Module 15: Th Adventures of Captain Underpants An Epic Novel By Dav Pilkey

Summary: Captain Underpants is a superhero created from the imagination of two young boys named George and Harold. George and Harold are silly tricksters who sell their Captain Underpants and other various comics on the playground for 50 cents. One day they had gone overboard with their pranks during a school football game and got caught. Their principal. Mr. Krupp, videotaped all of the entire time they were setting up pranks. He got them filling the game ball with helium to putting bubbles in the bands instruments. Mr. Krupp was willing to make a deal with them if they behave for the rest of their time in school as well as be his servant whenever he pleased and he wouldn’t show the tape to anyone. This punishment went on for a few weeks until their 3-D Hypno-Ring came in the mail. They used it on Mr. Krupp to get the video back from him and also had a little fun. They made the mistake of turning him into Captain Underpants, the superhero. Mr. Krupp ran out of the office and the two boys had to find him before it was too late. They found him fighting bank robbers and then the evil Dr. diaper. After they escaped they returned him to himself and he no longer had the tape to hold against them. Even now and then when people snap their fingers he turns back into Captain Underpants.   

Citation: Pilkey, D. (1997). The adventures of Captain Underpants. New York, NY: The Blue Sky Press.

Impressions:  My sister was an avid fan of the Captain Underpants series so I thought that it was appropriate to read this for my last blog post. I was kind of shocked to see that it was on the censored/challenged book list. I don’t really understand what is so controversial about it. Sure, the two main characters play pranks and are a little snotty but they don’t hurt anyone or use foul language. I think that young students should have enough sense to not reenact some of their trick or pranks. The Captain Underpants character is a crime fighter. He strop the bad guys from doing harm or wrong. My sister tells me she liked the book because of its creativity. It has these pages called Flip-O-Rama that are fun flip books but only feature one animated picture. I hadn’t seen this in anything that I’ve read all semester so I thought that it really set this book apart. I enjoyed the story and the illustrations were creative and fun. Overall, I would go against a challenge to keep this book on the shelf.   

Reviews:

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4 Pilkey plays with words and pictures, providing great entertainment. The story is immediately engaging. two fourth-grade boys who write comic books and who love to pull pranks find themselves in big trouble. Mean Mr. Krupp, their principal, videotapes George and Harold setting up their stunts and threatens to expose them. The boys' luck changes when they send for a 3-D Hypno-Ring and hypnotize Krupp, turning him into Captain Underpants, their own superhero creation. Later, Pilkey includes several pages of flip-o-ramas that animate the action. The simple black-and-white illustrations on every page furnish comic-strip appeal. The cover features Captain Underpants, resplendent in white briefs, on top of a tall building. This book will fly off the shelves.

Hopf, M.M. (1997). Review of The adventures of Captain Underpants. Los Angeles, CA: Reed Business Information, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Captain-Underpants-Collectors-Included/dp/product-description/0439756685/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

From Kirkus Reviews

    In the fine old tradition of James Marshall's Cut-Ups, Pilkey (God Bless the Gargoyles, 1996, etc.) introduces George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two usually responsible fourth-graders, as in ``whenever anything bad happened, George and Harold were usually responsible.'' Pranksters of the first order, George and Harold are finally nabbed by Mr. Krupp, the principal, whom they then hypnotize into believing he's Captain Underpants, a superhero of their own creation. Before they can stop him, he's out the window in cape and briefs, off to fight crime with Wedgie Power, taking on bank robbers, robot thieves--`` `You know,' said George, `up until now this story was almost believable!' ''--and ultimately the evil Dr. Diaper. Distracting Dr. Diaper with some ``fake doggy doo- doo,'' the boys save the planet, then hustle Krupp back into his clothes, just in time for--their next adventure, The Attack of the Talking Toilets, coming soon. Pilkey's stubby black-and-white cartoon figures appear on every page but can be animated in one chapter, thanks to ``Flip-O-Rama,'' where readers flip pages back and forth for the ``latest in cheesy animation technology.'' There'll be no silence in the library once readers get hold of this somewhat classier alternative to Barf-o-Rama books and their crude ilk. (Fiction. 9-11)

Associates of Kirkus Reviews. (June 1, 1997). Review. Kirkus Reviews online. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/dav-pilkey/the-adventures-of-captain-underpants/#review

Suggestions: This book could be used in super hero projects. Students could read the novel and then draw their own superhero. They could display them around the library for others to see. I think this series would do well with creative projects.

