Module 15: Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants : the Fourth Epic Novel By Dav Pilkey

Summary

Captain Underpants and the perilous plot of Professor Poopypants is a an adventurous tale that has Captain Underpants saving the day. Professor Poopypants is tired of the students making fun of his name, so he decides to devise a "perilous plot" to teach the students at Jerome Horowitz Elementary School a lesson. He commands that everyone's name be changed to a silly name, and that's when the humor really takes off.

Bibliographic Citation

Pilkey, Dav (2000). Captain Underpants and the perilous plot of Professor Poopypants : the fourth epic novel . New York : Blue Sky Press.

Impressions

I continuously laughed while I was reading this story. I can understand parents' concerns about young readers choosing the books in this series to read, however, the stories are told with harmless fun and humor. This one is definitely an icebreaker if you are trying to get a child to smile. I read this one to my nephew after he had a bad day at school, and it really made him laugh.

Reviews

You knew he’d be back. Yes, Captain Underpants, aka Mr. Krupp, principal of the Jerome Horowitz Elementary School, has returned, as have his enablers, students George and Harold. The plot? Suffice it to say Underpants must combat a scientific genius named Professor Pippy P. Poopypants. Poopypants goes mad when the students at Horwitz laugh at his name. (When they find out his middle name is Pee-pee, they get downright hysterical, as will readers, no doubt.) Mixed in with the minimal story is Pilkey’s comic book–style artwork; some of the pages even make a “cheesy” flip book to animate the action. Silly, gross-out fun for Captain’s legion of fans. (Reviewed February 15, 2000)— Ilene Cooper
Reviewed February 15, 2000-Booklist

In the fourth "epic novel" by the wildly popular Dav Pilkey, young troublemakers George and Harold are back with Mr. Krupp, the Jerome Horowitz Elementary principal they previously transformed into the superhero Captain Underpants with their 3-D hypno ring. This comic adventure begins in New Swissland, where everyone has a silly name. ("Just ask their president, the Honorable Chuckles Jingleberry McMonkeyburger Jr. or his lovely wife, Stinky.") New Swissland, just southeast of Greenland, is the home of the inventor of the Shrinky-Pig 2000 and the Goosy-Grow 4000--Professor Pippy P. Poopypants. When the professor decides to pitch his inventions in the United States, he is laughed out of every institution of higher learning because of his unusual name. Frustrated, he decides to become an elementary school science teacher where the innocent children will, he assumes, be accepting and loving.

This is where his world collides with George and Harold's, who are not accepting of his funny name, but instead explode with laughter and promptly craft a new comic book called "Captain Underpants and the Pied Pooper of Piqua." This hilarious book will crack Pilkey fans up with tiny toilets of truth, evil gerbils, and even Cher's greatest hits. (The children--not notoriously good spellers--note: "All animal cruelty was simulated. No actual girbles were forced to listen to Cher.") And what becomes of Professor Poopypants? He gets even, devising a method to convert all names into silly names. He creates a chart in which everyone has to use letters from their own first and last names to create a madcap moniker. In the end, George and Harold learn that it's not nice to make fun of people: "'Wow,' said Harold. 'I think this is the first time one of our stories ever had a moral!' 'Probably the last time, too,' said George. 'Let's hope so,' said Harold." --Flunky Pizza Chunks (Ages 8 to 12)-Amazon.com Editorial Review

Library Settings

This would be a great book to use in a display for Banned Books Week. It also would be a good book to use in a book talk program about censored books.

Module 14: A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman

Summary

A house is a house for me is a wonderful rhyming story about the different homes creatures and things live in. After listing several types of homes for several types of animals and items, the story ends by noting that "the earth is a house for us all".

Bibliographic Citation

Hoberman, M. A. (1982). A house is a house for me. New York: Puffin Books.

Impressions

This is one of my favorite stories. The illustrations really work well with the text and are necessary for the story to really make a impact upon its readers. Adults reading this story to their children will learn a lot about different homes as well.

