Module Six- There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, Louis Sachar

Sachar, Louis. There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. New York: Alfred K. Knopf, Inc., 1987.

Summary
Bradley Chalkers sits alone at his desk-last seat, last row- because no one likes him and he likes it that way. He never does his homework, scribbles constantly, tears up library books, abuses hallpasses, and stretches his mouth so wide no one can tell whether he is smiling or frowning. Bradley remains alone until Jeff Fishkin, a new student, is forced to sit next to him. The surprising thing is, Jeff doesn't mind- he actually wants to be friends with Bradley!
Another new "kid" at school is Carla Davis, the school guidance counselor. She and Jeff agree to figure out the school together, while at the same time each one of them help Bradley in their own way. Jeff by simply being a friend, and Carla by helping Bradley learn how, not what, to think. Slowly but surely, Bradley becomes lovable, makes friends, and even does his homework.

Impressions
This is one a book you should not judge by its cover. At first glance, title and cover art look so ridiculous, you feel embarrassed to be reading such a book. In fact, I remember wanting to read this book in fifth grade but being too worried about what my friends and teacher would say to check it out. Despite its title and jacket art, this book is the most charming and honest book I have ever read about being different, making friends, and being in elementary school I have ever read. This book is so endearing, it has become one of my very favorites.

Reviews

There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom. Kirkus Reviews. Accessed September 27, 2010 from http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9780394805726-0.

"A humorous and immensely appealing story...Readers are likely to come away with the sense that they've been rooting for themselves too."

Gale, David. School Library Journal, Apr87, Vol. 33 Issue 8, p103. Retrieved September 27, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.

“An unlikely protagonist, Bradly Chalkers is a friendless, lying, insecure bully who is the oldest boy in his fifth-grade class. In this humorous novel that tells of Bradley’s learning to like himself and to makes friends, Sachar ably captures both middle-grade angst and joy. Bradley’s triumph comes through the friendship of a new boy at school and the help of the new school counselor. Readers, like the astute counselor, can see the strengths that Bradley has, and will cheer at his minor victories and cringe at his setbacks along the way. The story in unusual, witty, and satisfying, if not always believable: a few instances just do nto work. For instance, even though Bradley has not been doing his homework, his complete ignorance of it is unlikely, and his total unfamiliarity with birthday parties is too extreme for a ten year old, even on who hadn’t been to a party in three years. Yet Bradley’s need for acceptance even as he holds back from classmates who might mock or hurt him is genuine, and his eventual success will gratify readers.”

Suggestions for Library Use
Because Bradley and Jeff are ten or eleven year old boys, this should be included in a GUYS READ program. The story has just enough humor and adventure, not to mention black eyes, to really appeal to boys. It is an excellent example of how to overcome who you don't want to be, and at the same time teaches how to treat people who are different.

Module Five- Cowboy & Octopus, Jon Scieszka

Scieszka, Jon. Cowboy & Octopus. New York: Viking, 2007.

Summary
Cowboy, a cowboy, and Octopus, an octopus, become friends one day because Cowboy can't ride on the seesaw alone. The two then discover that some things work better with a friend. They also learn, however, that some things do not work better with a friend- like hammering together craft projects. They also learn that you have to do things, or eat things, you don't like because they are important to your friend, and friends are always, always honest with each other simply because they are friends.

Impressions
This story is quirky and fun, but the illustrations really make it exciting. The illustrations are collages of mixed media- vintage pictures, photographs, kitchen untensils, a head of lettuce, etc.-and make the story at the same time both crazy and real. Even though Cowboy has the same expression on his face the entire time, the other elements in the illustrations make him personable and you actually believe he is friends with an octopus. Likewise, Octopus always wears the same expression and pose, but the way he is positioned, dressed up, and mingled with other objects makes him seem like he really could be eating Cowboy's baked beans.
This book is completely original and appeals to both young children and teenagers. The friendship is sincere, the jokes are actually funny, and the art is bold and fun.

Reviews
MrMarshal1. Video Book Review #1- Cowboy and Octopus. Accessed September 20, 2010 from youtube.com.