Module 14: A Curious Collection Of Cats by Betsy Franco Illustrations by Michael Wertz

Summary: A Curious Collection of Cats by Betsey Franco contains 34 poems about the friendly world of cats. Each of the poems is visually appealing and the poems are all shape poems. The illustrations have just as much to do about the poem as much as the words. The poems focus on cats agility and fear of other animals. It features poems about cat fights and snacks. There are cats of all shapes and sizes with many different personalities.   

Citation:  Franco, B. (2009). A curious collection of cats. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Impressions: I enjoy this type of poetry. There is a lot of thought that goes into each shape poem because everything about the pictures and words means something. I like how the words round the photos in different angels. I think that this book will be an inspiration to students who love poetry. I have read many cat books in this class for my love of these adorable creatures so I think that they poems are relatable and touching to cat lovers.

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews
                                               

Franco’s witty but uneven collection of concrete poems celebrating feline antics is accompanied by striking illustrations done in pencil and finished in monoprint and Photoshop. Atop rich, textured backgrounds, cats—each one bursting with personality—stretch, fight, perch, leap, rest and pounce. Each image is saturated in bright, often fluorescent colors, incorporating the text within them. One poem, for example, called “Prickles vs. the Golden Retriever,” is printed on the spiked-up fur of a cat’s back. It reads: “Prickle’s [sic] fur / is sticking out / His back is arched. / His teeth are bared. / The dog he caught / in our backyard / is whimpering / and very scared.” An orange cat, with angry, puffed-up tail, arched back and bared teeth, occupies a quarter of the page, towering over the dog, who has flattened himself to the ground; readers see only his head, with a single tear coming from his eye, and a stretched-out paw. Capturing the spirit of each verse, Wertz turns a collection of otherwise unremarkable visual poems into a true treat for the eyes.

Kirkus associates. Review of A Curious Collection of Cats. (2009). Kirkus Reviews online. Retrieved from  http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/betsy-franco/a-curious-collection-of-cats/#review.

From Booklist

Words and pictures blend in these concrete poems about cats, written in forms that include haiku, limerick, and free verse. Once kids get the feel of how to follow the lines up and down or in curving jumps or around the page borders--they will have fun with the playful images. One poem is in the shape of a feline tail. Another describes Kabob the cat's fall upside down, and not only do the pictures show his movement, but the words do, too. When felines fight, the position of the words mirrors their furious screeches, howls, pouncing, and biting. Cat lovers will recognize the standoffs with arching backs, the cozy touch of the purrfect scarf on their shoulders, and the tech-savvy cat who walks across the keyboard to add her own note to an e-mail to a friend.-- Rochman, H. (2009). A curious collection of cats. Booklist. Retrieved from Bowker Books in Print.

Suggestions: Students can use this poetry book as an example of poems that they can write. They can even participate in writing this own shape poems. They don’t even have to write about cats but any subject or object that they would life. I think that incorporating fun activities with this book will really draw students attention. There could even be a book hour where the poems are read aloud and then students have time to make their own poetry.

Module 13: The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg

Summary: Jane is forced to move from Metro city after an explosion almost kills her and others around her. Her parents want her to be safe and so they move to a small town called Kent Waters. Jane wants to change her entire image since she’s got a different outlook on life. She cuts off all of blonde hair and dyes it black. She doesn’t want to sit with the popular kids anymore. She decided to befriend 3 girls who look like misfits. Their names are Jane, Jayne, and Polly Jane. The girls do not care for Jane in the beginning but she devises a plan to get their attention. She comes up with this idea of organizing an art movement called P.L.A.I.N which stands for people loving art in neighborhoods. They would run around the city and create art projects from everyday objects each time leaving a note. Some were describing acts of kindness and others were simply art like wrapping trees in paper or putting bows on mail boxes. The police started calling it vandalism and wanted to catch the culprits. One night the Jane’s are almost caught but a boy from school named Damon but instead he warns them. Jane develops a crush on Damon but is too afraid to pursue anything. After Jane finds out that the John Doe that was in a coma after the explosion in Metro city was released she gets Damon to drive her there to get information on John Doe, he pen pal since the terrible day. Damon takes her but John Doe isn’t there anymore, he has been sent back to Poland. Jane is upset and they drive home but Damon and her make out briefly in the car. The last art project was planned to take place on New Year’s but it fails. Damon ends up taking the blame and Jane feels bad but is also happy that she has close friends and family to support her.   

