Alice in Wonderland review

In chapter three, the Dodo held caucus race and everyone ran randomly in the circle to dry their bodies. However, the caucus race did not have any rules and the Dodo claimed that everyone was winner. He forced Alice to give something to the animals as prizes and gave Alice’s thimble back to her as her prize. In chapter 4, Alice was mistaken as the housemaid by the rabbit. She went to his house to fetch his gloves and fan. However, Alice drank some magic portion and became so huge that she cannot get out of the house. Many symbols are used in these chapters. The rabbit resembles “time” and “authority” because Alice was afraid of him and obeyed what he said. The changes of Alice’s size mean that the painful transition from childhood to adult. The house represents domestic repression that teenagers try to get rid of. Although Alice’s SIZE became bigger, she was still afraid and obeyed the White Rabbit’s command to go his house to get the gloves and fan. This fact may mean that although the teenagers grow at their physical side, they may not really grow inside. Alice didn’t really grow in this chapter. We can see how she grows up in other chapters.

It is my first time to read this book, Alice in Wonderland. My impression of this book is not so clear. I forget most of its plots. When I read this book, I think it funny because everywhere is full of magic power. However, I never think that it will mean something for readers to think. Though the course, I begin to think what everything means in this book. For example, the caucus race means something unfair. Everyone just follows what the Dodo said and they don’t know why they should do so. They keep running until the Dodo stops the race. They don’t have the beginning and end. They also don’t have the right direction to follow. The Dodo makes the decision, when should they stop, when should they start, who give the prize, and where the prizes come from. It’s not fair for Alice to give the prize and give everything to the winners form her. However, Alice didn’t understand the rules in this world. What she can do just follow what they said. She didn’t know if she didn’t obey their command, what would happen. I think it means that in the real world, people may be repressed by the government. People did what the government said and they never think of fighting with the government. Maybe they want to fight, but they were not so powerful to win the government. No one wanted to sacrifice to combat the government. They all knew that the government was too bad to people. However, they were not brave enough to fight for their life.

For the chapter 4, I am responsible for this chapter. I found that the repression is very clear in this chapter. Alice didn’t understand the rabbit very much and she obeyed what he said. I learn that Alice didn’t grow up in her mind. She was still a kid and the rabbit for her like an adult. She thought she had to do what he asked. When Alice drank the bottle and became huge, she JUST became huge at physical side. She was still afraid of the rabbit. Alice can’t leave the house because she was too big and the house limited her movement. I think it is also one kind of repression. The government set the rules and people should obey. The government didn’t respect people and just made use of people. It reminds me that the government took the people’s money to build some facilities. They should say they spend money to so something meaningful for people. How could they say so? They took people’s money and returned to people in another way and said they did something for people! It is very unfair! If they really want to do something good for people, they should not take people’s money to build those facilities and then keep taking people’s money! However, I found something interesting in this story. Bottles can make Alice larger and Cakes can make Alice small. I guess this is one kind of rule. When Alice noticed this rule, she can decide whether she wants to become larger or small. I remembered there was a BIG puppy. He was the only normal animal in this chapter. What he acted is just like the dog in real world. Although the puppy is big for Alice, she still tried hard to escape from him because she didn’t know if she stayed there, the puppy would attack her or not. I think this book bring me lots of things to think. Although I have not finished it, I would try my best to read it as much as possible. 

The Emperor and the Kite

Book Title: The Emperor and the Kite
Author:Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Ed Young

Summary: Djeow Seow was the princess in ancient China she was very tiny. Her father never noticed her and he just focused on other sons and daughters. Djeow Seow played with her toy every day. One day, her father was captured by bad men and her brothers and sisters didn't know what to do. Djeow Seow sent food to her father every day. The monk gave her some hints and she came out with an idea to save her father. She made a huge kite to save her father and she did it! In the end, her father knew her importance and cherished her more.

Analysis:
1.Character
   Protagonist: Djeow Seow
   Antagonist: evil guys
   Foil character: her father, brothers and sisters
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   Omniscient narrator
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (The climax is the emperor was captured by evil guys and how Djeow Seow saved her father.)
5.Conflict
   The emperor was captured by evil guys and he needed someone to save him. However, the tiny daughter Djeow Seow saved him instead other normal sons and daughters.
6.Theme
  Everyone is very important.

Reflection: This story is very special for me. Its design is different and the plot of the story is very touching. I love its ending. When the emperor realized how important Djeow Seow was and he cherished her more. Sometimes I may think my parents don't love me so much and I'm not very important to them. Though this story, I know that every parent love their children. Maybe they are sometimes too busy to take care of children. They still love their children. I also learn that if I think I'm not so important, I can do something to make me become better. Or I can change my thought because everyone is important in this world. Don't compare to anybody. I'm the best!