Publishers Weekly. Children's Book Reviews: Week of 7/16/2007. Accessed September 20, 2010 from http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childens/childrens-book-news/article/13974-children-s-book-reviews-week-of-7-16-2007-.html.
"Scieszka and Smith (Math Curse) unpack a bin of old toys and comics for this characteristically oddball entry. Their title page, which depicts a pair of scissors beside a sheet of Western Heroes paper dolls and an undersea comic book, reveals the origins of Cowboy and Octopus—both are paper cutouts that pose the same way throughout this episodic volume. Blond, cinematic Cowboy wears pressed jeans tucked into fancy boots and a fringed paisley shirt suitable for the rodeo. Sky-blue Octopus, with a tangle of tentacles, is shaded with pre-digital lavender dots. After cooperating to ride a seesaw, they shake hands, and shake hands, and shake hands a total of eight times, cementing their friendship...Greeting-card sentiments about friendship, punctuated by classic cowboy-isms dot the text. Those who love Scieszka and Smith's absurd humor will get the joke, but this is a lesser entry in the pair's pantheon. All ages."

Suggestions for Library Use
Cowboy & Octopus would be a super fun book for a storytime for younger or older children on how to be a good friend and what friends do for each other simply because they love each other. For older children, it could also be an example of innovative/non-traditional illustration techniques. The children could then try their hand at collages to illustrate well-known stories or even stories of their own.

Module Four- Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George

George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1972.

Summary
Miyax, or Julie as she is called by white men, is a 13 year old Inupiaq Eskimo. Her mother died when she was very young so she was brought up by her father, Kapugen, an influential member of their Eskimo community. When Miyax turns nine, she is taken to live with a distant relative in a city where she can go to school. Before she leaves, Kapugen tells Miyax if things get too miserable she can escape by marrying the son of his business partner. Miyax likes going to school in the city but life with her irritable relative is hard. One day, she learns that her father went kayaking for seal and has not been seen for a month. Presuming her father is dead, she agrees to marry the son of Kapugen's business partner only to discover that he is dull, his father is an abusive drunk, and his mother makes Miyax sew parkas and mukluks constantly to bring more money into the home. Miyax runs away to catch a ferry that will eventually lead her to San Francisco where she can live with her penpal, but gets lost on the vast Arctic tundra. She survives only by becoming part of a real wolf pack. The story ends with Miyax discovering her father is alive but has married a white woman and taken up white ways. In the end, we are to assume that Miyax has decided to live with them for a while.

Impressions
Even though almost no one speaks, the imagery of the scenery and wildlife of the desolate Tundra and relationships that exist therein are enough to make this story surprisingly compelling. Also impressive is George's ability to make Miyax and the wolves very assesible and loveable since I doubt the majority of George's audience have any familiarity with wolves, the Arctic, or Eskimos.

Reviews
Reutter, Vicki. School Library Journal, May2004, Vol. 50 Issue 5, p64. Retrieved September 19, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.
"A compelling story about...Miyax Kapugen, an Eskimo girl caught between the old ways an those of the whites, between childhood and womanhood. Jean George has captured the subtle nuances of Eskimo life, animal habits, the plain nature of growing up, and combines these elements into a thrilling adventure which is, at the same time, a poignant love story."


Stackhouse, Martha. Honoring Alaska's Indiginous Literature, Review of Julie of the Wolves. Alaska Native Knowledge Network. Accessed September 19, 2010 from http://ankn.uaf.edu/IKS/HAIL/JulieWolves.html.
"This book has the thirteen year old Inupiag girl, named Miyax, trekking from Barrow to Point Hope in order to catch a ship. The Inupiaq alphabet does not have the letter 'x' so Miyax is definitely not an Inupiaq name. I wondered why she bothered to walk to Point Hope when the ship also goes to Barrow. During this trek, Miyax begins to starve. She ate lemming , which is misleading as Inupiaq people do not eat lemmings. I especially did not appreciate the blending of the Yupick words and culture. The author used the word "kuspuk" when we use "atikaeuk"..and "Gussak" which is also a Yupick words for a white man. Our Inupiaq name for white man is "Tanik." She also talked about the bladder festival. Again, it is derived from a Yupik celebration, not Inupiaq. With all due respect for Jean Craighead George, I humbly would not recommend this book to be put on school shelves...When misinformation about the Arctic is numerous, one must say something."

