Jerry L. Johns (1991). Basic Reading Inventory; Children\u27s Books: Merry Christmas, Amanda and April; Chicken Man; All the Lights in the Night; Jack and the Beanstalk; The Swineherd; The Worst Person\u27s Christmas; That\u27s Exactly the Way it Wasn’t; An Auto Mechanic, A Carpenter, A Potter; Meredith\u27s Mother Takes the Trai

Bright, Paul

Jacobson, Jeanne M.

Kinnucan-Welsch, Kathryn

Myers, Sherry R.

English

Reviews of the following:   Basic Reading Inventory (Jerry L. Johns) Merry Christmas, Amanda and April (Bonnie Pryor) Chicken Man (Michelle Edwards) All the Lights in the Night (Arthur A. Levine) Jack and the Beanstalk (Steven Kellogg) The Swineherd (Hans Christian Andersen) The Worst Person’s Christmas (James Stevenson) That’s Exactly the Way it Wasn’t (James Stevenson) An Auto Mechanic; A Carpenter; A Potter (Douglas Florian) Meredith’s Mother Takes the Train (Deborah Lee Rose

University of Dayton

University of DaytoneCommonsTeacher Education Faculty Publications Department of Teacher Education11-1991Reviews: Professional MaterialsKathryn Kinnucan-WelschUniversity of Dayton, kkinnucanwelsch1@udayton.eduSherry R. MyersWestern Michigan UniversityPaul BrightWestern Michigan UniversityJeanne M. JacobsonWestern Michigan UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/edt_fac_pubPart of the Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, MiddleSchool Education and Teaching Commons, Other Teacher Education and ProfessionalDevelopment Commons, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher EducationCommons, and the Secondary Education and Teaching CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Teacher Education at eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion inTeacher Education Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of eCommons. For more information, please contact frice1@udayton.edu,mschlangen1@udayton.edu.eCommons CitationKinnucan-Welsch, Kathryn; Myers, Sherry R.; Bright, Paul; and Jacobson, Jeanne M., "Reviews: Professional Materials" (1991).Teacher Education Faculty Publications. 7.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/edt_fac_pub/7:mcREVIEWSProfessional MaterialsBasic Reading inventory by Jerry L. Johns.Kendall-Hunt Publishing, 2460 Kerper Blvd., Dubuque IA 52004-0539. 1991ISBN 0-8403-6279-X. 284 pp. US$24.00Reviewed by Kathryn Kinnucan-WelschWestern Michigan UniversityWhile the field of reading assessment reflects the changeswhich are occurring throughout education today, the InformalReading Inventory continues to be widely used by, amongothers, regular and special education teachers, reading specialists, and school psychologists. The text Basic ReadingInventory by Jerry L. Johns is representative of those instruments which can provide the professional with a great deal ofuseful data about a reader in a relatively short period of time.The fifth edition of the Basic Reading Inventory is patterned after the IRI (Informal Reading Inventory) format whichincludes sets of graded word lists, a series of graded paragraphs, and comprehension questions. According to the author, the purposes of the inventory are to determine the student's 1) reading levels (independent, instructional, frustrationand listening); 2) strategies for word identification; and 3)strengths and weaknesses in comprehension.Additional features enhance the value of this inventory.The author has included a brief section on background information relevant to each section of the text. This backgroundincludes history and development of the IRI and suggestions forinstructional strategies to support learners in becoming strategic readers. The fifth edition also includes a section in scoringaccording to significant miscue analysis. The passages in theREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 159Basic Reading Inventory have been lengthened, but the professional must determine whether or not their purpose ofassessment is served through an administration of an informalreading inventory. If that can be determined, then the BasicReading Inventory contains many positive features which wouldmake it a viable choice.Children's BooksMerry Christmas, Amanda and April by Bonnie Pryor.Illustrated by Diane de Groat.Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-07544-4. 32 pp. US$13.95.Reviewed by Sherry R. MyersWestern Michigan UniversitySisters Amanda and April are sent by their mother to getingredients to make cookies for Santa's snack. On the way theystop to sled-ride and do a good deed. When they get to thestore, the grocery list is missing and they must try to rememberwhat their mother wanted, ending up with both flour and flowers. The piglet sisters leave both cookies and a bouquet forSanta, and in return, receive the presents they had hoped for.Merry Christmas, Amanda and April is a gentle story, onlyminimally about Christmas; it's really a good tale for all winterlong. The illustrations are colorful and entertaining, and thestory is appealing in its knowledge of listener reaction to its plot.The idea that flowers could be as important to Santa as the flourin his cookies is pleasing, as is the feature that the personhelped in the story is an adult, not another child. The storysubtly reminds children that adults can truly need their help, thatthey can contribute something to an adult's life, instead of theother way around. Most appealing about the story, though, is itscharacterization of the sisters who are neither too loving, aswas true in books of an earlier generation, nor too hateful, asseems to be true of many current books. It has just the appropriate mix of not getting along and getting along, concern andunconcern. It is the relationship between April and Amandathat will captivate the reader, young and old alike.160 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1Chicken Man by Michelle Edwards.Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-09708-1. 32 pp.Reviewed by Paul BrightWestern Michigan UniversityThe summer that Chicken Man works in the kibbutzchicken coop, the hens lay more than ever before. But as is thecustom on an Israeli kibbutz (a self-supporting farm), ChickenMan is moved to another job, and then another - until the hensstop laying eggs. Oy va voy! From the brightly colored illustrations to the charming Yiddish expressions, this book is a delight. The illustrations contain two notable features. At the verybeginning of the book is a simple map of the kibbutz whereChicken Man lives and works, giving the reader a sense of whata kibbutz is like. Second, the book unexpressedly invites thereader to interact by searching for Chicken Man's red hat oneach page that he is pictured.One could say that Chicken Man is an Israeli version of"the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" forwhile Chicken Man is always happy in whatever job he does,his fellow Kibbutzniks are envious and think that he must havethe best job on the kibbutz. The reader might chuckle atChicken Man's seemingly optimistic view of work; however, hissimple character also exemplifies a good work ethic. This bookquietly states that we should make the most out of our presentcircumstances and not waste our time wishing for a bettertomorrow. Finally, with the recent focus of the world on theMiddle East, and education's multicultural thrust, this culturally-rich book has much to offer both library and private collections.All the Lights in the Night by Arthur A. Levine.Illustrated by James E. Ransome.Tambourine Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10019.1991. ISBN 0-688-10107-0. 30 pp. US$14.95.This beautiful Hanukkah story, recounting events in thelife of the author's grandfather and great uncle, reminds us ofthe bravery of families who stand united even when separatedREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 161by distance and by the cruelty of oppressors. The year is 1914.Of three boys in a Russian family, the oldest, David, has beenable to emigrate to Palestine. Persecution of Russian Jews isincreasing; David has sent his parents money — enough fortwo more family members to escape. The parents will remain;young Moses and Benjamin will travel together from their tinyvillage, hidden in the cart of a friendly neighbor, to Minsk, thenby train to Warsaw, finally by ship to Palestine. Their mother hassent with them a Hanukkah lamp; echoing the miracle whichHanukkah celebrates, they have only oil enough to light thelamp once. Though the oil is indeed consumed, the lamp enables the boys to stay together; the miracle we see is one ofhuman love, ingenuity and endurance. The story's conclusion isjoyous: in place of the lamp, the boys have all the lights in thenight sky. Softly Moses began to sing the Hanukkah prayerandBenjamin joined in. And their voices took to the air likeseabirds, theirbright music carrying over the wind. (JMJ)Classics RetoldJack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg.Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-10250-6. 48 pp. US$14.95.The Swineherd by Hans Christian Andersen.Illustrated by Deborah Hahn.Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books. 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-10052-X. 32 pp. US$14.95.Gorgeous, glorious illustrations sweep across the pagesof Steven Kellogg's brilliant version of Jack and the Beanstalk,beginning with a frontispiece explaining the source of theogre's ill-gotten riches. Partly concealed in the skin of acreature with terrifying tusks and claws, the horrible ogre isswooping down on a pirate ship, where the wicked crew, nowbegging for mercy, have been counting their booty: bags ofgold, a squawking hen with two golden eggs beside her, and amagical harp whose resident singers are wailing frantically. Theend pages present a marvelously happy ending, in which acarriage whose passengers include the joyous harp, a jewel-bedecked hen clutched by Jack's still-amazed mother, a mastiffand four cheery cats, draws Jack and his princess bride, andtheir three royal children, to a distant castle, while a benign162 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1wizard, standing with his equally happy cow, waves in greeting.Between these two elegant additions to the story are atreasurehouse of other illustrations, with gently witty text.Deborah Hahn gives credit not only to the author of thestory she has chosen to illustrate, but to her own ingeniouscreations: The Swineherd, by Hans Christian Andersen,Narrated by Himself and Acted by His Favorite Friends andRelations. Two concurrent stories are presented. The printedtext tells Andersen's story of a prince who becomes a swineherd out of love for a silly princess, who loves possessions toomuch, and, in the end, is desolate and deserted. Above this text,Andersen himself, and a lovable cast of children and animals,keep up a running dialogue as they act out the story. And thenAndersen asks his little audience for their opinion of his ending,and they give it: unjust, unbearable, such sadness, fierce, unforgivable, cruel, he couldn't have meant it, heartless... andthey decide to make a change: with all due respect Hans, we'llgive it a new ending. The "truly happy ending" is a joy; Andersen's bleak conclusion is lightly but firmly transformed. (JMJ)Two by James StevensonThe Worst Person's Christmas1991. ISBN 0-688-10210-7. 