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This book is a picture book for children about dealing with the absence of a father whether it's due to a death, not knowing, or absent fathers. The story is about a boy who gets picked on about not having a father and the mother explains the many reasons why a dad might not be present. The book also includes a section for teenage parents that consists of quotes, ideas, and how other single-parents dealt with this situation. This book would be a good book to send home to a single-parent family to help the child understand their family situation.

Dear Ms. Lindsay,             My name is Tania Lewis, and I am an Elementary Education major at Penn State- Altoona in Pennsylvania, and I am writing to you today to inform you that you have won the Aiden Jacob Lewis Award for excellence in Children's Literature about children who grow up in a single parent home for your story, "Do I Have a Daddy?" The criteria for this award is that the book should display excellence in the fact that it helps children understand that growing up in a single parent home isn't always as been as it may sometimes seem, and that they are not alone and are not the only child who lives in homes just like they do.This award was created in my LLED 402 class. This class is solely based on analyzing, reading, and working with all types of children's literature. Every student in the class was asked to create an award about something that means a lot to them and also name it after someone special. This award that I created is named after my three month old son, Aiden, and the reason for the category is because I am a single mother and I worry sometimes about questions my son will ask me when he gets older, so I thought if I had books to help him understand, that it wouldn't be as hard. Each student, after creating an award, had to nominate books for their classmate's awards. Once done, we got to pick the winning book, and had an award ceremony for the nominators of the books. I chose your book for many different reasons. I chose it because when Erik's mother is faced with the question, "Do I have a Daddy?" she is very positive and honest with him, thinking about his feelings and saying that not all children liv

"America, My New Home" tells a young girl's journey to America through poetry. She compares her new home to her old one in Jamaica in twenty-three different poems. This book shows that you don't have to tell a story the old-fashioned way. You can do it using poetry as well. A great way to get children to write poetry is through a story about themselves like the girl did in the book.

Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson is an excellent book. This book is about a families struggle through a workers strike. Rosa, one of the main characters, lives at home with her mother, sister, baby brother and another immigrant family.  Bread and Roses,Too portrays her emotions about the strike and her families involvement.  It also tells the story of a homeless boy who works in the mill where the workers are striking.  Both these children leave to go to Vermont until the strike is over. There they learn alot about life and family.  This book well suites the award becase both of the main characters are from single-parent homes and this issue is addressed many times.  A weakness of the book is that children may not relate to that specific issue becasue there iare so many other issues being addressed. Overall, this is a great book for the Aiden Jacob Lewis award because it portrays many single-parent families and all the families are not the sterotypical perfect family.

This book is filled with contrasts of a new and old fairy tale. The book shows two girls who live next door to each other. One is Cinderella and the other is Cinder Edna. They both have a mean stepmother and stepsisters. But, Edna deals with her problems in stride. When the king has a ball, Cinderella wishes for a fairy godmother to help her get ready for the ball. But, Cinder Ella puts a dress on layaway. Cinderella takes a carriage to the ball, but Cinder Edna takes the bus. Randolph, the king's son, dances with Cinderella. Cinder Edna dances with Randolph's brother Rupert. Rupert runs a recycling plant and a home for orphaned kittens. When the clock strikes midnight, both Cinderella and Cinder Edna have to go home. Randolph did not even know Cinderella's name, but Rupert did know Cinder Edna's name. Cinderella left a glass slipper, but Cinder Edna left a loafer. The brothers find Cinderella and Cinder Edna. When they get married in a double ceremony, they change their names to Ella and Edna. Ella seems to have the perfect life, but she is bored by the ceremonies, speeches, and her perfect husband. Rupert and Edna are the ones who live happily ever after. They live in a cottage and enjoy each other's company. This book shows the superficiality of some fairy tales. The book also shows the importance of making the best of your circumstances in life. The book shows children that a happy couple does not need to be perfect. This would be an excellent book to start a discussion about concentrating on your personality and inner qualities and less on your superficial traits.

Dog Breath is about a very good dog with a very big problem, bad breath. Halle is the Tosis family pet and they love her dearly but the Tosis parents say she has to go, even the skunks avoid her. The Tosis children take matters into their own hands. In an attempt to get rid of Halle's bad breath they take her to admire a "breathtaking" view, and exciting movie that leaves you "breathless" and a ride on a roller coaster that promises to make you "loose your breath". None of these endeavors work and the children return home. Later that night burglars break into the house and Halle licks them causing them to pass out and be captured. Now the Tosis family decides to keep their wonderful watchdog. This is a laugh out loud hilarious book for all ages. I am sure that anyone who reads it will find it very amusing.

"Small Beauties" is a story about a girl named Darcy Heart O'Hare who notices the small beauties of nature. Darcy and her family live in Ireland on a farm. When the family fails to be able to pay the rent, they are kicked out of their home and forced to cross the ocean to America. Only Darcy holds the key to their new happiness through the collecting of her small beauties. This book has many strengths. First, it is a historical non-fiction book that allows readers to see what may have really happened during that time period. At the back of the book is also a true recalling of the time of the famine, which includes historical facts and information that relate to real stories like Woodruff's portrayal. The book is also beautifully illustrated. The illustrations just bring the story to life and keep the reader wanting more. "Small Beauties" is a perfect book to be shared with children in one's classroom. It has potential for connection to a lesson that deals with immigration and it's historical aspects.It is an amazing book that carries the potential for great discussion following it's reading.

Annushka's Voyage is a marvelous story of two girls trip from Russia to the United States.  There father had left for the United States to look for work and find a place to live while the girls stayed with their grandparents in Russia. Then their father finally sent for them.  They had to travel by boat for many weeks, jammed packed with other immigrants and unsanitary conditions.  When they finally arrive in America they go through a health check and get  reunited with their  father for a very happy ending. This book is an acurate portrayal of what a jounrney to America would have been like in the early 1900's. It is uplifting and high spirited.