Suggestions for Library Use
According to ALA's 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-1999, Julie of the Wolves ranks 32nd. While the words are simple enough, the content is rather mature. Miyax is married at age 13, there is an attempt at marital rape (although quite brief), and when Miyax encounters a couple while she is camping not far from a small city, there is a discussion about whether or not Miyax has been banished to this hut because she has begun menstruating. While this book and subsequent sequels would look nice on a display about Native American Cultures, Alaska, the Arctic, etc., because of the content, I'm not sure how a library should promote this book.

Module Four- When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2009.

Summary

Miranda, a sixth grader living in New York City in a small apartment with her single mother, starts receiving mysterious notes implying there will be some kind of tragedy in her future. To prove that the author of the notes is right, he predicts future events for Miranda. From her Christmas present to her mother appearing on a TV game show, all of these events are true. Meanwhile, Miranda also has other things to deal with like her best friend Sal getting beat up by a random boy on the street and not speaking to her again, getting a new best friend, Annemarie, and having Annemarie's old best friend get jealous, avoiding the crazy homeless man who lives outside her building, and trying to figure out time travel with her classmate and boy who beat up Sal, Marcus.

Eventually, after the tragedy Miranda was warned about in her mysterious notes, we learn that Marcus does understand time travel and that he is the crazy homeless person. The story ends poignantly with everything and everyone learning how they are connected in Miranda's life.

Impressions

This is a fantastic book. I love the characters and the format and the story. It's incredibly hard to put down! It captures perfectly the feeling of being 12 and trying to deal with everyday things while larger stresses keep piling up, plus there's an exciting element mystery- but the mystery is written in such a way that it is completely believable. The twist of time travel does end up being a surprise even though Miranda and Marcus have been arguing about it the entire book, and the homeless man being Marcus makes perfect sense and makes a beautiful end to a funny, heart-warming story.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews, 11/15/2009, Vol. 77 Issue 22, Special Section p16. Retrieved September 19, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.

"A science-fiction tale firmly rooted in reality, When You Reach Me is the written correspondence between Miranda, a latchkey kid growing up in New York City during the 1970s, and the time traveler she has yet to meet. In order to prevent a tragedy Miranda must tell the truth about her sixth-grade year. "You won't be yourself when you reach me," Miranda writes to the mysterious stranger, "but you will get the job done." Rebecca Stead successfully reveals two important portals to the future--time travel and preadolescence. "It's kind of a special time," says Stead, when kids realize, "life is so much more complicated than I thought--and it's not all about me." Like the heroine of her favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time, Miranda struggles just as much with immaturity as she does with the laws of physics. With issues ranging from her mom's embarrassing wardrobe to her sudden estrangement from her friend Sal, Miranda learns that growing apart is part of growing up. "A lot of my strongest memories about friendship come from the making and the breaking and the discovering," says Stead. Like all preadolescents, she said, Miranda discovers the "ability to look at people from a slightly wiser point of view." (Ages 10-14)"

Edinger, Monica. Children's Books; Summer Reading Chronicle. New York Times, Sunday Book Review, Sunday August 13, 2009. Accessed September 19, 2010 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F05EEDD1E30F935A2575BC0A96F9C8B63&ref=bookreviews.

"In this era of supersize children's books, Rebecca Stead's 'When You Reach Me' looks positively svelte. But don't be deceived: In this taut novel, every word, every sentence, has meaning and substance. A hybrid of genres, it is a complex mystery, a work of historical fiction, a school story and one of friendship, with a leitmotif of time travel running through it. Most of all the novel is a thrilling puzzle. Stead piles up clues on the way to a moment of intense drama, after which is pretty much impossible to stop reading until the last page."