The Milkmaid and her milk

Book Title: The Milkmaid and her milk
Author:Carol Bamett

Summary: Marsha was a milkmaid and she dreamed the most beautiful blue dress. She planned to sell milk, buy chicks, grow these chicks, sell hens and buy the dress. Then, she would go to the party and get along with the nicest guy at the dance. She dreamed about that and she kept dancing very quickly. Suddenly, her fell down and her milk fell to the ground. Her dream was destroyed.

Analysis:
1.Character
   main character: Marsha
   foil character: her friends, her cows, hens, horse
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   Omniscient narrator
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (The climax is Marsha fell down and her milk fell, too. She couldn't make her dream come true.)
5.Conflict
   It seemed like that Marsha planned everything well and she could get the most beautiful dress. However, she should fall down! She couldn't get her dress.)
6.Theme
  Proverb "Don't count your hens too early"

Reflection: This story is cute and funny. Marsha was a girl who dreamed about the most beautiful dress. She made a plan and she could get the dress in the end. However, she fell and her dream destroyed. In the end, she learned that don't count your hens too early. Its ending surprised me a lot because I never think it may hide a proverb in the story! I also learn that we should have a plan before we do everything, but we can't rely on our plan too much. We have to face many kinds of incidents that we never think of. As a result, don't count on your plan too over because you never know that something may occur suddenly. 

The Gingerbread Man

Book Title: The Gingerbread Man
Author:Addison Wesley
Illustrator: John Sandford

Summary: The gingerbread man showed from the oven and the woman chased behind him. He met the farmer and the farmer chased behind him. Then, he met the dog and the dog chased behind him. He met the crocodile and he asked him to help him pass the river. The crocodile agreed, but he ate the gingerbread man in the end.

Analysis:
1.Character
   protagonist: The gingerbread man
   foil character: the woman, the farmer, the dog
   antagonist: the crocodile
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   First-person narrator 
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (The climax is the crocodile ate the gingerbread man. He didn't help the gingerbread man.)
5.Conflict
   It seemed like that the gingerbread man could pass the river successfully, but the crocodile ate him in the end instead of helping him.
6.Theme
  Adventure

Reflection: This story is very short and funny. It's easy for children to read. It also teaches children some meaning. The author's design makes the dialogue repeated and it brings fun to the children. Children will think it very funny and want to keep reading. The dialogues are very simple and the words are not difficult for children to understand. I like this story. Although it is very short, it still makes me interested and gives me some happiness. 

Jethro Byrde Fairy Child

Book Title: Jethro Byrde Fairy Child
Author:Bob Graham

Summary: Annabelle's dad says she'll never find fairies in cement and weeds. But Annabelle does. She finds a tiny fairy child, Jethro Byrde, and his family, who are on their way to the Fairy Travellers' Picnic. They spend a magical afternoon together. Annabelle does them a favor and they have tea time together. Jethro Byrde's family have to go the picnic, but Annabelle can't go with them. In the end, when Annabelle sleeps, fairies pass by her window. 

Analysis:
1.Character
   main character: Annabelle, Jethro Byrde
   foil character: Annabelle's family and Jethro Byrde's family
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   First-person narrator 
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (The climax is that Annabelle meets fairies and has something interesting with them.
5.Conflict
   Jethro Byrde's family have to go to the picnic, but Annabelle doesn't go with them. Annabelle wants to stay with them more time. However, they just have to say goodbye to each other.
6.Theme
  Adventure on fairies

Reflection: I think the story is so special because its theme is unbelievable in real world. Moreover, the design is special as well. Some pages leave  space, but some don't. No space left makes me feel that I'm in the story and do things with them. Some spaces left make me think about the content. I hope I can have the adventure like Annabelle's in the future. I believe it will be amazing! I like this story because it's a comedy and brings readers lots of happiness and imagination. It helps me leave the real world for a while. I love it!

Many Moons

Book Title: Many Moons
Author:James Thurber

Summary
   The little princess was sick and the only way to get her better is send her the moon. The king found three wise men, the Lord High Chamberlain, the Royal Wizard, and the Royal Mathematician to solve the problem. However, they all complained what they did for the king and can't figure out the solution to get the moon. Finally, the Jester helped the king. He asked the princess how big the moon is and how far it is. Then, he had the Royal Goldsmith make a chain like moon and sent to the princess. But the king was worried about whether the princess would see the real moon shine in the sky at night. He found the three men again. They couldn't deal with it again because they couldn't hide the moon. The Court Jester came to the princess and asked her why the moon can be shinning in the sky when it is hanging on a golden chain around her neck. The princess was smart and she gave the answer. The king didn't worry the problem anymore.

Analysis
1.Character
   main character: The king, the princess, the Court Jester
   foil character: the Lord High Chamberlain, the Royal Wizard, the Royal Mathematician
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   First-person narrator 
4.Plot
   Episodic Plot
   (The first climax is that the Jester got a chain like the moon for the princess while others couldn't get the moon.)
   (The second climax is that the king was worried whether the princess would see the moon shinning in the sky and the Jester solved this problem.)
5.Conflict
   Everyone thought the moon the princess wanted was the real moon and they were afraid that she saw the real moon in the sky when she got the chain. However, the moon was one kind of the princess' imagination.
6.Theme
   Imagination is more important than other things.