The narrator, a boy, lies awake listening for the sound of the bells on Santa's sleigh, a sound a friend who doesn't believe in Santa Claus says that he won't hear. Indeed, he does not, but what he does hear is even more wonderful and remarkable. He hears the hiss of steam and the squeak of metal, and when he looks out the window, he sees a train outside his house. It is the Polar Express, destination: North Pole. Once aboard, he finds that it is full of children, all in their nightclothes. They sing Christmas carols, drink rich cocoa and eat candies as the train races northward. Finally, they arrive at the North Pole, and the narrator is selected to receive the first gift of Christmas. He asks for, and receives from Santa Claus himself, a silver bell from the sleigh. Although the boy loses the bell on the way home, kindly Mr. C. returns it to him, and the boy discovers that the bell has a remarkable quality -- only those who still believe in the wonder that is Santa and the spirit of Christmas can hear the bell. His friends and his sister eventually cannot hear the bell, but even when he grows up "the bell still rings for [him] as it does for all who truly believe." This books illustrations grab you from the get go. They are so detailed and perfectly illustrated that you feel like you are right in the story yourself. From a teacher's perspective, this would be an great choice to read around the holidays and do a little Christmas lesson with it. I own this book, too. So if you want to take a look at it, let me know. Enjoy (;

"Lon Po Po", written and illustrated by Ed Young, is a fantastic twist on a traditional fairytale. In this version of "Little Red Riding-Hood" the children are left home alone while their mother takes food to their sick grandmother, or in Chinese, Po Po. The children are reminded to keep the door locked at all times and to watch for strangers. Not long after their mother leaves, there is a knock at the door from the children's Po Po. But it is actually a scary and dangerous wolf! The exciting illustrations leave the reader wondering what will happen next. This picture book is an excellent read for any age.

This is a story about an 11 year old boy John Jacob Mickley. He and his father were in visiting Philadelphia during the Revolution. While they were there the Redcoats were invading. John and his father were lucky enough to be able to embark on a journey to hide the most precious symbol of freedom, the Liberty bell. This is a story of the journey hiding the Liberty Bell from the Redcoats. It is being told from Johns point of view to his brothers and sisters after he arrived home.

"Ty's One-man Band" is about who runs into a man with a wooden peg leg who surprises Ty by making music from a cup, plate, and a spoon. Ty is so fascinated that the man sends him home to get a wasboard, two wooden spoons, a tin pail, and a comb. When Ty asks for these items he is told that they don't make music, but the one-man band proves them all wrong and makes wonderful music for the town. Music is everywhere around us and we should appreciate it for what it is. You can make music out of anything, even language. This would be a great book to read to children to show that music isn't just in music class.

Papa's Latkes is a fantastic story about a family growing up without a mother. This is a heartwarming book about a family of two girls, Selma and Dora, and their dad who are celebrating Chanukah without their mother for the very first time. Obviously, the girls have a hard time dealing with the situation. As they are making latkes for Chanukah, they realize how much they miss their mother. Papa reassures the girls that everything will be okay, even without Mama. Papa's Latkes is a really important book because a lot of children have to deal with a parent dying and living life with only one parent. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Also, Papa's Latkes would be a great book to have in a classroom because it is diverse.

Another website for the book is: http://michelledwards.com/books/picture_books/papas_latkes

This story is about a boy and his family who immigrated from Holland to America. Once he is in America, it doesn't feel like home to him and it's crowded and busy. Not until his furniture from Holland shows up that he feel like there is still room for Holland in his life. This book is perfect for students who are moving or are getting ready to move. Or it's perfect to learn about what it's like for a child to move to another country.

Barbara M. Joosse c/o Scott Treimel, STNY 434 Lafayette St. New York, NY 10003 March 6, 2008 Dear Ms. Joosse: My name is Heidi Held and I am currently an elementary education major at Penn State University. I am pleased to announce that your book, The Morning Chair, has been chosen as the winner of The Sonny Award for Excellence in Children's Literature on the Immigration of Children to the United States! This award was created in one of my language and literacy classes at Penn State. Each member of my class was to create a fictional award and then nominate books for everyone else's awards. You can read more about our class and the nominations at http://kirstinlled.blogspot.com/. My award, The Sonny Award for Excellence in Children's Literature on the Immigration of Children to the United States, was created to find books that deal with the topic of a child's immigration and the struggles and joys of their journey. With the ever-increasing number of immigrants to the United States, I think that there needs to be attention given to books about this very topic. I received many nominations for my award; however, when I read The Morning Chair, I knew this was the perfect book for my award! I really like how The Morning Chair gives the perspective of a child before, during, and after his immigration. It also shows that just because someone moves to a new country, it does not mean that they will forget their old life and traditions. Congratulations on winning this award and thank you very much for writing this wonderful book! Sincerely, Heidi Held 315 Jackson Avenue Vandergrift, PA 15690 hmh5012@psu.edu Enc: Award Certificate

Willie has decided that hugging is for sissies because that's what his friend Jo Jo always says. But his family likes to hug, and it's hard for Willie to be hug-free. This book is a wonderful children's story about families who love each other and don't mind showing it. Willie's sadness about giving up hugs becomes apparent to the reader even before Willie understand it himself. The sister who teases with love is also a very kind and sweet character for children to relate to. As a teacher, I can see this book being useful in community development; while students like Jo Jo need to be allowed to keep their personal space, students like Willie should be allowed to show their affection for their loved ones: at home and at school.