Suggestions for Library Use

This book would make a magnificent addition to any Newberry Award feature, display, and certainly collection. It should be promoted by librarians as an appropriate and excellent book for ages 12+. If your library does after school reading programs with older children, this would be a wonderful reading group book to learn about the importance of being a good friend and how to maintain friendships.

Module Three- Let it Shine, Ashley Bryan

Bryan, Ashley. Let it Shine. New York: Atheneum, 2007.

Summary
In this book, three traditional African-American spirituals, This Little Light of Mine, Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In, and He's Got the Whole World in His Hands are set to bright, bold illustrations. At the end of the book, Bryan explains that these songs are sung freely today but originated by black slaves in antebellum America. Back then, it was a crime to teach a slave to read and write so slaves' used song to express their hopes, sorrows, and joys.



Impressions
This is a fun and exciting book! Children will love the big, colorful illustrations. I think this books is especially interesting if you are already familiar with the songs. The illustrations match them perfectly and I'm sure children would love being sung to while flipping through this book.


I think it is well deserving of the Coretta Scott King award because the illustrations are outstanding in blending multicultural themes into these famous spirituals.



Reviews

Kirkus Reviews, 12/15/2006, Vol. 74 Issue 24, p1265. Accessed September 11, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.
"An extra-large trim size, a vibrant palette and Bryan's glorious cut-paper collage illustrations add up to a marvelous interpretation of three traditional African-American spirituals: "This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Intriguing endpapers show larger-than-life hands set against flowing stripes of color, with scissors and cut-paper shapes hinting at the arresting artistic style within. Children in silhouette are the main design element for the first two songs, with the final song illustrated with remarkable images of huge hands holding up different elements of the world. The volume's large size and brilliant colors make this a natural choice for a rousing sing-along with a group, and the musical notation for the songs is included. Incorporated into these final spreads with the music are concluding illustrations for every song, each focusing on a shining source of light."

Piehl, Kathy. School Library Journal, Jan2007, Vol. 53 Issue 1, p113. Accessed September 11, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.
"PreSchool-Grade 5- Bryan's vibrant illustrations interpret and energize three beloved songs...Energy and movement course through many of the full-bleed illustrations. At other times, the images offer comfort and security. Simply melody lines and an explanation of the origin and importance of spirituals are appended. Yet, Bryan's illustrations demonstrate more than words the dynamic inspiration that these songs still provide. Readers will find themselves humming as they turn the pages."



Suggestions for Library Use
This book would be excellent for teaching colors and shapes to small children. Older children could be taught about spirituals or folk songs and even be encouraged to write their own spiritual about their own feelings. This book would be a great addition to a Black History month display.

Module Three- Baboushka and the Three Kings, Ruth Robbins

Robbins, Ruth. Baboushka and the Three Kings. Parnassus Press, 1960.

Summary
Baboushak and the Three Kings is a Christmas folktale from Russia. Baboushka lives in a small cottage by herself and one night while cleaning, is visited by three kings who seek a child. They ask Baboushka to join them in their quest, but she is too tired and asks them to wait until morning. They declare their search is too important and cannot rest, so they leave her. Baboushka regrets her decision and decides to find the child too. She cannot find the tracks of the three kings and becomes lost. She asks everyone she meets if they have seen the child, but no one has. Legend has it that every winter Baboushka goes searching for the child again, leaving humble but precious presents for other children along the way.


Impressions

Frankly, I'm amazed this won the Caldecott. The illustrations look like they were drawn by a small child with a bleeding Crayola marker. Faces of the characters are frightening and their heads are too large for their bodies. The illustrations are overly simplistic, geometric, and too modern for a traditional Christmas folktale from Russia.
While an adult can peice together the information at hand to understand this is a Christmas story, a child probably would not. The reader is left with a very dissapointing and anticlimactic end to the story.
Reviewers don't have much to say either:



Reviews- It was very hard to find reviews for this one!
Baboushka and the Three Kings. Good Media, Good Kids. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from http://goodmedia.nd.edu/reviews/review.cfm?id=1574.
"Baboushka and the Three Kings is about morality. Moral reasoning in the story focuses on self-concern and concern for relationships. The theme of this story is it is good to keep our eyes and ears open, so that we don't miss opporunities."