32 pp. US$13.95.That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't1991. ISBN 0-688-09868-1. 32 pp. US$13.95Both from Greenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.In The Worst Person's Christmas, grumpy Mr. Worstreappears (earlier tales: The Worst Person in the World; TheWorst Person in the World at Crab Beach), taking a characteristically Scrooge-like view of neighborhood festivities. He isfoiled, though not reformed, by a gift, — "How about a fruitcake?" said Jenny. "He /s a fruitcake," said Walker. "Perfect,"said Jenny. — a piece of ice, a sled, and a fortuitously placedparty. Using a cartoon format, That's Exactly the Way It Wasn'ttakes the theme of family arguments to hilarious lengths: "Mustbe getting late, Wainey." "Early." "Steep hill, Wainey." "Flat."Nice view, Wainey!" "Icky" RRRRUMBLE "Does that sound likea landslide, Wainey?" "Nump."and heights and depths: "Well, Iguess you'll have to agree, Wainey, that we're falling..." THUD!"Nump... not any more!" Present day spats among siblings areREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 163tame compared to Grandpa's argument with Uncle Waineyabout a long-ago adventure featuring a protective purple armadillo, a yawning green iguana, assorted chatty birds, and aneventual landing on something hot and bubbly and about toerupt. (Given the author's lush imagination, we can conclude itwon't be a volcano.) Ethical, humorous and inventive,Stevenson's books are perennial favorites for all ages. (JMJ)The World of WorkAn Auto Mechanic; A Carpenter, A Potterby Douglas FlorianGreenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016. 1991.ISBN 0-688-10635-8, 0-688-09760-X, 0-688-101003-3, respectively.Each 24 pp., and US$13.95.Douglas Florian's books celebrate workers: a potter, acarpenter, an auto mechanic. The workers are diverse in gender and age, but have one characteristic in common: all havered hair. Warm colors predominate in the big, bright illustrations. The print is also large, and the brief text is chunked intophrases, making the books good choices for early reading; occasional rhymed sections contribute to reading ease. Floriantreats young readers with respect; the descriptions of differentkinds of work are informative, sound and straightforward. (JMJ)Meredith's Mother Takes the Trainby Deborah Lee Rose. Illustrated by Irene Trivas.Albert Whitman and Company, 5747 West Howard Street, Niles IL 60648-4012. 1991. ISBN 0-8075-5061-2. US$10.95.Meredith's Mother Takes the Train, dedicated by the author "to my mother, who took the train," is a clever, briskly-rhymed account of a busy child and her busier mother, spending their weekdays, respectively, at a well-run daycare centerand an active office. The happy conclusion to the week is aSaturday spent together at the zoo. The book is a welcomecelebration of hard work, and the joys experienced by careerwomen and their children. (JMJ)Materials reviewed are not endorsed by Reading Horizons or WesternMichigan University. The content of the reviews reflects the opinion of the reviewers whose names or initials appear with the reviews. To submit an item forpotential review, send to Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Reviews Editor, ReadingHorizons, Reading Center and Clinic, Western Michigan University,KalamazooJMI 49008.

Reviews: Professional Materials

ScholarWorks at WMU

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and 
Language Arts 
Volume 32 
Issue 2 November/December 1991 Article 8 
12-1-1991 
REVIEWS: Professional Materials 
Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch 
Western Michigan University 
Sherry R. Myers 
Western Michigan University 
Paul Bright 
Western Michigan University 
Jeanne M. Jacobson 
Western Michigan University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons 
 Part of the Education Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Kinnucan-Welsch, K., Myers, S. R., Bright, P., & Jacobson, J. M. (1991). REVIEWS: Professional Materials. 
Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 32 (2). Retrieved from 
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol32/iss2/8 
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open 
access by the Special Education and Literacy Studies at 
ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion 
in Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language 
Arts by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at WMU. 
For more information, please contact wmu-
scholarworks@wmich.edu. 