Reflection
   I think this story is very interesting. I thought the princess wanted the real moon at first, but I was wrong. We usually see what we think it is and we don't consider another possibility. We should try to look at the other side of one thing to find another perspective.  The Court Jester was very smart because he figured out another way to give the princess what she wanted. He didn't get the real moon, but he gave the princess the moon she really needed. This story taught me a good lesson.

My Friend Rabbit

Book Title: My Friend Rabbit
Author:Eric Rohmann

Summary
The rabbit means well, but what he did, wherever he went, trouble followed. The plain was on the tree and the rabbit wanted to get it back, so he took lots of animals and piled them up to reach the plain. However, they fell down and the animals were not happy with the rabbit. The mouse on the plain helped the rabbit to leave. In the end, the plain was stuck on the tree again.

Analysis
1.Character
   main character: Mouse and Rabbit
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   Limited narrator (form the mouse)
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (The rabbit found lots of animals to help to get the plain back, but he made the animals unhappy. However, he succeed to get the plain back and left with the mouse. In the end, the trouble came again.)
5.Conflict
   The animals were not happy with the rabbit. However, the rabbit succeeded to escape from the animals!
6.Theme
   Trouble maker(The rabbit brings lots of troubles)

Reflection
   The rabbit means well, but what he did always brought lots of troubles. We may have some friends like him and we have to help them to solve problems. The mouse was very nice to the rabbit. He didn't abandon the rabbit and left. Instead, he did the rabbit a favor to take him out. The friendship is very strong between the rabbit and the mouse. If we have friends like the mouse, we should cherish them. Don't be the trouble maker and try to be better.

Kitten's First Full Moon

Book Title: Kitten's First Full Moon
Author: Kevin Henkes
Summary
Kitten thought the moon was a bowl of milk in the sky and she tried hard to reach it. She opened her mouth to lick, wiggled her bottom and sprang from the top step of the porch, chased it down the sidewalk, through the garden, past the field, and by the pond, climbed the tree, and leaped to the pond to get it. However, she failed and she went home. She found the real bowl of milk on the porch in the end.

Analysis
1.Character
   main character: Kitten
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   First-person narrator
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (Kitten tried her best to reach the moon and she thought it was a little bowl of milk in the sky, but she never approached it. In the end, she didn't get it and she found the real bowl of milk she could reach.)
5.Conflict
   Kitten didn't get the moon which she thought it was a bowl of milk in the sky, but she got the real bowl of milk in the end.
6.Theme
   Cherish what we have around us.

Reflection
   I think what Kitten chased is one kind of happiness that she didn't have. Like people, people chase the happiness they don't have and they think it is what they need. They try hard to reach it, but they forget the happiness they have around them. Trying hard to chase happiness is good, but we can't ignore what we have. We should cherish every person, every thing in our life. Kitten's adventure is so special. Although she didn't get the bowl of milk in the sky, she got the real bowl of milk. It's a pity that she didn't get what she wanted. It's a good thing that she found the happiness she had in her life. Everyone should learn how to cherish what we have.

Miss spider's tea party

Book Title: Miss spider's tea party
Author:David Kirk

Summary
   Miss spider wanted someone to stay with her. Here came two timid beetles, three fireflies, four bumblebees, five bugs, six ants, seven butterflies, and nine moths, but they didn't stop to stay with Miss spider. However, one moth was wet and he couldn't fly. He had to get along with Miss spider and he found she was nice and not dangerous. He told others and they were not afraid of Miss spider anymore. Eleven insects came to see Miss spider and were happy to get along with her!

Analysis
1.Character
   main character: Miss spider
   functionary character: A small moth
2.Setting
   Backdrop setting
3.Narrative Point of View
   First-person narrator
4.Plot
   Dramatic Plot
   (Many insects are afraid of the Miss spider, but one moth find she is nice after getting along with her.)
5.Conflict
   Many insects think Miss spider is dangerous to them and they don't want to approach her. As a result, no one stays with her when Miss spider wants someone to stay with her. However, a moth got wet wings and had to stay with Miss spider. It found Miss spider is nice after getting along with her. Miss spider is kind to others.
6.Theme
   It's one kind of stereotype. Spiders are regarded as dangerous creatures, but there are some nice spiders. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Reflection
I think the story wants to tell us that don't judge people by their appearance. Usually, we don't approach the spider because it is dangerous. In the story, the spider is nice and kind! She treats others well and she doesn't want to hurt others. She just needs someone to stay with her and take tea time with her. Just like some people, their appearance are not so kind, but we can find their advantages after we get along with them. We should not decide whether we make friends with others for their appearance. We have to get along with them first and then decide whether we want to make friends with them or not.