Reviews

From Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 9 to 12.
This is a wonderful rhyming book with a fresh approach to a unique subject. The illustrations could not be more fitting or of a better quality and certainly add to the charm of the homey theme. There are pockets of small treasures throughout the page, and the layouts are expertly done. Many of the houses will be familiar to all children. An example: "A web is a house for a spider. A bird builds its nest in a tree. There is nothing so snug as a bug in a rug, and a house is a house for me!" However, nothing is overlooked. Another example: "A book is a house for a story. A rose is a house for a smell. My head is a house for a secret, a secret I never will tell." The ending sums everything up so well for children, as do the final two pages of outrageous illustrations. Masterfully created. Reviewer: Joan Elste
From: www.barnesandnoble.com

According to Mary Ann, people aren't the only ones that live in houses. She rhymes her way through ants in anthills, bees in hives, spiders in webs and bugs in a rug. But she doesn't stop with insects. She declares a garage to be a house for a car, a dock a house for a ship, a husk a house for an ear of corn and a shell a house for a nut. Children learn about, not only homes, but body parts, foods, animals, clothing and fun hiding places. The illustrations give further understanding to preschoolers as they are introduced to lots of new words. This great book can be extended into hands-on learning at home or school by a house hunt right where they live.
Reviewed by Karen Shaw, www.preschooleducation.com

Library Settings

This story would work well in a storytime program for preschoolers. With other rhyming books, it would make a book talk program. An activity sheet could be created to see if children can remember which home belongs to which creature or thing. This book would also be a great summer reading book for a five or six year old.

Module 13: It's All Greek to Me, A Time Warp Trio Book by Jon Scieszka

Summary

The Time Warp Trio are on another exciting adventure in It's all Greek to me. Joe, Fred and Sam go back to Ancient Greece in a green mist just as they are about to put on a play about that time in history. They encounter the major Greek gods like Zeus, Aphrodite, Demeter, Athena, Hermes and Poseidon to name a few. They realize how very close to reality their class play about the time period really is.

Bibliographic Citation

Scieszka, J. (1999). It's all Greek to me. New York : Viking.

Impressions

The Time Warp Trio series is a delightful one. Readers learn about periods in history while getting a few laughs at the same time. The books in the series provide a light-hearted look at events in history without boring the reader. It's all Greek to me does not disappoint. The little quips and jabs made at the Greek gods are hilarious. To hear Zeus exclaim , "Ai yi yi" after finding his thunderbolts stolen was a riot.

Reviews

Once again the Time Warp Trio goes by the book and winds up face to snout with Cerberus. As the three-headed dog snarls at them, narrator Joe explains their arrival in Hades. They had planned to return “The Book” right after their school “Greek Mythology Musical,” but once again the green mist transports them “farther and stranger than we’d gone before.” On Mount Olympus, the trio trades snappy one-liners and insults with the gods, and confront such legendary monsters as Typhoon and the Chimera. The resolution comes quickly and conveniently, with the boys awaiting their next adventure. For some kids, this will be a stretch, but the usual smart-guy humor will draw them in. A list of gods and monsters is appended for quick referral, with such explanations as “Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty, and she knows it.” Scieszka and Lane Smith, who has illustrated all the books in the series, have devised a nifty formula, and they deserve credit for leading kids “farther and stranger” than they would ordinarily go. (Reviewed November 15, 1999)— Linda Perkins Reviewed November 15, 1999-Booklist

Gr 3-5-Hey, are you ready for this? Joe, Fred, and Sam are transported back in time to Mount Olympus while performing in a school play about ancient Greece. Needless to say, they aren't much of a threat when they try to use their cardboard thunderbolts on Cerberus. Instead, the boys use their wits, and a Ding Dong in the case of the three-headed dog, as they quickly slip in and out of danger. Children who know Nike is the Greek goddess of victory will double over with laughter when Sam Orpheus, friend of Nike, introduces his chums as Fred Cyclops, follower of Reebok, and Joe Paris, cohort of Fila. Humor continues as the friends help hide a nervous Zeus, who is worried that his wife, Hera, will blab to the other gods if she finds out he lost his thunderbolts. Dionysus wants to party and Ares wants to fight, but the real trouble starts when Zeus challenges Joe to give his golden apple to the fairest of all goddesses. This entry in the series is guaranteed to sail off of library shelves. Purchase extra copies for teachers to use in their units on Greek mythology. A handy description of the gods, goddesses, and other monsters who rule Olympus is included.-Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX
Reviewed October 1, 1999-School Library Journal