Baboushka and the Three Kings. Editorial Reviews. Amazon.com: Retrieved September 11, 2010, from http://www.amazon.com/Baboushka-Three-Kings-Ruth-Robbins/dp/039527673X.
"The strikingly effective pictures are distinctive in design and rich in color."


Suggestion for Library Use
Get this for your library's Caldecott winner collection. I doubt there is much other use for it as most libraries cannot have official Christmas storytimes, Christmas featured books, etc.
You might be able to get away with putting this in a Christmas around the world, or Holidays around the world. It could be placed in an Eastern European display, but it wouldn't make much sense out of the Christmas context.

Module Two- Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary

Cleary, Beverly. Beezus and Ramona. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1955.

Summary
Beatrice Quimby is nine years old. She likes to read by herself, embroider, play checkers with her best friend Henry, and aspires to be like her namesake, her Aunt Beatrice who lives alone and teaches school. Ramona Quimby on the other hand is four years old and out of control! She is noisy, silly, messy, quirky, disobedient, and has nicknamed Beatice, Beezus. Beezus, neat and proper, is discovering that as time goes on and Ramona gets even quirkier, that sometimes she doesn't even love Ramona. Like the time Ramona invited her entire school class over for a party that she didn't tell her mother about and Beezus has to save the day. Or when Ramona takes just one bite from every apple in the pantry. Or even worse, when Ramona completely ruins Beezus' birthday by putting her rubber doll in the oven while her birthday cake is baking. Eventually, Beezus comes to the realization that sisters will always love each other, especially after sharing exasperating experiences.



Impressions
I remember an elementary teacher reading a Ramona story aloud. I remember I loved it because Ramona was so funny. Reading Beezus and Ramona now, I identify with Beezus much more. Even though I felt all Beezus' pains, the book was still funny. I never thought Beezus was a bad person, and I still loved Ramona in the end. This book portrays both sides of being a sibling with humor and delicacy.
This book is also very easy to read. It's a perfect jump from picture book to chapter book. It's lighthearted and simple making extremely accesible for young readers.



Reviews
Beezus and Ramona. (2010). Retrieved September 11, 2010, from Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Beezus-Ramona-Beverly-Cleary/dp/038070918X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291168270&sr=1-1.
"Old enough to be expected to take responsibility for her little sister, yet young enough to be mortified by every embarassing plight the precocious preschooler gets them into, Beezus is constantly struggling with her mixed-up feelings about the exasperating Ramona.
There's no one in the world like Beverly Cleary...This terrifically popular author of over two dozen children's books has withstood the test of time for generations."


Beezus and Ramona. (2010). Retrieved September 11, 2010 from Through the Looking Glass, Children's Book Reviews, lookingglassreview.com.
"Any child who has been around an annoying younger brother, sister, cousin, or friend will appreciate the six stories in this book. The problems that Beezus and Ramona have to deal with are of the everyday variety; they are the kind of problems that children can relate to. At the same time they are also funny and highly entertaining."



Suggestions for Library Use
This book should be recommended as a gentle transition for readers who are intimidated, but ready for, chapter books. Due to the story content (the relationship between two sisters), it would be best for a young girl.
Beezus and Ramona, would also be good for teaching about sibling relationships such as finding qualities to admire in each other, overcoming differences, and moving past situations in which feelings have been hurt.

Module Two- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Judi and Ron Barrett

Barrett, Judi & Ron. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. New York: Atheneum, 1978.

Summary

Grandpa, inspired after accidentally flipping a pancake right onto Henry's head, makes up the best tall-tale ever for Henry and his sister's bedtime story. The story features the tiny town of Chewandswallow which at first glance appears to be like any other town. Chewandswallow has a Main Street, houses with trees, a schoolhouse, but what really sets it apart is the weather. In Chewandswallow, the rain, wind, snow- all the weather- is made of food! The citizens of Chewandswallow never have to buy food, they simply eat whatever falls out of the sky. One day, the food starts getting bigger and bigger. The food eventually gets so large, it threatens to destroy Chewandswallow so the entire town is evacuated by using giant pieces of stale bread as boats. The people make it to a small coastal town where their lives resume as normal except getting used to buying food at a grocery store is tricky. In the end, no one ever returns to Chewandswallow to discover what happened. By the time this tall-tale is over, both Henry and his sister are fast asleep and can't remember the ending, but when they go out to play in the snow the next day, they can almost smell mashed potatoes.