Citation: Castellucci, C. & Rugg, J. (2007). The plain Janes. New York, NY: DC Comics.

Impressions: I think that this story was very interesting and entertaining. I think that it will attract the misfit students who are looking to do things outside the box. It’s also nice to see strong female characters. I like the idea of this graphic novel. I know that the main character was going through some issues and was just trying to find a way to cope. It sends a great message because she transfers her energy into helping others. She creates this movement within the dull town that actually brings them all together. She rejects anything normal or boring, making her own rules. On the other hand though she is still a child and scared for her being. The almost fatal explosion really did mess with her mind as well as her always worried mother. The illustrations were in black and white with bold boxes outlining each scene. It’s a classic graphic novel and keeps readers engaged.   

Reviews:

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 7–10—Young adult author Castellucci makes her graphic-novel debut with this quirky comic. Jane's parents relocate to the suburbs when she's caught in a bomb attack in Metro City. Bored and lonely in her new town and school, the teen is thrilled when she meets three other girls named Jane, all of them as out of place as she is. They form a secret club, the Plain Janes, and decide to liven up the town with art. Some people like their work, but most are frightened, and the local police call the Plain Janes' work "art attacks." Castellucci gives each girl a distinct personality, and spirited, compassionate Main Jane is especially captivating. Rugg's drawings aren't in superhero or manga style, but resemble the more spare, clean style of alternative comics creators such as Dan Clowes and Craig Thompson. A thoughtful look at the pressures to conform and the importance of self-expression, this is also a highly accessible read. Regular comics readers will enjoy it, but fans of soul-searching, realistic young adult fiction should know about it as well.

Goldstein,L. The Plain Janes. Brooklyn Public Library, NY: Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Plain-Janes-Minx-Graphic-Novels/dp/1401211151.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* For the first book in a new series aimed at teenage girls, DC comics recruited novelist Castellucci (Boy Proof, 2004, and The Queen of Cool, 2005) to write this story about outsiders who come together, calling up themes from the author's popular YA novels. Relocated to suburbia after a brush with disaster in the big city (and fueled by an urge not to be terrified of the world as a result), Jane rallies a small group of outcasts into a team of "art terrorists," shaking the town from its conservative complacency by putting bubbles in the city fountain and wrapping objects on the street as Christmas packages. Their activities end up rallying the local teenagers to their cause and working the adults into a dither. The book has its share of stereotypes--the science geek, the psychotically overprotective mother, the irrepressible gay teen--but this is thought-provoking stuff. The art, inspired by Dan Clowes' work, is absolutely engaging. Packaged like manga this is a fresh, exciting use of the graphic-novel format.

Jesse Karp, J. (March 15, 2007). The plain Janes. Book List. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/The-Plain-Janes-Cecil-Castellucci/pid=1911749.

Suggestions: I think this book could be a good book for a book club. It would also do well with a book trailer because of all the action and mystery of it.

Module 12: The Road to OZ by Kathleen Krull Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Summary: This short biography about the man who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Lyman Frank Baums. It begins with his childhood and what interests he had as a young writer. His brother and him actually began a small newspaper on their own where they would write stories about their family. As he grew older he was involved in many different jobs. He wanted to be a performer originally but was never good enough to be casted in a part. He gave up that dream and went on to found his own company where he wrote his own plays and played his own parts as the lead. He wrote a book about hens which wasn’t successful when he started breeding chickens. He even dabbled in salesmanship and sold oil and kerosene lamps. Along his journey he met his wife at the age of 26, named Maud Gage, with whom he had four sons with. He worked hard each day trying to care for him family never accepting a dime from his rich family. He ran a small store that sold novelties and crafts for children. He wrote part time but every book turned out unsuccessful. One day, his mother pointed out to him that he should write down his fantasy stories that he told his children. He published his first book of fairytales called Adventures in Phunnyland which was also a failure. He kept a log of all of his book failures. Soon after he came up with the plot for his best seller, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which finally was published in 1900. He even built a house based on his novel for children to visit. He lived off of plays and a series adapted from the story until his death at 62.  

Citation: Krull, K. (2008). The road to Oz: Twists, turns, bumps, and triumphs in the life of L. Frank Baum. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books.   