Library Settings

Doing a book talk program on the books in the Time Warp Trio series would be an excellent way to teach children about periods of time in history while encouraging them to read. Each book could be used in a separate book talk program if one period in history was to be focused upon.

Module 12: John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge

Summary

This biography of the legendary John Lennon chronicles his life from his birth in Liverpool to his post-Beatles career and eventually his death. Each chapter highlights a period of his life and includes quotes and photographs. It is a great sourcebook for readers wanting to learn more about his life, loves and career.

Bibliographic Citation

Partridge, E. (2005). John Lennon : All I want is the truth : a photographic biography . New York, NY : Viking.

Impressions

After reading this book I learned so much more about the life of John Lennon. The photographs included in the book are extraordinary and give the reader a great deal of insight about his life. The additional readings list found at the end of the book highlight the amount of research the author undertook to compile this biography.

Reviews

John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi disapproved of his guitar hobby because “you could never make a living at it.” Such anecdotes surface with delightful regularity in Partridge’s biography of the influential mid-twentieth-century musician. As in This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie (2003), her mission is to uncover the person behind the image. Partridge’s unflinching reports on the outlet from public attention that Lennon sought in a debauched lifestyle, in which “booze, pills, and joints were consumed in astonishing amounts,” may cause some readers to think that the sensational aspects of Lennon’s life have been overemphasized. But many YAs will find the nonjudgmental tone refreshing, and those drawn by the rock-music theme will admire Partridge’s sensitive analysis of the Beatles’ creative output. Dynamic design distinguishes the book inside and out, from the eye-catching size and shape that cleverly mimics an old vinyl album cover to the abundant archival photos within. A discography and an immense bibliography set readers on the right paths. Despite source notes limited to quotes, this has the markings of a YA biography staple--as hard-hitting as Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan’s Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop (2004), and equally compelling in its perspective on the Swinging Sixties. Reviewed Oct. 1, 2005-Booklist

Gr 9 Up -Partridge cuts through the mythology and misinformation surrounding the life of the legendary singer/songwriter and goes a long way toward revealing the complexities of his personality. She relies heavily on Lennon's own writings and the wealth of interviews he granted during his lifetime. What emerges is an unflinchingly honest portrait of a troubled, angry, and highly creative individual who was captivated by rock 'n' roll and often used it as a means of expressing his unhappiness and confusion. Partridge skillfully captures the amazing speed at which the Beatles were swept into astonishing popularity that led to an unrelenting schedule of touring, songwriting, and recording that slowed down only when touring became both too grueling and too dangerous. She doesn't shy away from the sordid details of the band's mercurial rise to fame and fortune but her nonjudgmental commentary focuses first and foremost on the music. Lennon's life after the dissolution of the Beatles is explored in depth, as are Yoko Ono's influence and the worldwide impact of his death. With an abundance of gorgeous black-and-white photos, some of them full-page or even spreads, this handsome book will be eagerly received by both Beatles fans, who are legion, and their elders, who will enjoy reliving the glory days of the Fab Four and exploring the inner workings of a creative talent." -Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA" Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Reviewed October 1, 2005-School Library Journal

Library Settings

This biography could be used in a book talk program highlighting legendary rock and roll singers. It could also be used in a display located near a cd collection in a library.

Module 11: George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra

Summary

George Washington's Teeth is a humorous tale about our first president's dental issues. During each monumental event in his life, George Washington seems to lose a tooth. Once he has lost all of them, he is fitted for a set of interesting dentures.

