Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer

Summary:

This book is filled with very short versions of different fairy tales and folk tales mixed with poetry. Each fairy tale and folk tale has two different short versions. The poem is read first from the top line to the bottom, but then the poem is flipped and it’s read from the bottom line to the top. It is told from two character’s points of view. The tricky part is that for the most part the author used the exact same words for both sides of each story, but reverses the order of the words. The stories are not exactly in sentence form, but sometimes more like phrases. One of the stories is Little Red Riding Hood. In Red Riding Hood story, it gives the wolf's side and then Little Red Riding Hood's side. Each poem’s tells a piece of a fairy tale. Other fairy tales are Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Goldie Locks and the Three Bears and Rapunzel are also different parts of the poems as well. It’s up to the reader to determine which story to believe.

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:

What a unique way to mix fairy tales, folk tales, and poetry together! I enjoyed reading this book because of the illustrations. The illustrations are appealing because of the bright and vibrant colors the illustrator used. The illustrations also help readers determine which character the poem is written about. A beautiful woman and a beastly man help readers recognize that they are reading about Beauty and the Beast. I especially liked "Cinderella's Double Life". The illustrations were simply beautiful! Mirror Mirror will teach readers that there is always two different versions to a story. We can never just believe one person. This book is creatively written and it shows readers that there is no right way to write a book. Creativity is everything! This is a fun, new, and interesting way to get everyone to read poetry!  

Bullies Never Win by Margery Cuyler

Summary:
Brenda the Bully won't leave Jessica alone. Brenda enjoys calling Jessica names like toothpick and making fun of her homework and her clothes. Jessica gives up kickball after Brenda tells her that her homerun was just luck. She also begins wearing pants to cover her skinny legs. Jessica doesn't have anywhere to sit at lunch. When her mother accidentally packs her lunch in her brother's lunch box, Jessica hysterically worries that Brenda will make fun of her which Brenda does. After being made fun of Jessica loses her lunch and becomes very upset with her mother for packing her lunch in her brother’s lunch box. Jessica explains the problem to her mother and gets helpful advice. Her mom wants her to tell her teacher but the teacher insists that her bullying problem will solve itself. So with her mother’s advice, the next time Brenda the Bully is mean to her, Jessica is ready with her own words "Toothpicks may be thin, but bullies never win!"

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:

Bullying is a problem at our school. Bullies Never Win is the story of a girl named Jessica who stands up to her bully, Brenda. I enjoyed reading this story because of the ending of the story. I liked how Jessica stood up to Brenda with her fighting words, “Toothpicks may be thin, but bullies never win!” All of students should always feel safe in our school. If there is a bullying problem, we want for our students to tell a teacher or an adult. Our teachers would never tell a student that a bullying problem would solve itself like the way Jessica’s teacher told her. I think this story teaches a great lesson to many of us. At one time, we have all been bullied by someone. If we are just brave and stand up for ourselves we can be sure that no one will ever make us feel bad about ourselves. If you have bullied someone and you read this story, it will teach you not to do it again because bullies NEVER WIN!