:mc
REVIEWS
Professional Materials
Basic Reading inventory by Jerry L. Johns.
Kendall-Hunt Publishing, 2460 Kerper Blvd., Dubuque IA 52004-0539. 1991
ISBN 0-8403-6279-X. 284 pp. US$24.00
Reviewed by Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch
Western Michigan University
While the field of reading assessment reflects the changes
which are occurring throughout education today, the Informal
Reading Inventory continues to be widely used by, among
others, regular and special education teachers, reading spe
cialists, and school psychologists. The text Basic Reading
Inventory by Jerry L. Johns is representative of those instru
ments which can provide the professional with a great deal of
useful data about a reader in a relatively short period of time.
The fifth edition of the Basic Reading Inventory is pat
terned after the IRI (Informal Reading Inventory) format which
includes sets of graded word lists, a series of graded para
graphs, and comprehension questions. According to the au
thor, the purposes of the inventory are to determine the stu
dent's 1) reading levels (independent, instructional, frustration
and listening); 2) strategies for word identification; and 3)
strengths and weaknesses in comprehension.
Additional features enhance the value of this inventory.
The author has included a brief section on background infor
mation relevant to each section of the text. This background
includes history and development of the IRI and suggestions for
instructional strategies to support learners in becoming strate
gic readers. The fifth edition also includes a section in scoring
according to significant miscue analysis. The passages in the
READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 159
Basic Reading Inventory have been lengthened, but the pro
fessional must determine whether or not their purpose of
assessment is served through an administration of an informal
reading inventory. If that can be determined, then the Basic
Reading Inventory contains many positive features which would
make it a viable choice.
Children's Books
Merry Christmas, Amanda and April by Bonnie Pryor.
Illustrated by Diane de Groat.
Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.
1991. ISBN 0-688-07544-4. 32 pp. US$13.95.
Reviewed by Sherry R. Myers
Western Michigan University
Sisters Amanda and April are sent by their mother to get
ingredients to make cookies for Santa's snack. On the way they
stop to sled-ride and do a good deed. When they get to the
store, the grocery list is missing and they must try to remember
what their mother wanted, ending up with both flour and flow
ers. The piglet sisters leave both cookies and a bouquet for
Santa, and in return, receive the presents they had hoped for.
Merry Christmas, Amanda and April is a gentle story, only
minimally about Christmas; it's really a good tale for all winter
long. The illustrations are colorful and entertaining, and the
story is appealing in its knowledge of listener reaction to its plot.
The idea that flowers could be as important to Santa as the flour
in his cookies is pleasing, as is the feature that the person
helped in the story is an adult, not another child. The story
subtly reminds children that adults can truly need their help, that
they can contribute something to an adult's life, instead of the
other way around. Most appealing about the story, though, is its
characterization of the sisters who are neither too loving, as
was true in books of an earlier generation, nor too hateful, as
seems to be true of many current books. It has just the appro
priate mix of not getting along and getting along, concern and
unconcern. It is the relationship between April and Amanda
that will captivate the reader, young and old alike.
160 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1
Chicken Man by Michelle Edwards.
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.
1991. ISBN 0-688-09708-1. 32 pp.
Reviewed by Paul Bright
Western Michigan University
The summer that Chicken Man works in the kibbutz
chicken coop, the hens lay more than ever before. But as is the
custom on an Israeli kibbutz (a self-supporting farm), Chicken
Man is moved to another job, and then another - until the hens
stop laying eggs. Oy va voy! From the brightly colored illustra
tions to the charming Yiddish expressions, this book is a de
light. The illustrations contain two notable features. At the very
beginning of the book is a simple map of the kibbutz where
Chicken Man lives and works, giving the reader a sense of what
a kibbutz is like. Second, the book unexpressedly invites the
reader to interact by searching for Chicken Man's red hat on
each page that he is pictured.
One could say that Chicken Man is an Israeli version of
"the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" for
while Chicken Man is always happy in whatever job he does,
his fellow Kibbutzniks are envious and think that he must have
the best job on the kibbutz. The reader might chuckle at
Chicken Man's seemingly optimistic view of work; however, his
simple character also exemplifies a good work ethic. This book
quietly states that we should make the most out of our present
circumstances and not waste our time wishing for a better
tomorrow. Finally, with the recent focus of the world on the
Middle East, and education's multicultural thrust, this culturally-
rich book has much to offer both library and private collections.
All the Lights in the Night by Arthur A. Levine.
Illustrated by James E. Ransome.
Tambourine Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10019.