Impressions: In the module one of the questions about biographies was how appropriate or credible one should be according to age group. I believe that this book is perfect for the age group it was aimed at. It talks about the life of Baums but not too much into the more personal stories in his life. It’s main focus was how he came to write the bestselling novel of the century which was equivalent to Harry Potter books today. I think children who love novel or want to know more about the author will enjoy this book because although it is information it is entertaining. The illustrations do a great job depicting events and give it more of a personal feel. I also enjoyed how the book explains all the odd jobs Baums was employed at because each one seemed to become a piece of his novel. The ideas were taken from his real life and even though he was unsuccessful all of that time, in the end he accomplished what he dreamed of. It sends a great message to students to keep dreaming and pursuing what they want in life.  

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

With customary vivacity and a fine sense of irony, Krull portrays her subject as a genial family man who suffered reverse after reverse thanks to a bad combination of deep-seated optimism and zero business sense—but pulled through when his love of storytelling and sense of audience at last led to a novel that instantly became (she notes) the Harry Potter of its day. She does mention Baum’s anti-American Indian screeds, but in general tells a brisk, admiring tale that mirrors the tone of his talespinning—aptly illustrated by Hawkes’s scenes of a frail, dapper looking gent, generally sporting a smile beneath a bushy mustache and gazing abstractedly into the distance. An admirable companion to Krull’s Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up To Become Dr. Seuss (2004), this profile not only provides a similarly illuminating peek beneath the authorial curtain, but leaves readers understanding just how groundbreaking The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was, as an adventure story with both a female protagonist and no overwhelming Moral Lesson. (afterword, booklists) (Picture book/biography. 9-11)

Kirkus associates. Review. (2008). Kirkus Reviews Online. Retrieved from  http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kathleen-krull/the-road-to-oz/#review.

From Booklist

Despite the enduring popularity of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, there are few titles about L. Frank Baum published for youth. Krull’s new picture-book biography, then, is particularly welcome, and it displays Krull’s usual stylistic strengths: a conversational tone, well-integrated facts, vivid anecdotes, and sly asides that encourage children to find the human qualities in a historical figure. Beginning with Baum’s pampered youth, Krull moves forward through his early adult years, when he flailed in a variety of jobs before finally writing his famous first book about Oz, which he based on bedtime stories he created for his children. Krull gives a balanced account, emphasizing Baum’s creative gifts and his talents for nurturing his family while frankly referencing his less-admirable traits, such as his prejudice against Native Americans. Hawkes’ ink-and-acrylic illustrations are uneven, with some figures appearing blurred and hurriedly rendered, but the brightly colored compositions do support the sense of Baum as a multifaceted, fascinating individual. An author’s note, sources, and a list of Baum’s works conclude this entertaining, lively portrait. Grades 2-5. --

Engberg, G. (2008). Review of The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum. Booklist. retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/The-Road-to-Oz-Twists-Turns-Bumps-and-Triumphs-in-the-Life-of-L-Frank-Baum-Kathleen-Krull/pid=273815

Suggestions: I think this story is inspirational and could be grouped with other inspirational famous figures. Students can read these stories and use them to define their own dreams. A small shelf could be rotated throughout the year displaying each of the inspirational figures.

Module 11: What If You Met A Pirate written and illustrated by Jan Adkins

Summary: What If you met a Pirate by Jan Adkins is about the real life pirates of our times. A lot of pirates that are portrayed in books or movies have an inaccurate portrayal of real pirates. The book explores what a pirate would actually be like and how a person would know it’s a pirate. It explores what clothing and ships look like as well as what pirates really did all day. It goes into detail about how to sail and what duties a pirate had on the ship. It also projects how pirates attacked other ships and who were the real captains. The conclusion lets readers know where all the pirates have vanished to.

Citation: Adkins, J. (2004). What if you met a pirate. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press.  

Impressions: I think that this book is fun and informational. I even learned a few things about pirates that I didn’t even know. I learned why pirates dressed the way they did and their actual duties on a ship. I don’t know much about ships so it was interesting to learn about captains and what pirates had to do to keep a ship afloat. The pictures were detailed and each was practically labeled as to why it was drawn or how it related. It was a little wordy which might turn off students who might get discouraged from all the information but I think the illustrations will save it for being dull.  

