by its center, spread, and overall shape.
Age/ Grade Level: 6th
How It Would Be Used: The book would be read as a way to introduce some of the
vocabulary that can be used to describe bell curves (normal, skewed, bi-modal, and
platykurtic) while providing a visual representation. The students would then be able to
sketch out what they think each kind of curve looks like based on what they heard and
were shown in the book.
Age / Grade Level: Kindergarten 3rd
How It Would Be Used: While this book would not be appropriate for a focus on math in
these ages, it is a good way to talk about diversity and how everyone is special and
different without calling attention to specific differences in students. The book can be
used as a way of talking about respecting everyone through the description of the graphs,
as opposed to descriptions of particular kids, religions, races /ethnicities, skill-sets, etc.

Poetry File
Poem Science
Continental Promises by Lisa Westberg Peters
Dear
Africa,
Stay close!
Well be
friends
forever.
Love,
South America
Dear
South America,
My coastlines
are your
coastlines.
My deserts
are your
deserts.
Were rock-solid.
Love,
Africa
Source: Peters, L. (2003) Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up pg. 9
Why: The concept that all of the continents used to be connected in one giant landmass, Pangea,
has always been one that interests me. I was thrilled to see a poem based on that topic. I also
liked that the poem was written as short letters because I thought that would lend itself easily to
being a model for various writing structures, both poem and letters, which easily connects
science and language arts together.
How and Who: I would most likely use this for students in 4th 6th grade, since the concept of
Pangea and/or continental drift can be a rather challenging one to wrap their minds around. I
would most likely have the student start by examining a map and making comparisons amongst
the coast lines of the continents. Once they notice that South America and Africa seem to fit
together, I would read the poem aloud while showing the page of the book so that the set-up of
the poem comes across. We would then have a discussion about what the poem might mean and
discuss Pangea and why the continents may look like they fit together.

Poem Language Arts

Story by Eloise Greenfield
I step into the story,
I leave my world behind,
I let the walls of story
Be the walls around my mind.
New faces and new voices,
I listen and I see,
and people I have never met
mean everything to me.
I worry when they worry,
I quake when dangers near,
I hold my breath and hope
that all their troubles disappear.
I dont know what will happen,
I never know what Ill find,
when I step into a story
and leave my world behind.
Source: Greenfield, E. (2004) In the Land of Words pg. 32
Why: This poem almost perfectly sums up how I feel about reading in general and why I love it
so much. It also has rhymes which is how I have always preferred my poems, it just seems easier
to read a rhyming poem.
How and Who: I would use this poem at the very beginning of the year for kindergarteners
and/or 1st graders in order to have a conversation about the joy of reading and what readers can
get out of texts / connect with texts. I would make sure not to say that it was poetry, because I
wouldnt want students to bring in any feelings about poetry or construct any negative views, but
I would ask them to listen to the sounds of my voice and how they hear the section flow. I would
also make lots of personal connections to the poem and talk about books, at a kindergarten or
first grade reading level, that I have experienced the same feelings with. I would then ask the
students if they had had any similar experiences or if there were any books that they expect
would make them feel such a deep connection.
Poem Math
Arithmetic by Carl Sandburg

Arithmetic is where numbers fly

like pigeons in and out of your head.
Arithmetic tells you how many you lose or win
if you know how many you had
before you lost or won.
Arithmetic is seven eleven all good children
go to heaven---or five six bundle of sticks.
Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your
head to your hand to your pencil to your paper
till you get the right answer . . .
If you have two animal crackers, one good and one bad,
and you eat one and a striped zebra
with streaks all over him eats the other,
how many animal crackers will you have
if somebody offers you five six seven and you say
No no no and you say Nay nay nay
and you say Nix nix nix?
If you ask your mother for one fried egg
for breakfast and she gives you
two fried eggs and you eat
both of them, who is better in arithmetic,
you or your mother?
Source: Stockland, P. (2004) Recess, Rhyme, and Reason: A Collection of Poems about School
pg. 13
Why: When I read this poem, it reminded me of my personal struggle with understanding word
problems, all of the words mixed in with a few numbers, and I had that feeling all over again the
first time that I read this poem. I realized that I probably was not the only student to ever feel
incredibly confused by word problems and that this poem could be a fun way to talk about
common challenges and sources of confusion with word problems.
How and Who: Since young students are the ones learning how to do word problems, I would
use this for kindergarteners through 2nd graders. Depending on the reading level of the students, I
would either read the poem aloud or allow the students to read it in partners and try to determine
the meaning of the poem, of which there isnt really one. We would then work on ways to turn
different stanzas of the poem into word problems as practice of what word problems look like
and how they arent scary to work with.
Poem Social Studies
Maria Tallchief by W. Nikola-Lisa