Bibliographic Citation

Chandra, D. & Comora, M. (2003). George Washington's teeth. New York : Farrar Straus Giroux.

Impressions

I really enjoyed reading this book. The historical information the authors provide at the end of the book is worth noting. Not only does this book introduce readers to our first president, but it entertains them as well.

Reviews

Second only to kids’ curiosity about George Washington and the cherry tree may be their interest in his teeth. Did the prez wear wooden dentures? Chandra and Comora set the record straight with wit, verve, and a generous amount of sympathy for poor Washington and his dental woes. Unfurling smoothly against a backdrop of Washington’s career as soldier and president, the tale goes forward in sprightly, read-aloud rhyme that never falters: “Poor George has two teeth in his mouth / The day the votes came in. / The people had a President /But one afraid to grin.” And illustrator Cole is at his absolute best here, totally at ease with human gesture and expression. Each spread is a tableaulike scene (or scenes) filled with costumed characters busily engaged in humorously visualizing the actual history. The color palette and energy of the art harks back to Cole’s Buttons (1999), but there’s much more detail and movement in these pictures, which work well as amusing preparation for the more sedately illustrated, annotated time line of George’s dental decay that precedes a full roundup of historical sources the authors used in telling the tale. This is history for youngsters that will stick; it’s wild and fun and factual, without a trace of mockery. — Stephanie Zvirin
Reviewed January 1, 2003-Booklist

K-Gr 5-In 28 rhymed, four-line stanzas, Chandra and Comora tell the sad story of George Washington's teeth. Beginning with the onset of the Revolutionary War, the countdown takes poor George from just about a mouthful of painful, rotten teeth to a state of complete "tooflessness"-and then to a pair of entirely successful dentures. Cole's watercolor cartoon illustrations are just right, giving comic vent to George's despair, hopelessness, fevered attempts at finding his teeth, and final triumphant, toothy strut at a ball. A beautifully illustrated four-page time line shows portraits of the dentally challenged first president and photos of his homegrown, incredibly uncomfortable-looking dentures, made of gold and hippopotamus ivory. (Contrary to legend, Washington never had wooden ones.) Given that his death was probably hastened by an untreated infection from old root fragments in his gums, this is not only a historical treatise, but also a great lesson in dental hygiene. Paired with Laurie Keller's antic Open Wide: Tooth School Inside (Holt, 1998), it could be used as a real-life example of the havoc wreaked by bad teeth. With 17 sources listed as contributing to the art and dental information on the time line, this accurate and intriguing slice of history should find a place in any elementary library collection.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA
Reviewed January 1, 2003-School Library Journal

Library Settings

This book could be used in a book talk program about American presidents. It could also be used to teach children important events that took place during the Revolutionary War.

Module 10: Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora

Summary

Tomas and the library lady is a story about discovery. Tomas' parents are farm workers and have left Texas for Iowa to help the farmers there pick fruits and vegetables. While in Iowa, his Papa Grande suggests he check out the local library so he can learn some stories and become a great storyteller like his Papa Grande. At the library he meets the library lady who gives him several books to read and inspires him to follow a life long journey of reading.
Bibliographic Citation

Mora, P. (1997). Tomas and the library lady. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Impressions

This story is noteworthy because it is based on actual events. Tomas Rivera was inspired by an Iowa librarian to read and as a result became a national education leader. It highlights the positive role librarians play in children's lives. The illustrations work really well in this story to deliver that message.

