"Crown and Ode to the Fresh Cut"

"Crown and Ode to the Fresh Cut"

By: Derrick Barnes

Illustrated by: Gordon C. James

• Newbery Honor Book
• Caldecott Honor Book
• Coretta Scott King Honor Award
• Ezra Jack Keats Book Award

Hope all of you are well! Today I would like to share with you some interesting comments about this fabulous book!

In the Book

• What's this about? This book is about building self-esteem, self-pride, confidence, and cause readers to have an overall elevated view of who they are.
• Who is telling the story? The author shares various experiences that some children and people go through when they get a new haircut transformation.
• What does the author want me to know? The author wants to share with the reader the importance of feeling secure in your own skin, and to be proud of who you are.

In my Head

• What did I notice? I noticed that the illustrations help give the text more meaning, and relevance. You can tell that the characters in the text have a confident posture, and assurance in themselves.
• What surprised me? To some people eccentric hair do's, and hair design might seem vain. On the contrary, when you feel and look amazing, you are extremely motivated in getting things done with excellence in the real world.
• What does this remind me of? This reminds me of my hair appointments. To some it might not seem necessary, but it is important for you to take care of yourself, because when you take care of yourself, you can then tend to others.

In my Heart

• What changed in my heart? Looking good, doesn't necessarily have to be perceived as a form of vanity.
• How will this help me be better? It is important as an educator to speak into the lives of your students. Give the students words of encouragement, let them know that they are noticed, that they are beautiful. Always seek to find a positive quality in your students.

This book is a great read aloud, and contains wonderful illustrations that appeal to the eyes. Without a doubt it is a book that your students can relate to in your classroom, and they will also be moved into seeing themselves from another enlightening perspective. I hope that you guys enjoy this book as much as I have, and decide to read this book to your students in the near future!

Being Mindful,

Evelyn Portillo

Hello everyone,

I hope that all of you have been enjoying this fabulous new year! I know that it has been quite a while, since I last posted something. That being said, today I thought I would share with you, some of my favorite childhood books.

I can think of a variety of childhood books, those that have forever remained in my long term memory. They include several genres within both fiction, and non-fiction. The book that has been lovingly tattooed in my brain, is that of the "Ugly Duckling," translated in a castellan version from Spain. It was written by Hans Christian Andersen. My mom would read it to me every night, before I would go to sleep. I remember reading several chapter books. For example: "The Boxcar Children," written by Gertrude Chandler Warner, and "Ramona Quimby," written by Beverly Cleary. I absolutely love mysteries, and without a doubt, the characters of the Boxcar Children's books, sparked the art of deduction within me. This later lead me to reading "Sherlock Holmes" books, by Arthur Conan Doyle. Books written by Beverly Cleary caught my eye, because Ramona was simply human, entertaining, and stimulating to my adventurous imagination. I started reading and writing in both English and in Spanish, at the age of 3. I would read all sorts of literature. It was especially delightful to read traditional literature, which a number of those books originated from other countries. My repertoire included fantasy, folktales, and fables. I was always enamored by the moral lesson of each story. I remember going through a Shakespearean phase, during my wonder years of elementary school. I was fascinated by all the poetic romantic nuances, found in his Book of Sonnets. There was also a time where I picked up the "Webster's Dictionary," and read it for months, just for fun. In addition, I was completely hooked on informational books, especially those that included an ample amount of facts, and simultaneously fed my curiosity. At one point, I felt that those informational books did not have enough substance in them. Therefore my parents bought me two whole sets of encyclopedias.  These sets being: The Children's Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia Britannica. I was constantly doing research projects, for my own personal pleasure. Lastly, the book that I enjoyed the most in my childhood, and till this day, is the Bible. It never gets old, or out of style. There is always something enlightening to learn from the Bible.

Keeping you in mind,

Evelyn Portillo