Shirley Menendez

I liked this book for many reasons. The thing I like most about this book is that it contains both nonfiction information and poetry on every page. For every letter of the alphabet, information and a short poem are given, along with illustrations. The illustrations are very detailed and allow the reader to see exactly what the information is referring to. The book focuses mainly on landmarks in Maryland. If the reader has never visited these places, they are able to clearly see what the information is focusing on. The information is accurate and current. The amount of information is appropriate for the audience. I don’t think the amount of text on each page is overwhelming. I think the text includes a good amount of statistics. If a younger reader is struggling with the paragraphs, they could just focus on the poems on each page and be just as engaged in the text. I believe the big idea of this book is that there are many different parts to the state of Maryland. There are a lot of important historical events and a lot of important current events. I think the purpose behind this book is to show readers how diverse and interesting the state is.… (altro)

I found this book to be absolutely stellar. The language used in this book varies of which section is being read. The first section includes detailed expository text for older children, while the second section includes simple facts that rhyme for younger children. For example, “H stands for Historic battles, where brave soldiers led the fight during the American Civil War for what they believed was right.” The section meant for older children contains two paragraphs describing historic battles that occurred in Maryland. The writing in this piece, once again varies, yet but sections are organized by alphabetical order. The first section contains no less than five sentences, while the second section contains two sentences at most. This text has no characters as its purpose is to inform and not to entertain through anything more than facts and is also told from the third person point of view. While the plot is organized, there is no climax or conflict as it is once again simply and playfully sharing just the facts. Laura Stutzman’s illustrations are a wonderful addition to this book. These pictures not only enhance the author’s words, but also provide a unique and yet general depiction of what is being described. For example, when describing Camden Yards, a young boy with a baseball is seen admiring the statue of a baseball player outside of the entrance to Camden Yards. Both sections in this text are appealing to readers, the first section is best suited for readers who are truly looking to learn about the topic, while the second section is simple and playful to keep the attention of younger readers while teaching them about current and accurate information. This text pushes readers to explore the history of their state, which in this case, is Maryland. The main idea for this text would have to be that each state is unique!… (altro)

In my opinion, the book "B is for Blue Crab" by Shirley Menendez is an amazing book for young readers and to have in a Maryland classroom. As a resident and future teacher of Maryland, I would love to have this book in my classroom for many reasons. First, I like the fact that it includes history, important people, and facts about the state of Maryland. For example, one page reads: "Fort Frederick begins with the letter F. It was built with a strong stone wall. During the French and Indian War is provided shelter for all." This is probably something that young students wouldn't know about Maryland unless they live near there, but may be interested in learning about some of Maryland's past. I also like how to each page has a side bar with additional information about what is mentioned for each letter. The N page says, "N stands for the U.S. Naval Academy, where students in uniform look so grand as they train to be sailors and midshipmen and prepare to defend our homeland." On the side of this page, there is more information about the Naval Academy like when it was founded, the attractions it holds for visitors, famous people who went there, and mentions its infamous Chapel. I also liked the life-like illustrations that seem to be hand painted and full of color. Not only does this make the book visually appealing, it makes the book much more realistic and helps the reader understand the information on each page. The big idea of the story is to teach children about different historical landmarks, attractions, features, and facts about the state of Maryland, while going through the alphabet.… (altro)