1991. ISBN 0-688-10107-0. 30 pp. US$14.95.
This beautiful Hanukkah story, recounting events in the
life of the author's grandfather and great uncle, reminds us of
the bravery of families who stand united even when separated
READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 161
by distance and by the cruelty of oppressors. The year is 1914.
Of three boys in a Russian family, the oldest, David, has been
able to emigrate to Palestine. Persecution of Russian Jews is
increasing; David has sent his parents money — enough for
two more family members to escape. The parents will remain;
young Moses and Benjamin will travel together from their tiny
village, hidden in the cart of a friendly neighbor, to Minsk, then
by train to Warsaw, finally by ship to Palestine. Their mother has
sent with them a Hanukkah lamp; echoing the miracle which
Hanukkah celebrates, they have only oil enough to light the
lamp once. Though the oil is indeed consumed, the lamp en
ables the boys to stay together; the miracle we see is one of
human love, ingenuity and endurance. The story's conclusion is
joyous: in place of the lamp, the boys have all the lights in the
night sky. Softly Moses began to sing the Hanukkah prayerand
Benjamin joined in. And their voices took to the air like
seabirds, theirbright music carrying over the wind. (JMJ)
Classics Retold
Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg.
Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016.
1991. ISBN 0-688-10250-6. 48 pp. US$14.95.
The Swineherd by Hans Christian Andersen.
Illustrated by Deborah Hahn.
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books. 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.
1991. ISBN 0-688-10052-X. 32 pp. US$14.95.
Gorgeous, glorious illustrations sweep across the pages
of Steven Kellogg's brilliant version of Jack and the Beanstalk,
beginning with a frontispiece explaining the source of the
ogre's ill-gotten riches. Partly concealed in the skin of a
creature with terrifying tusks and claws, the horrible ogre is
swooping down on a pirate ship, where the wicked crew, now
begging for mercy, have been counting their booty: bags of
gold, a squawking hen with two golden eggs beside her, and a
magical harp whose resident singers are wailing frantically. The
end pages present a marvelously happy ending, in which a
carriage whose passengers include the joyous harp, a jewel-
bedecked hen clutched by Jack's still-amazed mother, a mastiff
and four cheery cats, draws Jack and his princess bride, and
their three royal children, to a distant castle, while a benign
162 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1
wizard, standing with his equally happy cow, waves in greeting.
Between these two elegant additions to the story are a
treasurehouse of other illustrations, with gently witty text.
Deborah Hahn gives credit not only to the author of the
story she has chosen to illustrate, but to her own ingenious
creations: The Swineherd, by Hans Christian Andersen,
Narrated by Himself and Acted by His Favorite Friends and
Relations. Two concurrent stories are presented. The printed
text tells Andersen's story of a prince who becomes a swine
herd out of love for a silly princess, who loves possessions too
much, and, in the end, is desolate and deserted. Above this text,
Andersen himself, and a lovable cast of children and animals,
keep up a running dialogue as they act out the story. And then
Andersen asks his little audience for their opinion of his ending,
and they give it: unjust, unbearable, such sadness, fierce, un
forgivable, cruel, he couldn't have meant it, heartless... and
they decide to make a change: with all due respect Hans, we'll
give it a new ending. The "truly happy ending" is a joy; Ander
sen's bleak conclusion is lightly but firmly transformed. (JMJ)
Two by James Stevenson
The Worst Person's Christmas
1991. ISBN 0-688-10210-7. 32 pp. US$13.95.
That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't
1991. ISBN 0-688-09868-1. 32 pp. US$13.95
Both from Greenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.
In The Worst Person's Christmas, grumpy Mr. Worst
reappears (earlier tales: The Worst Person in the World; The
Worst Person in the World at Crab Beach), taking a charac
teristically Scrooge-like view of neighborhood festivities. He is
foiled, though not reformed, by a gift, — "How about a fruit
cake?" said Jenny. "He /s a fruitcake," said Walker. "Perfect,"
said Jenny. — a piece of ice, a sled, and a fortuitously placed
party. Using a cartoon format, That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't
takes the theme of family arguments to hilarious lengths: "Must
be getting late, Wainey." "Early." "Steep hill, Wainey." "Flat."
Nice view, Wainey!" "Icky" RRRRUMBLE "Does that sound like
a landslide, Wainey?" "Nump."and heights and depths: "Well, I
guess you'll have to agree, Wainey, that we're falling..." THUD!