Impressions

I recently saw the movie adaptation of this book and thought it was hilarious. I never read the book as a child so I decided this was the perfect opportunity to go back and read it. While the book and movie differ greatly, the are both charming and children find them interesting. I love the idea of food falling from the sky instead of rain or snow. This book is highly creative and perfect at stretching the imagination.

I liked how the illustrations are black and white until the story of Chewandswallow begins. Afterwards, even when the children go back to normal life, there is still come color in the artwork.

Reviews
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2010 from Barnes and Noble, http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cloudy-with-a-Chance-of-Meatballs/Judi-Barrett/e/9780689707490/?itm=1&USRI=cloudy+with+a+chance+of+meatballs.

"Who wouldn't love to walk outside to find that it had rained maple syrup and pancakes or snowed mashed potatoes with warm butter on top? Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs does more than capture a child's imagination, it runs with it. This books is a must for all the children (and adults) who still hope that it is possible for something completely fantastic to happen."

Christina, Pomoni. 2010. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from Helium.com.

"There are a lot of things in the book that actually make it a children's classic. Written in a neat and charming way, the book features innovative ideas and writing. This book is so easy to read that children may read it by themselves. Ron Barrettt's excellent illustrations are detailed and vivid. To my view, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a hymn to creativity."

Suggestions for Library Use

The possibilities for using this book in a story time for older elementary aged children are endless. It would be great in a storytime about real weather (climate, seasons, etc.), foods, tall-tales, useful inventions, etc.

Module 1- Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown

Brown, Margaret Wise. Runaway Bunny. New York: Harper & Row, 1942.

Summary

"I am running away." says little bunny to his mother. "If you run away, I will run after you. For you are my little bunny." responds his mother. For the rest of this picture book, the little bunny comes up with clever ways to escape from his mother such as becoming a tree or joining the circus and flying away on a flying trapeze. For every plan, however, the little bunny's mother comes up with a way to run after him. Eventually, the little bunny decides he should just stay home and be his mother's little bunny.

Impressions

When the mother rabbit responds to little bunny's attempts at running away from their home, she can always come up with the perfect plan to find her little bunny. Her tone is always very soothing and calm which sets the tone for the book. This story is all about how much a mother loves her children and that no matter how far the limits of her love may be tested, she will always find and love her "little bunny." This story teaches children there are no bounds to a parent's love for even after all the little bunny's elaborate schemes, he is still welcomed back with loving words and a carrot.

Reviews

The Runaway Bunny. (2010). Retrieved September 9, 2010, from Barnes & Noble, http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Runaway-Bunny/Margaret-Wise-Brown/e/9780061074295/?itm=1&USRI=runaway+bunny.

"Margaret Wise Brown's comforating and reassuring story about a little bunny and his loving mother has been a favorite for generations of children all over the world."

The Runaway Bunny. (2010). Retrieved September 9, 2010, from Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Bunny-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0061074292.

"Since its publication in 1942, The Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. Generations of sleepy children and grateful parents have loved the classics of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, including Goodnight Moon. The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away. . . And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom's love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure."

Suggestions for Library Use

This book should be acquired as both a picture book and a board book so both easy and beginning readers can enjoy it. It should be read by a parent to a child so the child can begin to understand the meaning of unconditional love.

Because no one understands how clever this blog's title is...

In 1844, presidential hopeful, James K. Polk ran on the platform of taking control of the entire Oregon Territory and used the famous slogan, "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" as part of a very successful campaign. 54'40 refers to the latitude of the northern boundary of Oregon. Polk's plan was to claim then go to war over the territory. While it didn't quite happen that way, and James K. Polk didn't inspire much children's literature, 54'20 or Fight is clever. It is. It's clever, people.