Reviews

Gr 2-4--Tomas Rivera, who at his death in 1984 was the Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside, grew up in a migrant family. Here, Mora tells the fictionalized story of one summer in his childhood during which his love of books and reading is fostered by a librarian in Iowa, who takes him under her wing while his family works the harvest. She introduces him to stories about dinosaurs, horses, and American Indians and allows him to take books home where he shares them with his parents, grandfather, and brother. When it is time for the family to return to Texas, she gives Tomas the greatest gift of all--a book of his own to keep. Colon's earthy, sun-warmed colors, textured with swirling lines, add life to this biographical fragment and help portray Tomas's reading adventures in appealing ways. Stack this up with Sarah Stewart and David Small's The Library (Farrar, 1995) and Suzanne Williams and Steven Kellogg's Library Lil (Dial, 1997) to demonstrate the impact librarians can have on youngsters.--Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Reviewed October 1, 1997-School Library Journal

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. (Reviewed Aug. 1997)— Hazel Rochman- Booklist

Library Settings

This book could be used in a storytime program to teach children about the value of reading and how it can inspire people to do great things. It could also be placed in a display highlighting Hispanic Heritage Month.

Module 9: Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman

Summary

Detective Nick Trunk, who just happens to be an elephant, must help Lola Gale find her marbles. Lola is a singer at Club Sandwich. Nick finds a suspicious clue of peanut butter, which leads him to several suspects, but he must narrow it down to one and find Lola's marbles.

Bibliographic Citation

Cushman, D. (2004). Mystery at Club Sandwich. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co..

Impressions

Adults will appreciate the black and white old detective story appeal of this one. Children will enjoy trying to solve the mystery along with Nick Trunk. I would not rate it as a top mystery for young readers because of the author's style and verbage, which would be understood more by adults than children.

Reviews

Gr 1-4 -Nick Trunk, private detective, works for peanuts -he's an elephant. In a deadpan voice, he tells how a beautiful feline walks into his office one morning. She is "trouble" -Maggie Trouble, the assistant to foxy cabaret singer Lola Gale, whose stash of lucky marbles has disappeared. Nick investigates and gathers clues -an ostrich feather, a smudge on the door, an empty jar of expensive peanut butter -and pulls together his list of suspects. He finds the marbles, solves the mystery, and bags the culprit, then moves on to his next case -still working for peanuts. Readers will guess the villain early on but that won't interfere with their enjoyment of the droll story, which is greatly enhanced by delightful illustrations. Cushman uses black watercolor washes, colored pencil, and pastel against a stark white background, suggesting the silver nitrate photographs and popular black-and-white movies of the gumshoe era. The animal characters in their 1930s garb, including Nick in loosened tie, trench coat, and fedora, appear in varying page layouts from partial to full spreads. Nick's conversational tone recalls the famous adult mystery writers of the past; "Sam, Phil, and Dashiell," to whom the book is dedicated, would be proud!" -Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY"
Reviewed January 1, 2005-School Library Journal

In this black-and-white spoof of noir cinema and All About Eve, pachyderm detective Nick Trunk investigates a foxy lounge singer who literally has lost her marbles. Nick takes the case from a kitten named Maggie Trouble who works backstage at the Club Sandwich and conceals her showbiz aspirations. "I work for peanuts," the world-weary elephant grumbles, so Maggie prepays him in brittle and they proceed to the nightclub. Nick next meets Maggie's boss, a real vixen. "Every night, before I sing, I hold my marbles," the fox tells Nick, and now her lucky charms have vanished. Nick soon finds a mysterious trace of "very expensive peanut butter." Other, less delicious clues arise, but Nick stubbornly samples peanut-butter confections; readers have to wait for him to catch up with their deductions. This amusing buildup trumps the conclusion, in which the perp's intentions remain cloudy and the punishment (jail) seems excessive (given that the marbles are hidden in almost plain sight). Cushman (the Aunt Eater mysteries) pays homage to Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon with his protagonist and a dedication to "Sam, Phil and Dashiell." Charcoal-tinged duotone watercolors, a 1939 calendar and a femme fatale set the smoky ambience, and Nick's baggy-eyed expression, rumpled trench coat and jaded hands-in-pockets slouch are those of a seasoned movie P.I. Cushman sets the generic pieces in place, but his faux-crime story wraps up less effectively than parodies such as last season's Tuff Fluff by Scott Nash. Ages 5-9. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. -Publishers Weekly

Library Settings

This book cold be used in a book talk program about mysteries for young readers. Children can participate by helping the reader solve the mystery.