Fic on Evalua on Form

(Picture Books, Folklore, Modern Fantasy, Contemporary Realis c Fic on, Historical Fic on, Mul cultural Books)

Your Name: Wendy Cooper Book Title: My Mouth is a Volcano

Author: Julia Cook Illustrator: Carrie Hartman

Genre: Award Books Publisher/Year: Na onal Center for Youth Issues/2019

Winner of the Associa on of Educa onal Publishers 2006 Dis nguished Achievement Award

Mom’s Choice Award

EVALUATE THE BOOK USING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS

STYLE and Language: Explain the language used – word choices, sentence length, dialogue, rhythm, rhyme.
Explain unexpected insights or interes ng informa on the reader learns from the story. Give examples form
the book for each one:

Word choice: Simple and repe ve

Sentence length: Average length
Dialogue: Easy to understand
Rhythm: No real rhythm, but the repe on is catchy
Rhyme: No rhyme
Insights/interes ng informa on. A fun read aloud book

CHARACTER – Who is the main character? Explain the character’s personality traits. How can the reader
relate to the character, become involved in the story?
Who are the suppor ng characters? Give examples of each from the book.

Main character: Louis

Personality traits: Has a lot to say and interrupts
How reader can relate to main character: We all have mes when we want to interrupt
Suppor ng characters: Louis’ friends and family

1. PLOT: (Explains the major events in the story.) Summarize the plot
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 Louis has a lot to say. His words are very important to him. Once the words pop into his head, he just
HAS to say them, even if someone else is speaking.

“They slide down onto my tongue. My tummy starts to rumble, and then it starts to grumble. My
words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle. My tongue pushes out my important words up
against my teeth, and then… I erupt!” This li le chant is repeated a number of mes

2. SETTING – Explain the place and me of the book.

THEME- What is the story’s theme or lesson?

Se ng: School and Home

Theme: Don’t interrupt

ILLUSTRATION –Analyze the illustra ons in the book (see Chapter 4 for details on the categories below.)
Choose a 2-page spread in the book to answer the following:
What Style (realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, naïve, cartoon art)?
Cartoon

Illustra on and Text: explain how illustra on and text combined to tell the story.
Then, explain what illustra ons show that text does not explain?
Text is plain except for words that are emphasized when Louise is about to erupt

Page design --Describe:

The Borders: No boarders
Use of white/dark space: White space is used to emphasize the text
Text placemen: along the bo om in most places
Font size: medium, with very large and squiggley emphasis words.
Placement of illustra ons: Large and at the topmost por on of the pages

3. CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORIES – CHOOSE 2 of theories below and evaluate the book according to the
developmental theories. (How the book ts the developmental stage and age?)

PIAGET-COGNITIVE-INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Name the stage: Preoperaional and the age: 2-7

Explain ONE cogni ve development trait from the stage: Rapid development of concepts

Give examples from the book show how the book ts that trait and cogni ve stage: Louise it
learning about what interrup ng means, and learns to not interrupt.
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 ERIKSON – PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Name the stage Ini a ve VS Guilt and the age: Preschool

Explain ONE social development trait for this stage: Children Develop Ini a ve
• With encouragement to try new things – coloring, wri ng, pretend play

Give examples from the book that support that social development trait and of this stage: Louis is
encouraged to try not to interrupt.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Iden fy the Age: 4
Explain ONE emo onal development trait for this age: 3.PK.2a Express feelings, needs or wants
in appropriate ways.

Give examples from the book to illustrate that emo onal development trait and this age: Louis
begins to understand the their is a me and a place to express himself.
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