The Egyptian Cinderella

This story is similar to the well-known Cinderella except that it takes place in Greece. Rhodopis is a Greek slave who is ridiculed by Egyptian servants. Her master gave her a pair of golden slippers for her talented dancing, only to have one of them stolen. The stolen slipper ends up in the hands of the pharaoh, who decides to marry the girl whom this slipper belongs to. 

This is such a touching story that includes both folklore and historical references. It is interesting to have such a popular story told in a different country, different culture, and with elements of both fact and fiction.

To use this in a classroom you could make a Venn diagram. One circle would be The Egyptian Cinderella and the other would be the original version of Cinderella. What do they have in common? What are the differences between the two stories?

Knut

The same authors of Owen and Mzee tell the story of Knut, a polar bear from a zoo in Berlin. Knut's mother did not look after him as a newborn. In order to save his life, zookeeper Thomas assumed the responsibility of caring for him. Thomas fed him, bathed him, slept with him, played with him, and did everything else that Knut's mother would have done. Thomas went over three months without leaving the zoo, as to spend all his time with Knut. Thomas became Knut's foster parent. Knut still lives today. 

This story touched me as much as the story of Owen and Mzee. It is amazing to see a polar bear interact with a human being as if he is his biological father. Not only is this a heartwarming story for any age, but it is also a wonderful message to send to children- there are all types of families and love. I recommend this book to everyone! 

Owen & Mzee...

Owen and Mzee is a true story about a baby hippo and an old giant tortoise. In 2004, Owen the hippo was separated from his family during a tsunami in Southeast Asia. He was brought to a zoo and came across Mzee. Owen and Mzee did everything together from swimming, to eating, napping, playing, and taking care of each other. Mzee became a mother-like figure to Owen and the two became best friends.

There are many different books written about this true story of friendship and love. The one I have read for my annotated bibliography is called Owen & Mzee, Best Friends. It is a short version intended for children ages 0-3.  I recommend this book, or any version of this story, to everyone- it is touching for an individual of any age and can teach children about different kinds of love (like we talked about in class), as this particular love is between two different species of wild animals. 

Flotsam

I may have found a book to add to my favorite children's literature...

Flotsam, written by David Wiesner, is a story told entirely through pictures. A young boy is playing on the beach and discovers an old "underwater" camera that was washed up onto the sand from a large wave. He takes the camera to the store to develop the film, only to discover a whole new world taking place on the ocean floor. There are also pictures taken of the other children around the world who have discovered the camera previously. The illustrations in this book are outstanding and the imagination showed through the pictures is inspiring. I recommend this to teachers, parents, and the rest of you who may be looking for picture/fantasy books to add to your annotated bibliographies :)

ttyl

I read a book yesterday titled "ttyl" written by Lauren Myracle. It is a young adult book that is written entirely in instant messaging. The instant messages are between three best friends in high school- the topics they discuss include everything from clothes and make-up, to sex, to the stress of school, and relationships of all kinds. I found myself as intrigued as I might expect an adolescent to become while reading this book. Each of the three girls represents something different- to generalize: boy-crazy, straight-A student, and rebel. Though they have differences, they have been best friends and try to support each other through the difficulties of growing up: being comfortable in your body, making new friends while keeping the old, balancing social and academic life, peer pressure, etc. 

Though many young adult books have touched on all these issues in the past, this book is more contemporary (being told through IMs) as well as using popular modern-day language that adolescents use today such as: ttyl, omg, rotflmao, and many, MANY more! I recommend this book for adolescents, and even parents of adolescents who may be struggling trying to understand their children in this new, unfamiliar generation.