Here comes Maria

to take center stage.
Its a place she craved
from a tender young age.
For Maria loved to dance,
to leap, and to soar;
to spring toward the sky;
to fly across the floor.
She could have been a singer
a clear-throated soprano
or a professional musician
playing concert piano.
But dance was what she lived for.
Dance was who she was.
And when Maria took flight
the audience was a-buzz.
Yes, Maria was smart
so incredibly dignified;
she used movement to show
what she felt deep inside.
Are you smart like Maria?
Source: Nikola-Lisa, W. (2006) How We Are Smart pg. 4
Why: The book that the poem was selected from, How We Are Smart, talks about a lot of
famous, and not-so-famous, people from America and how they used their individual skills to be
smart. This is a concept that I feel is very important and it was really hard for me to select a
single poem out of the book. However, I selected the one about Maria Tallchief because I did
ballet for sixteen years so I felt a more personal connection to that poem.
How and Who: This poem could be used as a good introduction to studies on famous/important
women as well as that of Native American heritage. What I like about this poem is that it does
not emphasize the fact that Maria Tallchief was a woman or a Native American, it simply talks
about what she did and how smart she was. I know that many curriculums provide a specific time
to talk about women and/or Native Americans but this poem helps to show that there does not
need to be a specific time. Maria Tallchief was just like everyone else, other than the fact that we
know her name, which means that all students can connect with her. The rest of the book can
also be used to help students to find their particular type of smart.
Poem Art
Whoosh! by Justine Rowden; Based on an untitled painting by Mark Rothko

The rosy red that starts

At the bottom
Is like a softened breeze,
A gentle wind that brushes
Against the cheeks of a daffodil
And makes the petals laugh.
The red in the middle
Is a bustling wind
That makes branches
Reach out in huge leaps
To tag the next tree
And quickly whip back and hide.
At the very top;
The rich dark red
Is a wild, furious gust
That makes kites somersault,
And pull even higher
To catch a passing plane
And race it through to a cloud.
Source: Rowden, J. (2005) Paint Me a Poem: Poems Inspired by Masterpieces of Art pg. 15
Why: I really liked the entire book because it used paintings to inspire the poems. I looked
through the book at the paintings and selected the painting that I liked best and then read the
associated poem. Luckily, I liked the poem as well as the painting so it was easy to pick this
poem out of all of the ones that were available.
How and Who: For students in kindergarten, and possibly 1st grade as well, this was a good
poem (when combined with the painting itself) to use to talk about colors. The painting also has
different shades and the poem addresses these, so it is possible to talk about shades of colors as
well. In 1st and 2nd grade, I would use this poem and the painting to talk about modern art and
how it is different from other types of art, such as realism and surrealism. By having the poem,
there is a more concrete connection to the painting as opposed to just looking at the painting. For
either topic, I would provide a copy of the painting for the students to look at. I would have them
write their own response to the painting, how they feel, what they notice, etc. I would then read
the poem aloud to the students and have a conversation about how their responses are similar and
different from the poem. I would then put up another, similar, painting and have the students
respond again.

Poem Health
The Etiquette of Going to Sleep by David Greenberg
What parents dont appreciate
(And never ever will)
Is that sleep is bad for children
Sleep makes children ill.
Sleep will make you grumpy,
Sleep will give you zits,
Sleep will make you jumpy,
Give you hissy fits.
So after youre tucked in
And theyve begun to snore,
Slither out of bed,
Scamper out the door.
Watch television reruns,
Enjoy the solitude,
Then call an all-night restaurant
To order Chinese food.
Have your buddies over
And when everyone has dined
Bake cookies for dessert
(Leave the mess behind).
Skateboard through the house
Or pogo-stick instead,
Then send your buddies home
And sneak back into bed.
Your mom and dad will wake you
With a gentle, loving tap
And then its off to school, young man
(Just the place to nap!).
Source: Greenberg, D. (2006) Dont Forget Your Etiquette! The Essential Guide to Misbehavior
pg. 24 25

Why: I loved how this poem took a humorous look at going to sleep, rather than being super
serious and boring. I think it would be far more interesting for children to listen to or look at
and it would certainly be more enjoyable to read aloud.
How and Who: Sleep, and getting enough sleep, is a very important topic for students of all ages,
but I think that students in 3rd grade and up are the ones who most need to hear about how much
sleep they should be getting. I would read this poem aloud and ask the students to keep track of
all of the things that are wrong with this poem, all of the things that they shouldnt be doing. The
class would then learn about how much sleep they should be getting each night and ways to
make it easier to fall asleep.