"Nump... not any more!" Present day spats among siblings are
READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 163
tame compared to Grandpa's argument with Uncle Wainey
about a long-ago adventure featuring a protective purple ar
madillo, a yawning green iguana, assorted chatty birds, and an
eventual landing on something hot and bubbly and about to
erupt. (Given the author's lush imagination, we can conclude it
won't be a volcano.) Ethical, humorous and inventive,
Stevenson's books are perennial favorites for all ages. (JMJ)
The World of Work
An Auto Mechanic; A Carpenter, A Potter
by Douglas Florian
Greenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016. 1991.
ISBN 0-688-10635-8, 0-688-09760-X, 0-688-101003-3, respectively.
Each 24 pp., and US$13.95.
Douglas Florian's books celebrate workers: a potter, a
carpenter, an auto mechanic. The workers are diverse in gen
der and age, but have one characteristic in common: all have
red hair. Warm colors predominate in the big, bright illustra
tions. The print is also large, and the brief text is chunked into
phrases, making the books good choices for early reading; oc
casional rhymed sections contribute to reading ease. Florian
treats young readers with respect; the descriptions of different
kinds of work are informative, sound and straightforward. (JMJ)
Meredith's Mother Takes the Train
by Deborah Lee Rose. Illustrated by Irene Trivas.
Albert Whitman and Company, 5747 West Howard Street, Niles IL 60648-
4012. 1991. ISBN 0-8075-5061-2. US$10.95.
Meredith's Mother Takes the Train, dedicated by the au
thor "to my mother, who took the train," is a clever, briskly-
rhymed account of a busy child and her busier mother, spend
ing their weekdays, respectively, at a well-run daycare center
and an active office. The happy conclusion to the week is a
Saturday spent together at the zoo. The book is a welcome
celebration of hard work, and the joys experienced by career
women and their children. (JMJ)
Materials reviewed are not endorsed by Reading Horizons or Western
Michigan University. The content of the reviews reflects the opinion of the re
viewers whose names or initials appear with the reviews. To submit an item for
potential review, send to Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Reviews Editor, Reading
Horizons, Reading Center and Clinic, Western Michigan University,
KalamazooJMI 49008.


REVIEWS: Professional Materials

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy andLanguage ArtsVolume 32Issue 2 November/December 1991 Article 812-1-1991REVIEWS: Professional MaterialsKathryn Kinnucan-WelschWestern Michigan UniversitySherry R. MyersWestern Michigan UniversityPaul BrightWestern Michigan UniversityJeanne M. JacobsonWestern Michigan UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizonsPart of the Education CommonsThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by the SpecialEducation and Literacy Studies at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy andLanguage Arts by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at WMU. For moreinformation, please contact maira.bundza@wmich.edu.Recommended CitationKinnucan-Welsch, K., Myers, S. R., Bright, P., & Jacobson, J. M. (1991). REVIEWS: Professional Materials. Reading Horizons: AJournal of Literacy and Language Arts, 32 (2). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol32/iss2/8:mcREVIEWSProfessional MaterialsBasic Reading inventory by Jerry L. Johns.Kendall-Hunt Publishing, 2460 Kerper Blvd., Dubuque IA 52004-0539. 1991ISBN 0-8403-6279-X. 284 pp. US$24.00Reviewed by Kathryn Kinnucan-WelschWestern Michigan UniversityWhile the field of reading assessment reflects the changeswhich are occurring throughout education today, the InformalReading Inventory continues to be widely used by, amongothers, regular and special education teachers, reading specialists, and school psychologists. The text Basic ReadingInventory by Jerry L. Johns is representative of those instruments which can provide the professional with a great deal ofuseful data about a reader in a relatively short period of time.The fifth edition of the Basic Reading Inventory is patterned after the IRI (Informal Reading Inventory) format whichincludes sets of graded word lists, a series of graded paragraphs, and comprehension questions. According to the author, the purposes of the inventory are to determine the student's 1) reading levels (independent, instructional, frustrationand listening); 2) strategies for word identification; and 3)strengths and weaknesses in comprehension.Additional features enhance the value of this inventory.The author has included a brief section on background information relevant to each section of the text. This backgroundincludes history and development of the IRI and suggestions forinstructional strategies to support learners in becoming strategic readers. The fifth edition also includes a section in scoringaccording to significant miscue analysis. The passages in theREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 159Basic Reading Inventory have been lengthened, but the professional must determine whether or not their purpose ofassessment is served through an administration of an informalreading inventory. If that can be determined, then the BasicReading Inventory contains many positive features which wouldmake it a viable choice.Children's BooksMerry Christmas, Amanda and April by Bonnie Pryor.Illustrated by Diane de Groat.Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-07544-4. 32 pp. US$13.95.Reviewed by Sherry R. MyersWestern Michigan UniversitySisters Amanda and April are sent by their mother to getingredients to make cookies for Santa's snack. On the way theystop to sled-ride and do a good deed. When they get to thestore, the grocery list is missing and they must try to rememberwhat their mother wanted, ending up with both flour and flowers. The piglet sisters leave both cookies and a bouquet forSanta, and in return, receive the presents they had hoped for.Merry Christmas, Amanda and April is a gentle story, onlyminimally about Christmas; it's really a good tale for all winterlong. The illustrations are colorful and entertaining, and thestory is appealing in its knowledge of listener reaction to its plot.The idea that flowers could be as important to Santa as the flourin his cookies is pleasing, as is the feature that the personhelped in the story is an adult, not another child. The storysubtly reminds children that adults can truly need their help, thatthey can contribute something to an adult's life, instead of theother way around. Most appealing about the story, though, is itscharacterization of the sisters who are neither too loving, aswas true in books of an earlier generation, nor too hateful, asseems to be true of many current books. It has just the appropriate mix of not getting along and getting along, concern andunconcern. It is the relationship between April and Amandathat will captivate the reader, young and old alike.160 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1Chicken Man by Michelle Edwards.Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-09708-1. 32 pp.Reviewed by Paul BrightWestern Michigan UniversityThe summer that Chicken Man works in the kibbutzchicken coop, the hens lay more than ever before. But as is thecustom on an Israeli kibbutz (a self-supporting farm), ChickenMan is moved to another job, and then another - until the hensstop laying eggs. Oy va voy! From the brightly colored illustrations to the charming Yiddish expressions, this book is a delight. The illustrations contain two notable features. At the verybeginning of the book is a simple map of the kibbutz whereChicken Man lives and works, giving the reader a sense of whata kibbutz is like. Second, the book unexpressedly invites thereader to interact by searching for Chicken Man's red hat oneach page that he is pictured.One could say that Chicken Man is an Israeli version of"the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" forwhile Chicken Man is always happy in whatever job he does,his fellow Kibbutzniks are envious and think that he must havethe best job on the kibbutz. The reader might chuckle atChicken Man's seemingly optimistic view of work; however, hissimple character also exemplifies a good work ethic. This bookquietly states that we should make the most out of our presentcircumstances and not waste our time wishing for a bettertomorrow. Finally, with the recent focus of the world on theMiddle East, and education's multicultural thrust, this culturally-rich book has much to offer both library and private collections.All the Lights in the Night by Arthur A. Levine.Illustrated by James E. Ransome.Tambourine Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10019.1991. ISBN 0-688-10107-0. 30 pp. US$14.95.This beautiful Hanukkah story, recounting events in thelife of the author's grandfather and great uncle, reminds us ofthe bravery of families who stand united even when separatedREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 161by distance and by the cruelty of oppressors. The year is 1914.Of three boys in a Russian family, the oldest, David, has beenable to emigrate to Palestine. Persecution of Russian Jews isincreasing; David has sent his parents money — enough fortwo more family members to escape. The parents will remain;young Moses and Benjamin will travel together from their tinyvillage, hidden in the cart of a friendly neighbor, to Minsk, thenby train to Warsaw, finally by ship to Palestine. Their mother hassent with them a Hanukkah lamp; echoing the miracle whichHanukkah celebrates, they have only oil enough to light thelamp once. Though the oil is indeed consumed, the lamp enables the boys to stay together; the miracle we see is one ofhuman love, ingenuity and endurance. The story's conclusion isjoyous: in place of the lamp, the boys have all the lights in thenight sky. Softly Moses began to sing the Hanukkah prayerandBenjamin joined in. And their voices took to the air likeseabirds, theirbright music carrying over the wind. (JMJ)Classics RetoldJack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg.Morrow Junior Books, 105 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-10250-6. 48 pp. US$14.95.The Swineherd by Hans Christian Andersen.Illustrated by Deborah Hahn.Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books. 