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

WHAT IF YOU MET A PIRATE? (reviewed on September 1, 2004)

Adkins rejects the conventional glamorous image of the pirate to construct a scruffier, though only slightly less romanticized, one in this sweeping history of privateers, buccaneers, freebooters, and similar nautical nogoodnicks. Though he may characterize them as “violent, wicked criminals,” he downplays the more lurid tales of their bad behavior, focusing instead on generalities about their habits, hygiene (“Most pirates had bad teeth, and not very many of them”), and seamanship. He also introduces Sir Francis Drake, William Kidd, Henry Morgan, and other piratical luminaries—often so that he can go on about their bad ends. Scattering loosely drawn but practiced vignettes of men and ships around snippets of historical fact, Adkins offers nothing new beyond a distinctly personal tone, but the topic is hot just now, and there’s enough about ships and sailing here to draw more than narrowly focused pirate fans. (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-10)

Kirkus Review associates. Review. Kirkus Reviews Online. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jan-adkins/what-if-you-met-a-pirate/#review

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. Can it be that walking the plank was a fictional punishment invented by illustrator Howard Pyle? In this appealing book, Adkins gives readers the lowdown on what life under the pirate flag was really like. After setting up the conventional portrait of swaggering, singing sailors in colorful duds, he replaces it with a more realistic picture of hard-working sailors who "might swashbuckle just a few hours each month" and bathed considerably less. Yet this realistic portrayal of pirates and their activities is even more intriguing than the romanticized version he debunks. Adkins strikes just the right note in the text, always informative and frequently entertaining as well. Bright with color washes, the excellent, energetic drawings show pirates engaged in a variety of activities, from pumping out the bilge to braiding each other's hair to using the open-air bathroom at the front of the ship. In a send-up of current book marketing, the back cover carries appreciative comments by the likes of Queen Elizabeth I and Leonardo da Vinci. Where pirate fever runs high this spirited presentation will find an enthusiastic audience. For more titles, see the Read-alikes, "Ship Ahoy!" [BKL S 1 04].

Phelan, C. (2004) Booklist Review. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/What-If-You-Met-a-Pirate-Jan-Adkins/pid=664172.

Suggestions: I like pirates themes in the library so I think that this book would be great to use to compare and contrast with other pirate related books. Students can pick out the differences in other books and maybe discuss why they think the information could be a misconception.

Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora Illustrated by Raul Colon

Summary: Tomas and his family have to leave Texas for work in Iowa. His family are migrant workers and move from place to place in the summer and winter. Tomas spends his time with his brother Enrique playing and brining water to his parents. He also likes listening to his grandfather stories. One day his grandfather tells him that he should go to the library to learn more stories to tell. Tomas goes by himself and meets the kind librarian who invites him in for a cup of water. She asks Tomas what he likes to read about and gather books about dinosaurs and tigers for him. Tomas returns each day getting lost in the story books and then share them with his family. He also begins to teach the librarian how to speak Spanish. The last word that Tomas teaches the librarian is good bye because it is time for him to return home in Texas. Tomas leaves some sweet bread with her and in turn the librarian gives him a new book to take on the road.

Citation: Mora, P. (1997).Tomas and the library lady. New York, NY: Random House.

Impressions: This story was a nice little insight to a little boy’s life. This book was based off of a real life person named Tomas Rivera who was motivated by the librarian and grew a love of reading because of her. It is very inspirational and shows a desire for learning and reading. I liked that it featured som words in Spanish because it really gave the story some character.  

Reviews:

From Kirkus Reviews

A charming, true story about the encounter between the boy who would become chancellor at the University of California at Riverside and a librarian in Iowa. Tom†s Rivera, child of migrant laborers, picks crops in Iowa in the summer and Texas in the winter, traveling from place to place in a worn old car. When he is not helping in the fields, Tom†s likes to hear Papa Grande's stories, which he knows by heart. Papa Grande sends him to the library downtown for new stories, but Tom†s finds the building intimidating. The librarian welcomes him, inviting him in for a cool drink of water and a book. Tom†s reads until the library closes, and leaves with books checked out on the librarian's own card. For the rest of the summer, he shares books and stories with his family, and teaches the librarian some Spanish. At the end of the season, there are big hugs and a gift exchange: sweet bread from Tom†s's mother and a shiny new book from the librarianto keep. Col¢n's dreamy illustrations capture the brief friendship and its life-altering effects in soft earth tones, using round sculptured shapes that often depict the boy right in the middle of whatever story realm he's entered. (Picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews Associates. (August 1, 1997). Tomas and the library lady. Kirkus Reviews Online. Retrieved from  http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/pat-mora/tomas-and-the-library-lady/#review.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-8. From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it's an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora's story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa. Inspired by the Spanish stories his grandfather (Papa Grande) tells, Tomas goes to the library to find more stories. The librarian welcomes him into the cool, quiet reading room and gives him books in English that he reads to himself and to his family. He teaches her some Spanish words. Then, as in so many migrant stories, the boy must leave the home he has found. He has a new, sad word for her, "adios. It means goodbye." Colon's beautiful scratchboard illustrations, in his textured, glowingly colored, rhythmic style, capture the warmth and the dreams that the boy finds in the world of books. The pictures are upbeat; little stress is shown; even in the fields, the kids could be playing kick ball or listening to stories. Perhaps the most moving picture is that of the child outside the library door, his face pressed against the pane. In contrast is the peaceful space he finds inside, where he is free to imagine dinosaurs and wild adventure.