Realistic Fiction Annotation - Revised

Listen, Slowly
By Thanhh Li
2015
HarpersCollins Childrens Books
Realistic Fiction Characteristic of Difference Ethnicity Vietnamese / Vietnamese-American
260 pages
Summary:
Mai/Mia (Home/School names) is surprised with a trip to Vietnam on her very first day
of summer vacation, a trip that she is not thrilled about. She is to escort her B (grandmother) to
the village her grandmother grew up in, in order to determine whether or not Mais ng
(grandfather) is still alive. Her ng was declared missing in action during the Vietnam War but a
detective has now found out additional information about some of his whereabouts near the end
of the war. While in Vietnam, Mai is convinced that she should not enjoy her trip but she begins
to realize that the Vietnamese culture suits her well and she feels comfortable with the mayberelatives in her Bs village, far more comfortable than she did with her friends back home. She
makes a new best friend, t, and the two work together to make ts sister and Mais selfproclaimed translator, Anh Minh, fall in love. Together Mai and t teach each other about their
personal cultures until Mai completely falls in love with Vietnam and realizes that it is truly her
home.
Personal Response:
I really liked the way that this book was written, it could very easily have come directly
from the mind of a twelve-year old, the age of the main character, which made the entire story
far more relatable. I felt as though I was personally experiencing Mais struggles with the
language barrier and new foods and experiences right alongside her. I was able to feel her
discomfort and her personal response to everything which really gave me the sense that I was in
Vietnam for the first time as well. I really wish there would have been some kind of

pronunciation guide for some of the more common Vietnamese words used in the book, such as
B and ng, because I would not feel comfortable talking about this book with someone who
actually speaks Vietnamese for fear that I would accidentally insult them while describing the
book and the characters.
Strengths / Weaknesses:
The main strength of this book is that it tackles the experience of being in a new country
from the perspective of someone who looks like they should fit in but still dont based on their
upbringing. I think this is a topic that is not explored as fully as it ought to be, especially because
many students will likely experience a similar culture shock at some point in their lives, no
matter what their background is.
The main weakness of this book, as previously mentioned, is that there is not a
pronunciation guide for the most frequently used Vietnamese words. I would not feel confident
enough to inform students of how to pronounce the words and, since Vietnamese is a tonal
language, it is highly possible for students to say an improper word and insult someone.
How this book might be used:
I would most likely use this book in a 4th or 5th grade classroom because I think Mai is a
very relatable character to students in that age range and the vocabulary used (that is not
Vietnamese) is likely understandable at that reading level, mainly just as a book that I would
have on my shelf. Again, since there is not a pronunciation guide, I would not feel comfortable
explicitly teaching using the book or even using it as a read aloud. However, I would make sure
to direct students from a variety of cultures and backgrounds to the book as a way of attempting
to understand other people and cultures.

Traditional Literature Annotation

Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition
Adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn
Illustrated by Connie McLennan
2000
Shens Books an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc.
Traditional Literature Characteristic of Difference Ethnicity Hispanic
34 pages
Summary:
Domitila is a young girl who lives and works with her mother and father, building
houses, cooking, leather-crafting, and so much more. One day, there is a terrible storm that ruins
their house and causes her mother to fall ill. Domitila is sent to work in the Governors house as
a cook. She makes a traditional peasant dish there that the Governors son absolutely loves but
when he tries to find her to talk about it, she has gone home because her mother is too sick and
soon dies. The Governors son ends up searching the whole Mexican desert to find Domitila and
tells many people about her. One woman sees her chance to have her daughter marry the
Governors son so she convinces Domitilas father to marry her. This plan does not work though
because the Governors son ends up smelling Domitilas cooking at a festival, figures out where
she is, and the two talk and eventually get married.
Personal Response:
I really loved how the underlying theme of this book was do every task with care, and
always add a generous dash of love as opposed to the Disney version where you just need a
fairy godmother to get the prince. The story seems much more important and relatable this way
and I could definitely imagine using it with my own children someday. I also loved how Spanish
words were integrated right into the story because I love books that involve other languages, it

helps me to better understand the culture/setting as well as work on picking up words from
various languages.
Strengths / Weaknesses:
The strengths of this book are that it differs enough from the basic Cinderella tale to be
interesting but still follows the basic plot structure. This makes it possible for students to create
their own predictions about what they think will happen and to easily see how stories may
change from culture to culture. The words, aside from those in Spanish, are also not too
challenging which means young children could read it on their own.
The weaknesses of this book are that there are no pronunciation guides for the Spanish
words which means that students will likely struggle with the words and not be able to
pronounce them correctly. While that is not detrimental to the students understanding of the
story, it does mean that they would not be able to use the words when they want to because they
would be using the words incorrectly.
How this book might be used:
I believe this book would work well in a comparison study of other Cinderella tales
because it is different enough to remain interesting while still being similar enough to make a
good comparison study. This would be a good unit for talking about how people interpret things
differently and how writing style comes into play for authors. I would most likely use it in a first
or second grade classroom so that students should be able to read a majority of the book on their
own (Spanish words aside for most students) and will likely still be excited about reading a lot of
Cinderella tales. It could also be used to introduce some Spanish words into the classroom and as
an introduction to Spanish/Mexican culture.