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.1991. ISBN 0-688-10052-X. 32 pp. US$14.95.Gorgeous, glorious illustrations sweep across the pagesof Steven Kellogg's brilliant version of Jack and the Beanstalk,beginning with a frontispiece explaining the source of theogre's ill-gotten riches. Partly concealed in the skin of acreature with terrifying tusks and claws, the horrible ogre isswooping down on a pirate ship, where the wicked crew, nowbegging for mercy, have been counting their booty: bags ofgold, a squawking hen with two golden eggs beside her, and amagical harp whose resident singers are wailing frantically. Theend pages present a marvelously happy ending, in which acarriage whose passengers include the joyous harp, a jewel-bedecked hen clutched by Jack's still-amazed mother, a mastiffand four cheery cats, draws Jack and his princess bride, andtheir three royal children, to a distant castle, while a benign162 READING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1wizard, standing with his equally happy cow, waves in greeting.Between these two elegant additions to the story are atreasurehouse of other illustrations, with gently witty text.Deborah Hahn gives credit not only to the author of thestory she has chosen to illustrate, but to her own ingeniouscreations: The Swineherd, by Hans Christian Andersen,Narrated by Himself and Acted by His Favorite Friends andRelations. Two concurrent stories are presented. The printedtext tells Andersen's story of a prince who becomes a swineherd out of love for a silly princess, who loves possessions toomuch, and, in the end, is desolate and deserted. Above this text,Andersen himself, and a lovable cast of children and animals,keep up a running dialogue as they act out the story. And thenAndersen asks his little audience for their opinion of his ending,and they give it: unjust, unbearable, such sadness, fierce, unforgivable, cruel, he couldn't have meant it, heartless... andthey decide to make a change: with all due respect Hans, we'llgive it a new ending. The "truly happy ending" is a joy; Andersen's bleak conclusion is lightly but firmly transformed. (JMJ)Two by James StevensonThe Worst Person's Christmas1991. ISBN 0-688-10210-7. 32 pp. US$13.95.That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't1991. ISBN 0-688-09868-1. 32 pp. US$13.95Both from Greenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016.In The Worst Person's Christmas, grumpy Mr. Worstreappears (earlier tales: The Worst Person in the World; TheWorst Person in the World at Crab Beach), taking a characteristically Scrooge-like view of neighborhood festivities. He isfoiled, though not reformed, by a gift, — "How about a fruitcake?" said Jenny. "He /s a fruitcake," said Walker. "Perfect,"said Jenny. — a piece of ice, a sled, and a fortuitously placedparty. Using a cartoon format, That's Exactly the Way It Wasn'ttakes the theme of family arguments to hilarious lengths: "Mustbe getting late, Wainey." "Early." "Steep hill, Wainey." "Flat."Nice view, Wainey!" "Icky" RRRRUMBLE "Does that sound likea landslide, Wainey?" "Nump."and heights and depths: "Well, Iguess you'll have to agree, Wainey, that we're falling..." THUD!"Nump... not any more!" Present day spats among siblings areREADING HORIZONS, 1991, volume 32, #1 163tame compared to Grandpa's argument with Uncle Waineyabout a long-ago adventure featuring a protective purple armadillo, a yawning green iguana, assorted chatty birds, and aneventual landing on something hot and bubbly and about toerupt. (Given the author's lush imagination, we can conclude itwon't be a volcano.) Ethical, humorous and inventive,Stevenson's books are perennial favorites for all ages. (JMJ)The World of WorkAn Auto Mechanic; A Carpenter, A Potterby Douglas FlorianGreenwillow Books, 105 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016. 1991.ISBN 0-688-10635-8, 0-688-09760-X, 0-688-101003-3, respectively.Each 24 pp., and US$13.95.Douglas Florian's books celebrate workers: a potter, acarpenter, an auto mechanic. The workers are diverse in gender and age, but have one characteristic in common: all havered hair. Warm colors predominate in the big, bright illustrations. The print is also large, and the brief text is chunked intophrases, making the books good choices for early reading; occasional rhymed sections contribute to reading ease. Floriantreats young readers with respect; the descriptions of differentkinds of work are informative, sound and straightforward. (JMJ)Meredith's Mother Takes the Trainby Deborah Lee Rose. Illustrated by Irene Trivas.Albert Whitman and Company, 5747 West Howard Street, Niles IL 60648-4012. 1991. ISBN 0-8075-5061-2. US$10.95.Meredith's Mother Takes the Train, dedicated by the author "to my mother, who took the train," is a clever, briskly-rhymed account of a busy child and her busier mother, spending their weekdays, respectively, at a well-run daycare centerand an active office. The happy conclusion to the week is aSaturday spent together at the zoo. The book is a welcomecelebration of hard work, and the joys experienced by careerwomen and their children. (JMJ)Materials reviewed are not endorsed by Reading Horizons or WesternMichigan University. The content of the reviews reflects the opinion of the reviewers whose names or initials appear with the reviews. To submit an item forpotential review, send to Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Reviews Editor, ReadingHorizons, Reading Center and Clinic, Western Michigan University,KalamazooJMI 49008.

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