Rochman, H. (1997). Booklist Review. Retrieved from  http://www.booklistonline.com/Tomas-and-the-Library-Lady-Raul-Colon/pid=570525.

Suggestions:  This can be used in inspirational storytelling as well as for students who are bilingual. I think that they will enjoy the story. They can even write about what inspires them as a fun activity. The can discuss their favorite books and what they like to read about. This can help with book selections and suggestions for the library’s collection.  

Module 9: The Great Pig Search by Eileen Christelow

Summary: Bert and Ethel’s pigs have escaped from their truck. Soon the town noticed that their clothes were missing shortly after. Bert was upset but decided to move on until he received a post card. It was from his pigs in a town in Florida. Ethel feels like the two of them need a vacation. They decide on Florida if Bert promises to forget about the pigs. Everywhere they go Bert asks for the missing pigs but no one has seen them. He even mistakenly attacks a woman who he thinks is a pig. The police let him go and assure him that there are no pigs in town. The next day, Bert and Ethel go on a fishing trip and catch the biggest fish ever. He is thrown overboard and is rescued by a fisherman. The story is featured in the newspaper along with photographs. The fisherman is actually the pig her was searching for.

Citation: Christelow, E. (2001). The great pig search. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Impressions: I really liked this story. The best part was the illustrations. It was like a mini where’s waldo because the pigs that Bert and Ethel were looking for were all over the place. I like that they were dresses in human clothing and worked in places that served Bert and Ethel.

Reviews:

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. This little pig went to market, this little pig stayed home, but THESE little pigs have escaped from the back of Bert and Ethel's truck and hightailed it out of town, along with a lot of clothes belonging to the locals. A clue to the peripatetic porkers' whereabouts soon arrives in the form of a postcard from Florida containing a one-word message: "Oink." Before you can say "Wee wee wee all the way home," the hapless hog farmers have headed to the Sunshine State in pursuit of their porcine property. Readers of Christelow's The Great Pig Escape (1994), also about these feckless farmers, will know the pigs don't have to worry. And once again, kids will delight in spotting the cleverly disguised swine, who romp about unnoticed under Bert and Ethel's very noses. Fans of Walter R. Brooks' immortal Freddy books may smell an homage in this sprightly story, but others will simply enjoy the farcical search and the cheerful cartoon illustrations that depict it.

Cart, M. (September 1, 2001).  Booklist Review. Retrieved from  http://www.booklistonline.com/The-Great-Pig-Search-Eileen-Christelow/pid=1101525

From Publishers Weekly

In this rib-tickling sequel to The Great Pig Escape, two farmers seek hogs that are hidden in plain sight. As Bert and Ethel shrug and scratch their heads over their lost pigs, other townspeople go about their business some of them wearing floppy hats and carrying newspapers to shield their faces. How strange. After a postcard reading "Oink!" arrives from Florida, Bert books a beach vacation and spends it asking, "Seen any runaway pigs?" Neither the squealing hotel clerk, the restaurant's pink maitre-d' nor the policewoman with the funny snout can help him. Christelow places sympathy firmly with the swine by suggesting the farmers' intentions. Bert complains, "I raised those pork chops from baby piglets!" and Ethel reminds him that freedom "beats being bacon any day." In her casually drawn ink-and-watercolor images, pigs in wigs, scarves and swimsuits grin conspiratorially; when Bert falls off a fishing boat, he doesn't notice he's been rescued by an amiable porcine sailor. The author gets a few more giggles out of a classic comedy plot, pitting brazen outlaws against thickheaded authorities. Ages 5-8.
Publishers Weekly associates. (September 3, 2001). Children's review. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-618-04910-3.

Suggestions: I like that this books contained a map that led to alligators. I think that students can make map of their own of buried treasure of some sort. It’s a summer and vacation story so it could be grouped together with other stories of the same theme. Students could write about their summer vacations or where they would like to go.